Of course, I was reminded of this fine holiday by my dear friend, who drinks Busch Light every Friday, who loves NASCAR and who likes to do country-song karaoke through her Playstation while drinking said Busch Lite.

Well, folks, let us raise our glasses to her and to all fellow beer drinkers across the nation, whether it's a piss yellow frosty tall boy or a high-grade organic ale in a lukewarm glass, cheers to a nation of beers!

And in spirit of the day and of my NASCAR lovin' girlfriend, here's a recipe for beer can chicken.

1. Prepare your grill for indirect heat. If you are using charcoal, put the coals on one side of the grill, leaving another side free of coals. If you are using a gas grill, fire up only half of the burners.

2. Remove neck and giblets from cavity of chicken, if the chicken came with them. Rub the chicken all over with olive oil. Mix salt, pepper, and thyme in a little bowl, then sprinkle it all over the chicken.

3. Make sure the beer can is open, and only half-filled with beer (drink the other half!) If you want, you can put a sprig of thyme (or another herb like rosemary or sage) in the beer can. Lower the chicken on to the open can, so that the chicken is sitting upright, with the can in its cavity. Place the chicken on the cool side of the grill, using the legs and beer can as a tripod to support the chicken on the grill and keep it stable.

4. Cover the grill and walk away. Do not even check the chicken for at least an hour. After an hour, check the chicken and refresh the coals if needed (if you are using a charcoal grill). Keep checking the chicken every 15 minutes or so, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160°F - 165°F.