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National Beverage Day

A US observance on May 6 celebrating beverages of all kinds. Originally established in 1921 as 'Bottled Carbonated Beverage Day' to promote consumer confidence in beverage purity.

Thursday

May 2027

Last updated March 20, 2026 · by the Holiday Calendar Team

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YEARLY DATEMay 6

OBSERVED INUnited States

CATEGORYFood

SUBCATEGORYSoft Drinks

ORIGIN

Corporate Initiative

FOUNDING ENTITY

American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages

FIRST OBSERVED

1921

HOW THE HOLIDAY CAME TO BE

National Beverage Day traces to 1921, when an unnamed contributor to The Re-Ly-On Bottler, a trade magazine for beverage producers, encouraged bottlers to promote the purity and wholesomeness of carbonated drinks. By 1925, the American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages declared it an annual event.

INTRO

Introduction

PHOTO

In 1921, an anonymous contributor to The Re-Ly-On Bottler, a trade magazine for carbonated beverage producers, proposed a day to reassure the American public that bottled drinks were "pure" and "wholesome." Public trust in food safety was low. The beverage industry needed credibility. By 1925, the American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages had formalized the concept as an annual event.

That promotional effort has outlived the industry concerns that created it. The US non-alcoholic beverage market was valued at approximately $170 billion in 2024, spanning carbonated soft drinks, bottled water, coffee, tea, energy drinks, and a fast-growing category of non-alcoholic alternatives driven by the "sober curious" movement.

ORIGINS

Beverage Day history

INTRODUCTION

The story of National Beverage Day begins with a public relations problem. In the early 20th century, American consumers were skeptical about the safety of commercially produced food and drink. Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" had exposed meatpacking conditions in 1906. The Pure Food and Drug Act followed the same year. Bottled carbonated beverages, still a relatively new consumer product, needed to distance themselves from the era's food safety scandals.

In 1921, a writer for The Re-Ly-On Bottler, a trade publication for carbonated beverage manufacturers, proposed a promotional day to assure the public that bottled drinks were "pure" and "wholesome." By 1925, the American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages had declared it an annual event, initially scheduled for the first Wednesday of May.

CHAPTER 01

From fizzy water to a $170 billion industry

The scientific foundation was laid in 1767, when English chemist Joseph Priestley discovered that water could be infused with carbon dioxide by suspending it above a beer vat. Johann Jacob Schweppe commercialized the process in 1783. By the late 19th century, pharmacist-inventors were adding flavored syrups to carbonated water — Coca-Cola in 1886, Pepsi-Cola in 1893.

Prohibition (1920-1933) transformed the non-alcoholic beverage industry. With alcohol banned, Americans turned to soft drinks, coffee, and tea. Coca-Cola's market position strengthened dramatically during this period, and the habit of reaching for a carbonated drink instead of a beer outlasted the 18th Amendment.

CHAPTER 02

The modern landscape

The US non-alcoholic beverage market reached approximately $170 billion in 2024. Carbonated soft drinks account for $55.2 billion, bottled water $47 billion, coffee $28.1 billion, and energy drinks $23.9 billion. In 2024, Dr Pepper tied Pepsi as the second most popular soda in America, each holding 8.3% market share behind Coca-Cola's 19.2%.

The energy drink category barely existed before 1997, when Red Bull entered the US market. Dietrich Mateschitz had adapted a Thai tonic called Krating Daeng into a carbonated drink marketed toward extreme sports athletes and exhausted professionals. Monster Energy and 5-hour Energy followed. By 2024, the category had grown to nearly $24 billion.

CHAPTER 03

The sober curious shift

The latest transformation in the beverage industry is being driven by consumers who are choosing not to drink alcohol. Nearly half of Americans planned to drink less alcohol in 2025, a 44% increase from 2023. The shift is led by Gen Z and Millennials, and it has created a market for non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits projected to reach $5 billion by 2028. National Beverage Day now encompasses a far wider range of drinks than the carbonated sodas its founders set out to promote.

TIMELINE

National Beverage Day Timeline

Joseph Priestley discovers carbonation

English chemist Joseph Priestley infused water with carbon dioxide by suspending a bowl of water above a beer vat at a brewery in Leeds. He called the result 'fixed air.' The discovery laid the foundation for every carbonated beverage that followed.

Schweppe commercializes carbonated water

Johann Jacob Schweppe began manufacturing carbonated mineral water in Geneva, Switzerland, founding the company that would become Schweppes. He brought carbonation from laboratory curiosity to commercial product.

Coca-Cola invented

Dr. John Pemberton created the Coca-Cola formula in Atlanta, Georgia. His bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, coined the name and designed the logo. The first glass sold for five cents at Jacobs' Pharmacy.

'Bottled Carbonated Beverage Day' proposed

An unnamed contributor to The Re-Ly-On Bottler trade magazine encouraged regional bottlers to use media to promote the purity of carbonated drinks. The effort marked the first documented version of what became National Beverage Day.

PET plastic bottle patented

Nathaniel Wyeth patented the PET plastic bottle capable of holding carbonated beverages. The lightweight, durable container revolutionized beverage distribution and made bottled water a mass-market product.

Red Bull enters the US market

Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz introduced Red Bull to the United States after adapting a Thai energy drink. The launch created the American energy drink market, which would grow to $23.9 billion by 2024.

GET INVOLVED

How to Celebrate National Beverage Day

Try a beverage you've never had

National Beverage Day covers far more ground than soda. Explore kombucha, functional mushroom drinks, cold-pressed juice, matcha, or a non-alcoholic craft beer from breweries like Athletic Brewing.

MAKE

Make a homemade carbonated drink

Home carbonation systems let you recreate Joseph Priestley's 1767 experiment. The American Homebrewers Association offers guides for making everything from sparkling water to homemade ginger beer.

VISIT

Visit a local coffee roaster or tea shop

Independent coffee roasters and tea shops offer single-origin products with traceable supply chains. The Specialty Coffee Association maintains a directory of certified roasters and shops.

LEARN

Learn the history of your favorite drink

Every major beverage has a surprising origin. Coca-Cola was a patent medicine, Red Bull was adapted from a Thai construction worker's tonic, and Schweppes started as a scientific curiosity in Geneva.

EXPLORE

Explore the 'sober curious' category

Non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits have improved dramatically. Brands like Athletic Brewing, Seedlip, and Ritual Zero Proof offer complex flavors that the previous generation of NA products lacked.

WHY THIS DAY MATTERS

Why We Love National Beverage Day

The sober curious generation is reshaping the market

Nearly half of Americans planned to reduce alcohol consumption in 2025, a 44% increase from 2023. Gen Z and Millennials are driving the shift. The non-alcoholic beverages category is projected to reach $5 billion by 2028, creating an entirely new segment within an industry originally built on soda.

A $170 billion market built on bubbles

The US non-alcoholic beverage market was valued at $170 billion in 2024, encompassing carbonated soft drinks ($55.2B), bottled water ($47B), coffee ($28.1B), energy drinks ($23.9B), and tea ($13.1B RTD). The industry employs millions and accounts for a significant share of retail and foodservice revenue.

Dr Pepper dethroned Pepsi in 2024

For the first time, Dr Pepper tied with Pepsi as the second most popular soda in America. Both held 8.3% market share in 2024, behind Coca-Cola at 19.2%. The shift marks the biggest change in soda rankings in decades.

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