Beer Days?

Within the last week someone in the beer community has arbitrarily decide that there should be two beer days.  Last Thursday was International IPA and Sunday was International Beer Day.  I understand that these arbitrary days are all done for marketing reasons and really have nothing to do with beer or a specific style.  That it is all about just getting the info out there to raise awareness.  So a question that comes to mind is, if this is for PR and marketing why is it not announced better in advance?  Both days basically were upon me before I was aware of the day.  I really was not aware of either day until I happened to see something on facebook or was texted by a friend about the day.  Shouldn’t the days be much better publicized then the day of the event?  Also these events are usually not well known out of the homebrew and craft brew circles. 

So if these days are for marketing and bringing awareness to beer and beer styles, should these days be more readily available to the general public?  Most of the people I know are aware of these days, but if the general public is unaware of these days what good are they?  I may not be the best marketing person, but I do know enough that the key to marketing is getting the word out in advance of the event.  I think there are some marketing people that need to be shaken up a bit and made aware of what their jobs are. 

Another question is what organization or person has decided to make these days anyway?  Is there some international organization that is in charge of naming days and assigning the dates?  If so they are not doing such a great job either, since these days do not have anything to do with the beer style or beer in general.  Or if it is someone in the Craft beer industry is naming these days, they need to do a better job tying them into actual events in beer history.

I am very pleased that there are beer days and an effort to educate people in regards to beer and beer styles.  An educated public is important to the growth of the beer industry.  I wish the organization that is in charge of these days would be better at the marketing to make these days better and stronger.

Once I did find out about these days, I did go out and properly celebrate!  Last Thursday my wife and I did make it over to Against the Grain and we enjoyed an IPA each.  Mine was a Firestone Walker's Union Jack, a very good IPA and my wife had Two Brother's Outlaw IPA, a really nice IPA.  On Sunday we went to Granite City and had their new beer a nut brown, which was a decent beer. 

Hopefully as these beer days continue on and perhaps even grow in numbers they will be better publicized and actually involve some kind of events that will bring some fun into these days.  I look forward to celebrating more of these events and perhaps I will be aware of these days more in advanced then the day of the event.

QC Beerguy