It’s American Craft Beer Week! (CBB raises pints)

It’s the busiest week of the year for craft breweries. We toast their efforts to promote the culture of craft beer.

Christmas. Thanksgiving. Bastille Day. Certain times of the year hold a special place in our hearts and minds (and, oh yeah, our stomachs). At Craft Brewing Business, American Craft Beer Week (ACBW) is more than just one day. It’s an entire week of celebrations dedicated to craft beer — and it’s like having Christmas, Halloween and St Patty’s Day rolled into one delicious-long kegger. And it’s not just us. There are similar celebratory craft beer events are planned throughout the 50 states.

From May 13-19, craft beer connoisseurs and beginners alike will come together for the eighth annual celebration of ACBW. With the tagline “Big Week, Small Breweries,” ACBW is an opportunity to toast the more than 2,400 small and independent American craft brewers who continue to make the United States the world’s most badass brewing destination.

“The popularity of American Craft Beer Week is indicative of the craft beer renaissance that continues to captivate the U.S.,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and craft beer program director at the Brewers Association. “This week is about uniting for a common cause: support and celebration of our nation’s small and independent brewers and the millions of beer lovers who have helped evolve an industry and put the U.S. on the brewing map.”

New for 2013 is the American Craft Beer Week National Toast. We did a similar toast in early May 4, celebrating one of America’s fastest growing hobbies — National Homebrew Day. That worldwide event brought together thousands of homebrewers from around the globe, all brewing the same beers, and highlighted by a toast at noon Central Time on May 4. For the first time ever, ACBW will be commemorated by a simultaneous toast. At 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 16, small brewers and craft beer lovers nationwide will raise a glass of their favorite craft brewed beer to toast ACBW and the delicious beer that it celebrates. To find a toast location near you, visit the official American Craft Beer Week events page, hosted by CraftBeer.com. Untappd, the mobile-based social network that connects breweries with craft beer lovers, is also offering an American Craft Beer Week Badge for users who check-in during ACBW events.

Additionally, craft beer fans from across the country can sign the American Craft Beer Week Manifesto, pledging their support to craft beer and their love for “the artisans who approach their craft with originality, dedication and passion.” From tap takeovers and tasting tours to food pairings and festivals, ACBW will be celebrated in many ways across the United States. To find a local celebration, event or promotion, visit the above-mentioned ACBW events page. A selection of scheduled 2013 celebrations includes: