On April 24, we celebrate the Day of Swiss Beer. This year, the occasion also calls for a little ingenuity!

For the Day of Swiss Beer on April 24, numerous and varied events were planned all over the country. Unfortunately, circumstances do not permit any events this year. But that doesn't mean we can't pay tribute to the local barley juice on its day of honor. The Swiss Brewers Association has created a truly unifying event for all beer lovers (and a little community spirit certainly does us all good): On April 24, let's stand on the terrace, on the balcony, by the open window, and toast our Swiss beer with a loud "cheers."

A CARTON OF BEER - OR WOULD YOU PREFER A LARGE ONE?

We're taking the holiday as an opportunity to take a slightly closer look at the various units of measure in which beer is commonly served in Switzerland. You think you know them all? Then take a look at the following list, it might give you a surprise or two:

• The pole. The classic works everywhere, at least in the German-speaking cantons. It usually means 3 deciliters, but since it is not an officially standardized unit, the amount can vary from 0.25 to 0.33 liters.
• The Chübeli. It also contains 3 deciliters and is mainly at home in Bern and the surrounding area. While the Stange tends to come in a slim, tall glass, the Chübeli is ideally a bulbous jug.
• The Rugeli. And then it gets a little more complicated. Because the Rugeli can also contain 3 deciliters - but also 4 or 5. Its peculiarity lies not in the amount of beer it contains, but in the handle with which it is equipped.
• The Herrgöttli. Deserves the prize for the most beautiful name, but still stands for only 2 deciliters of content. The godfather was probably a certain Anton Albert Leodegar Emil Acherman, nicknamed Herrgöttli-Achermann, who out of thriftiness did not want to order more than the 0.2 liters.
• The tulip. Here the name describes above all the curved shape, narrowed towards the top, in which the aroma can develop particularly well. In Basel, the tulip is synonymous with 2 deciliters of beer, but especially abroad it can also contain more.
• The Peff. In Lucerne, this supposedly means 1 deciliter of beer - but we would rather place that in the realm of myth. Or have you ever seen a beer glass that size? Exactly.
• The large. Next to the bar, this is probably the most common unit; it stands for half a liter of beer. In Valais, people have apparently become so accustomed to this size that it is already referred to as the "normal".
• The Chübu. Unsurprisingly, in Bern this is the large version of the chübeli, i.e. half a liter of beer. Alternatively, you can also order "ä Haubä" there, although this is of course no longer associated with any particular glass shape.

Not surprisingly, there are many other terms in the different regions and dialects, which we cannot list here. If you know a particularly unusual expression, we look forward to your mail to welcome@houseofbeer.ch.

A LOOK BACK INTO (BEER) HISTORY

Here in Switzerland, beer has probably been brewed since around the 8th century. Originally, it was mainly found in monasteries, as historical documents show. In an international comparison, we joined the party relatively late, along with most other Central European countries: the ancient Sumerians had probably already discovered how to make beer from grain about 8,000 years before Christ. According to the Swiss Federal Tax Administration, there are 1473 breweries in Switzerland today.

WE CELEBRATE - WITH VALAISANNE!

If you're looking for even more of a sense of community on April 24 than the Swiss Brewers Association's "Cheers" campaign promises, we'd advise you to convene an online get-together with your colleagues. You've probably been using a program from the Zoom, Hangout, Teams or Skype category for a long time. This way you can also meet in a larger group and enjoy a nice, cool, fresh beer from Switzerland together. We recommend one of the specialties of the Valaisanne brewery for this occasion - with a hoppy Pale Ale or an unfiltered Zwickel, you're right on track for Swiss Beer Day!