The Father of our Country, George Washington, was a man around whom legends have grown. Did he or didn’t he cut down a cherry tree and then stand up and speak the truth? Did he or didn’t he heave a silver dollar across the Potomac? Did he or didn’t he shove wooden chompers into his mouth every morning? No, no and no. But he did get a nose job in a way.
One thing about Washington that is true is that he knew a thing or two about beer.
Yep, this real American hero can help run a civil war, create and lead a new country and come up with his own brew recipe. I guess we’ll have to add this concoction to our United States of Beer map.
The New York Public Library has a copy of his hand-written recipe for beer among its treasures. They provided it to Coney Island Brewing Company, which will brew up a limited batch to serve at the library’s Centennial gala. The public can get a sip of Washington’s recipe that’s named Fortitude’s Founding Father Brew at a public tasting at Shmaltz Brewing Company at 14 East 33rd Street in New York at 7 p.m. on May 18.
What with its overnight treasure hunt and now this presidential beer, the New York Public Library is the place to be this spring.
The Gothamist posted images of the recipe and a transcript of it for all you home brewers out there who want to make your own version of the original W’s brewskies.
For an even older beer, check out Iron Age beer recipes.
