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Posted on 06/21/2026 6:00:08 AM PDT by Red Badger
TALEA Beer Co used molasses-based recipe from Washington's Seven Years' War notebook to craft historic brew
VIDEO AT LINK.......
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is giving visitors a chance to "taste history" by recreating George Washington's beer recipe from the first president's 1757 military journal, which is housed in the library's research collections.
The library collaborated with New York City-based TALEA Beer Co. to recreate the brew, along with a Liberty Lager to appeal to modern palates.
"The initial response to [the library] reaching out was obviously awe," LeAnn Darland, TALEA co-founder and co-CEO, told Fox News Digital. "Just to be considered to work with the New York Public Library is huge for us."
Washington's beer recipe was written in a journal he kept as a young colonel in charge of the Virginia militia during the Seven Years' War, the library's website says, adding that he likely served it to his troops while stationed at Fort Loudon, Virginia.
The "notebook, mostly in Washington's handwriting, contains the daily notes of the military commander: outlines for letters and orders, a list of officers' commissions, the names of wagon horses and a recipe for 'small beer.'"
"Small beer," according to the library, derives its name from the small amount of alcohol it contains.
It was quick to make, safer to drink because the brewing process helped eliminate bacteria in the water — and it was an "everyday, mainstay beverage," according to the library.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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Mmmmmm. Beer. 🍺
In case you’re wondering, here’s the recipe
*******************
George Washington’s Small Beer Recipe, transcribed by New York Public Library
Ingredients
A large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste
3 Gall[ons] Molasses
A quart of Yea[s]t
Directions
Take a large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste. Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gall[ons] into a cooler.
Put in 3 Gall[ons] Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot or rather draw the Melasses (sic) into the cooler & St[r]ain the Beer on it while boiling Hot.
Let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yea[s]t.
If the Weather is very Cold cover it over with a Blank[et] & let it Work in the Cooler 24 hours then put it into the Cask - leave the bung open till it is almost don[e] Working -
Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed.
“likely” served it to the troops means....we don’t know...
George Washington. “To Make Small Beer.”
From his 1757 notebook.
https://www.nypl.org/about/divisions/manuscripts-division/george-washington-beer
Sounds simple!................
To Alcohol! The cause of... and solution to... all of life’s problems.
30 gallons at a go would indicate serving a large crowd. :-)
Sounds like you would need a barn back then to make it in, or a large [army] mess, not something I could make in my kitchen.
TALEA seems to be a local microbrew franchise in Mamdaniland; I wish someone here in DFW would make some so we could watch Young Washington on July 4 while drinking his beer.
Thanks!
The weekly digest list of topics is down below.
Small beer reference, nice epitaph:
I’ve made a lot of beer and this stuff must have been terrible. 😆
I have celiacs. Can’t have even a molecule of gluten. But I like a beer now and then. Especially when we have pizza. I have to make that gluten free too.
Anheuser Busch used to sell a gluten free beer. Red Bridge. It was excellent. But they discontinued it without comment. It was based on sorghum. That’s how most African beer is made. I have found a couple of substitutes. But they’re not as good as Redbridge.
The other GGG topics added since the previous digest ping, alpha:
That would be like having his own saloon.
Was excited until I got to the part:
“Small beer,” according to the library, derives its name from the small amount of alcohol it contains.” Although (ABV) of 4.7% seems my limit, in beer anyway.
I wonder if Ben Franklin liked it? 😏
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