There’s a wide variety of unofficial novelty holidays throughout the year that hold no historical significance or noteworthy origin—including oddities like Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day on February 11, If Pets Had Thumbs Day on March 3, Take Your Pants for a Walk Day on July 27, Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day on August 8 and National Chocolate Covered Anything Day on December 16—then there’s National Beer Day. Its April 7 date is incredibly important to U.S. history, as it marks the end of the ill-conceived Prohibition era 86 years ago.

RELATED: Rum-Running – Montauk’s Economic Engine, 1919–1932

Imagine turning 21 between 1919 and 1932, and not being allowed to christen your coming of age with your first beer, that is, unless your parents were willing to introduce you to the seedy world of illegal speakeasies. Ugh! Thankfully, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act on March 22, 1933, amending the Volstead Act to allow the sale of beer containing 4% alcohol by volume, as opposed to the 0.5% alcohol limit in place at the time. When it was announced that the amendment would go into effect on April 7, beer-lovers across the country lined up in front of breweries and beer distributors the night before, a day now called New Beer’s Eve, to eagerly await the first day these purveyors would be open for business in over a decade.

East Enders living in 2019 don’t have to worry about nonsense like Prohibition and can enjoy local craft brews and hops as much as they please. Thanks to FDR’s decision, the Hamptons and North Fork the beer industry has flourished, with some of the country’s finest brewers and distributors calling the East End home. If you’re looking to celebrate National Beer Day right, you’ll want to patronize Dan’s Best of the Best Breweries and Beer/Beverage Distributors.

Find more of the East End’s best businesses and personalities at DansBOTB.com, and don’t forget to check out all our 2018 Dan’s Best of the Best winners.

Hamptons & North Fork Breweries

Platinum
Greenport Harbor Brewing Company
234 Carpenter Street, Greenport
631-477-1100, greenportharborbrewing.com

Platinum
Westhampton Beach Brewing Company
220 Roger’s Way Suite I, Westhampton Beach
631-998-0800, westhamptonbeachbrewingco.com

Gold
Jamesport Farm Brewery
5873 Sound Avenue, Riverhead
844-532-2337, jfbrewery.com

Gold
Montauk Brewing Company
62 South Erie Avenue, Montauk
631-668-8471, montaukbrewingco.com

Silver
Moustache Brewing Company
400 Hallett Avenue, Riverhead
631-591-3250, moustachebrewing.com

Silver
Southampton Publick House
62 Jobs Lane, Southampton
631-283-2800, publick.com

Bronze
Long Ireland Beer Company
817 Pulaski Street, Riverhead
631-403-4303, longirelandbrewing.com

Hamptons & North Fork Beer/Beverage Distributors

Platinum
Greenport Harbor Brewing Company
234 Carpenter Street, Greenport
631-477-1100, greenportharborbrewing.com

Platinum
Classic Beverage
175 West Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays
631-723-3552, facebook.com/classic-beverage

Gold
Touch of Venice Restaurant
28350 Main Road, Cutchogue
631-298-5851, touchofvenice.com

Gold
Sam’s Beverage Place
29 Race Lane, East Hampton
631-324-7267, samsbeverageplace.com

Silver
North Fork Taps and Corks
53345 Main Road #5, Southold
631-876-5246, northforktapsandcorks.org

Silver
Peconic Beverage
74 County Road 39, Southampton
631-283-0602, peconicbeverage.com

Silver
Moustache Brewing Company
400 Hallett Avenue, Riverhead
631-591-3250, moustachebrewing.com

Bronze
Montauk Beer and Soda
43 South Elmwood Avenue, Montauk
631-668-5400, montaukbeerandsoda.com

Bronze
Long Ireland Beer Company
817 Pulaski Street, Riverhead
631-403-4303, longirelandbrewing.com