What did George Washington Drink?

Wall St Journal ^ | NOVEMBER 19, 2011 | WILLIAM BOSTWICK

[Pharmboy]

In the spirit of authenticity, a home-brewer attempts to recreate a founding father's beer recipe.

It was last Thanksgiving. I had my heirloom turkey, local yams and organic cranberries. I had donned my waxed-canvas apron and consulted vintage recipe books. I was ready to eat. But on this, the most heritage-chic of holidays, what should one drink?

Wine felt too stuffy; a six-pack not ceremonial enough. I was stumped. Then I discovered George Washington's beer. Or, more precisely, a recipe for it, referenced in a few old home-brewing books. Scribbled on the last page of one of Washington's journals is a short, cryptic note: "Take a large Sifter full of Bran," it begins. Add hops "to your Taste," boil, mix in three gallons of molasses, ferment—"let it work"—for a week, then enjoy. Rugged Americana, from the pen of our most patriarchal founding father. This would be perfect. My only question: How would it pair with turkey?

...Guests at Mount Vernon reported home that their host's silver pint rarely left his side at dinner...

The docents at Washington's Mount Vernon estate recreated his recipe a few years ago, and I called them for advice. ...I asked Dennis Pogue, who runs Mount Vernon's rye whiskey still. "The molasses gives it a real...different flavor," he said. "It didn't taste very good."

That was the problem with Washington's otherwise normal home-brew: molasses. Few brewers use molasses these days because when it ferments it turns sour and sharp, but Washington had no choice. Barley didn't grow well in the eastern Colonies, so he had to get his sugar elsewhere. I decided to keep the molasses, but cover up the flavor with chunks of roasted pumpkin, a few anise stars, ginger, cinnamon and licorice—odd today, but common beer ingredients at that time.

[chris_bdba]

Probably beer with an occasional wine or hard cider like most people of his time did.

[Pharmboy]

My six pack of choice...great beer, even if the brewery’s owner is a bit flaky.

[Pharmboy]

All in all, he seemed to prefer wine, but he was diverse in his alcohol choices.

[KoRn]

Didn’t they drink more alcohol back then than water, because the water quality wasn’t all that great?

[Pharmboy]

Yep...that’s what I understand.

[momtothree]

“I wonder what an heirloom turkey is..”

I was wondering if it was a more hip way of saying wild turkey. Wouldn’t that be a heirloom of sorts?....

[rdl6989]

This is making me thirsty.

[Ladysforest]

Pharmboy provided this :

-Heirloom turkeys are varieties that once were widely raised, but have since gone out of commercial favor. These “retro” birds are sometimes referred to with different names and represent a small, but growing movement in California.-

Probably the heirloom turkeys went the way of most things - the big commercial poultry farmers wanted specific traits, so the older varieties eventually fell to the wayside as newer breeds were developed.....likely larger breasted with milder flavored flesh.

[Pharmboy]

I think you are likely right: more meat (esp. white) and less gaminess. On the website they say it is closer to the wild bird.

[Western Phil]

Most of the commercial turkeys are the Broad Breasted White. In the 50s we raised a few Broad Breasted Bronze. They had the wild turkey coloring. I bet those and maybe some older varieties are the heirloom varieties which will run probably 4 to 7 times the price of regular.

More information: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/varieties-heritage-breed-turkeys.html

[M1903A1]

Most incredibly, the Royal Navy didn’t give up the daily rum ration until 1969.

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

Hard cider?

Cheers,
GtG

[wildbill]

don’t know about the beer, but at one time Washington was supposed to have been the largest whiskey distiller in the country.

Sippin whishy no doubt

[bgill]

Retro and California. ‘Nuff said.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks Pharmboy. First in war, first in peace, first under the table for his country! To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[momtothree]

Thanks, Ladysforest and Pharmboy. I never heard this before relating to turkeys. Vegetables... yes but never poultry. I’d try it in a heartbeat!

[american_ranger]

I used to make salsa for canning that involved cooking it down to make it thicker. As it cooked down, juice would form on the top which I skimmed off and canned.

Salsa juice makes a really good bloody mary.

[SatinDoll]

Now that’s my kind of navy!

[NittanyLion]

[Free Vulcan]

Yep. Back in the day when everyone raised their own there was a thriving breeding market of new varieties, many now lost. Plants and animals both. Most of those old varieties are superior to the bland crap they sell today.