The beer biz never sleeps at American Craft Beer. And here’s just some of what’s been happening in the beer world while you were enjoying the weekend.

New, Old, George Washington Beer

To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the New York Public Library teamed up with TALEA Beer Co., a women-owned brewery out of Brooklyn, to bring a 269-year-old recipe back to life. And the instructions were written by George Washington himself.

The whole project began with a note found in Washington’s 1757 military journal, which is now part of lives the library’s manuscript archives. He scribbled down the recipe for “Small Beer” when he was just a young colonel in the Virginia militia during the Seven Years’ War.

Back then, small beer was a daily staple for soldiers. It had a really low alcohol content, usually between 1% and 3% ABV, but it served a massive purpose. Clean water didn’t exist in the 18th century, so boiling up a brew was the best way to kill off pathogens and keep troops from catching deadly diseases like dysentery.

TALEA ended up approaching the recipe from two different angles.

First, they made “Washington’s Beer,” which is a strict, historical recreation of the 1757 formula. It blends water, yeast, hops, and a massive amount of molasses. Because it mirrors the original process, the final drink is cloudy, dark amber, and meant to be served at room temperature. People who tried it said it doesn’t really taste like a beer in the classic sense; it’s closer to a gummy sour wine or a funky syrup.

For everyone else, they brewed “Liberty Lager.” This is the version you can actually buy, tweaked to fit much modern tastes by cutting back on the heavy molasses for a much crisper finish.

You can grab a glass of Liberty Lager at TALEA’s New York taprooms, as well as a few NYC restaurants and stores. But if you’re feeling adventurous and want to try fermenting a batch in your own kitchen, the NYPL put a transcription of Washington’s actual handwriting online for homebrewers.

Words To Drink By

“Be cool to people.  Be nice to as many people as you can.  Smile to as many people as you can, and have them smile back at you.” — Joe Rogan

Tennessee Brew Works Gives Back To State Parks

Tennessee Brew Works is putting out a new variety 12-pack this summer, that actually helps fund local trails and public lands.

The brewery originally teamed up with Tennessee State Parks back in 2017 to launch their State Park Blonde Ale. That one beer ended up raising nearly $70,000 for the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy, helping fund things like wheelchair-accessible trail upgrades and scholarships for school field trips.

And now, as part of the country’s 250th anniversary, they are expanding their park-friendly lineup. The new variety pack includes four different themed cans: Fiery Gizzard Red Ale, Head of the Crow German-Style Bock, Savage Gulf IPA, and the original State Park Blonde Ale.

If you want to grab a 12-pack, they’ll be hitting retail just before the 4^th of July. You can also find them at Tennessee Brew Works’ taprooms Nashville and Lenoir City, as well as on state park golf courses, and park concession stands.

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