The Brewers Association has declared the Sunday after Thanksgiving as Small Brewery Sunday, a new holiday to celebrate small and independent U.S. craft breweries, and on Dec. 1, beer lovers are encouraged to show their support for local and independent breweries by seeking the independent craft brewer seal, a certified mark that identifies beer brewed by independent craft brewers.
Mountain Valley Brewing will ring in the celebration that day from 2 to 6 p.m. at their tasting room, located at 4220 Mountain Valley Road, Axton.
A portion of proceeds from the day’s sales are earmarked for the Fieldale Ducks Youth Football program, to help them attend the Hall of Fame World Youth Championship in Ohio. The donation is part of Mountain Valley’s celebration of its impact on the local community.
“When we heard the great news about the Fieldale Duck’s success we wanted to try and help them. The championship game is a big deal for these kids and as a member of the business community we thought a fundraiser would be a great way to promote Small Brewery Sunday,” said Peggy Donivan, owner.
Beth Stinnett, assistant director of Tourism for Martinsville and Henry County said, “We encourage you to wrap up your holiday weekend at Mountain Valley Brewing on December 1st by enjoying a flight of their delicious craft beer and food from D’s Hot Ice food truck, all while supporting a wonderful cause. Small Brewery Sunday is a great opportunity to get to know Henry County’s award-winning brewery and to unwind.”
According to the 2018 Economic Impact Report released by the Brewers Association, the craft brewing industry contributed $79.1 billion to the U.S. economy and provided 559,545 total jobs. In addition to providing jobs and a space for community building, craft brewers also support thousands of nonprofits and charitable organizations. According to the Brewers Association, craft brewers gave an estimated $92.6 million to charitable organizations in 2018.
“Every dollar a beer lover spends at a craft brewery, and buying their craft beer at stores and restaurants, fuels a small business and supports the economic health of its local community,” said Julia Herz, craft beer program director, Brewers Association. “Small Brewery Sunday gives us beer lovers a formal reminder that when we buy a growler, crowler, six-pack or pint, we are supporting small brewery businesses and helping them keep their doors open, lights on and fermentation tanks full.”
Beer lovers can encourage others to join them in visiting Mountain Valley Brewing by downloading and sharing Small Brewery Sunday social media assets. Follow and share your Small Brewery Sunday experience using the hashtags #SmallBrewerySunday and #SeekTheSeal and tagging @MountainValleyBrewing.
To learn more about Small Brewery Sunday, visit SmallBrewerySunday.com.
