August 6, 2021 – International Beer Day | National Root Beer Float Day

Welcome to August 6th, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the beer melting pot and frosty dreams. When German immigrants arrived in the United States, they introduced America to lager beers, a traditional German style. So it’s ironic that lagers became popular during World War II at a time when our country hated everything German. American soldiers serving in Europe discovered the brew and loved it. Lagers had lower alcohol content than ales and came in cans, for easy transport. When the soldiers returned home, they brought their taste for the beer, as well as the tradition of drinking it from cans—something that was once frowned upon. On International Beer Day we celebrate our heritage as a cultural melting pot and the small things that never fail to bring us together! Staying frosty during the Summer heat is a challenge. Especially when it tends to stay hot well into the evening. It was on such a night, in 1893, that Frank Wisner found himself gazing at the snow capped peaks of Cow Mountain in Colorado. He noticed that they looked just like ice cream floating in soda. The vision turned to inspiration and the next day he scooped creamy vanilla into ice cold root beer. This first creation was dubbed the Black Cow after the mountain peaks, but we know them today as a root beer float. For that we can thank Wisner’s kids whose favorite drink was Myers Avenue Red Root Beer. Any other flavor combo wouldn’t be the same. On National Root Beer Float Day celebrate the soda fountain classic inspired by nature. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices