George Washington’s beer recipe from 1757 has been recreated by a New York brewery

The New York Public Library (NYPL) is offering visitors a chance to “taste history” by recreating George Washington’s beer recipe from the first president’s military journal of 1757, housed in the library’s research collections.

The library has partnered with TALEA Beer Co. in New York City to reinvent the drink, and Liberty Lager to appeal to the modern palate.

“The first answer to [the library] The outreach was obviously amazing,” LeAnn Darland, TALEA’s founder and CEO, told Fox News Digital. “Just being considered and working with the New York Public Library is a big deal for us.”

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Washington’s beer recipe was written in a journal he kept as a young colonel commanding Virginia troops during the Seven Years’ War, the library’s website said, adding that he may have served it to his troops while serving at Fort Loudon, Virginia.

“The notebook, mostly in Washington’s handwriting, contains the military commander’s notes for the day: lists of books and orders, lists of officers’ commissions, names of carriage horses and a recipe for ‘little beer.’

“Less beer,” according to the library, derives its name from the small amount of alcohol it contains.

It was quick to make, safe to drink because the brewing process helped kill bacteria in the water — and it was “an everyday, basic drink,” according to Darland.

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The recipe is straightforward “and not too far from what a first-time brewer makes,” Darland said.

There were old phrases they had to explain, though, like “a quarter of yeast.”

George Washington recorded the beer recipe in his military journal. Now, a New York City brewery has recreated it for 250 years of America. (Stock)

“The fermentable sugar was all molasses, which makes sense if they were using what they ate when they were camping or roaming,” said Darland.

TALEA worked with the library to taste-test its creation.

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“It was definitely a collaborative process,” Darland said. “With that first microbeer we tested, we used a few sugars that were probably available at the time to see how it would ferment and how it would carry over into the finished beer.”

Today’s molasses is more processed than Washington was, he noted.

“Trying to get back to the original state of what they had in the 1700s was a challenge,” Darland said. “The library team was really interesting, and in the end we decided to go ahead with it [a] molasses base, very close to George Washington’s beer.”

TALEA Beer Co. developed Liberty Lager (not pictured), modeled after George Washington’s original recipe, to appeal to modern drinkers. (Stock)

Darland said TALEA thought a beer produced too close to Washington’s recipe “wouldn’t be very appealing to today’s drinker” — especially compared to the commercial beers available.

“But we were still very excited to bring it to life and see what everyone thought,” she said.

In addition to the abundance of small beers NYPL has, TALEA decided to bring Washington beer to life “in a modern way.”

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TALEA produced a “good marty lager,” Darland said, similar in color to Washington beer, but much clearer. It looks like “muddy water,” she said.

Liberty Lager “has a nice amber color and has more hops than the George Washington brew,” Darland said. “That’s just to help balance the sweetness of the malt a little bit, and to make sure that it tastes good and that people want to come back to it.”

Liberty Lager is available at TALEA taprooms. The NYPL will offer microbeer samples at several of its America250 events this summer.

Turning water into beer was a way to kill germs, says the New York Library – and the “little beer” that George Washington brewed for his soldiers was a daily drink. (Stock)

“Maybe we’ll drink [the small beer] and also sell it in all of our taprooms so people can experience it,” said Darland. “We’re excited about the response and the demand for both beers right now, and we’re trying to play catch-up. We’re making more Liberty Lager as we speak. It’s been a terrible week.”

Darland is a Navy veteran and said he hopes patriotic alcohol brings people together.

“The search for patriotism should not always come with such intense political lines drawn in the sand,” he said.

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“There are so many great values ​​that America stands for and the opportunities it can bring to people if we can all put our political views aside and appreciate something as simple as beer. That’s really what beer is meant to do – bring people together. Maybe [you’ll] learn a little but also just have fun and build community.”

George Washington’s Small Beer Recipe, published by the New York Public Library

Ingredients

A great Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops for your Taste

3 Gall[ons] Molasses

Yebo’s quarter[s]t

The CEO of the beer company that inspired George Washington’s recipe told Fox News Digital that the beer is meant to bring Americans together. (Stock)

Directions

Take the big Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops for your Taste. Boil this for 3 hours and extract 30 Gall[ons] in a cool place.

Put in 3 Gall[ons] Molasses while the Beer is very Hot or rather draw Molasses (sic) in a cool place with St.[r]ain the Beer in it while boiling Hot.

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Let this stand until it is slightly warmer than Blood and add a liter of Yeo[s]t.

If the weather is very cold cover it with nothing[et] & let it run in the Cooler for 24 hours and put it in the Cask – leave the bung open until it’s done.[e] It works –

Put it in a bottle that day, the week it was brewed.