What’s your favorite beer? Raise a glass to National American Beer Day

When it’s quitting time and you go to grab a cold one, do you opt for a Creature Comforts Tropicalia, a Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale or a Wild Heaven Emergency Drinking Beer?

Dozens of breweries call Georgia home, and the beers they brew rank as some of the region’s and country’s best.

With Tuesday, Oct. 27 being National American Beer Day, it’s time to raise a glass to all the Georgia companies as well as those across the country who have been a part of brewing beer in the USA.

“National American Beer Day is observed by beer drinkers across the nation every year on October 27,” noted NationalToday.com. “Though Americans love a good pint of Guinness, a chilled Heineken, or a bubbling Corona, they’ll set aside imports of all kinds on National American Beer Day to instead celebrate distinctly domestic lagers and ales brewed across the country.”

While Americans began brewing ales in the late 16th century, NationalToday.com notes that D.G. Yuengling & Son is the oldest American brewery still in existence today. It opened in 1829. Twenty-three years later, Anheuser-Busch was founded and now captures almost 50% of beer sales in the US.

Here are some interesting facts about beer from FactRetriever.com. Beer is the third-most-popular drink in the world, trailing only water and tea. McDonald’s offers beer on its menu in many countries including France, Germany and South Korea. The Guinness Book of World Records was conceived of by Hugh Beaver, the Managing Director of the Guinness Brewery in Dublin, as a way to settle pub disputes.

Back to Georgia, SweetWater Brewery consistently ranks as one of the top breweries in the state by beer connoisseurs. WSBTV.com visited the Ottley Drive facility several years ago for a tour.

SweetWater Brewery tours offer info, beer WSBTV.com's Nelson Hicks heads to the SweetWater Brewery to find out about its tours and why some people take part week after week.

But SweetWater is far from the only brewery making headlines in the state. From Jekyll Brewing in Alpharetta, to Reformation Brewery in Woodstock, to Terrapin Beer Co. and Creature Comforts in Athens, to Oconee Brewing Company in Greensboro, to Cherry Street Brewing in Cumming, to the Atlanta Brewing Company in Atlanta, numerous Georgia-based breweries are creating craft brews that are proving popular well beyond the state line.

What are the top beers sold in the United States now?

According to USA Today, Michelob Ultra is the fifth-most-popular beer. Budweiser checks in at the fourth spot. Miller Lite ranks as the third-most-popular beer, while Coors Light is second on the list. Bud Light captures the prize for the most consumed beer in the country. In 2019, 27.2 million barrels of it were shipped, nearly doubling that of Coors Light.

Did you know? Some of Georgia famous faces and creatures have been featured on cold brews.

Former Atlanta Hawks star Dominique Wilkins teamed up with SweetWater Brewing to create a new India pale ale. It’s called, of course, Human Highlight IPA. The Atlanta Hawks superstar was nicknamed the “Human Highlight Film” for his rim-rocking dunks in the NBA.

Read more: Dominique, SweetWater create new beer with perfect name

Best End Brewery released Started from the Bottoms earlier this year to honor Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

RELATED: Atlanta brewery names new beer after Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms

Even some animals at the Georgia Aquarium have a beer named in their honor. Red Brick Brewing Co. teamed up with the Atlanta attraction to create Sea Otter Stout, Seadragon Basil Blonde and Whale Shark Wheat.

Related: New beer celebrates Sea Otters at Georgia Aquarium

Whatever American brewed beer you prefer, raise a tall glass of it on Oct. 27, and remember to always drink responsibly.

Cox Media Group