The New York Public Library (NYPL) served up a piece of history Tuesday with a more than 200-year-old beer recipe developed by none other than George Washington.
The Library partnered with local, woman-founded Talea Beer Co. to recreate Washington’s 1757 recipe for “small beer,” a low ABV brew used to refresh his garrison of troops during the Seven Years War.
Meredith Mann, interim curator of manuscripts at NYPL, said that while Washington’s beer wasn’t exactly the height of brewing excellence as we think of it today, the drink is still relevant more than 200 years later.
“ I think that low ABV is having a comeback,” Mann said. “So I don’t know if Washington’s particular recipe will resonate with modern palettes or modern drinkers, but it’s definitely a trend that we’re noticing.”
Mann’s assessment was accurate: Washington’s beer is not what someone today would choose to gather with friends or celebrate a Knicks playoff win. But it played an important role in the historic conflict, protecting soldiers from waterborne diseases such as dysentery.
“ The thing that’s different about his recipe is that it’s actually for small beer,” Mann said. “So it was a low ABV version that you would drink less for enjoyment or to become intoxicated and more for having a reliable drink during a time when water was risky and not necessarily potable.”
The important role of George Washington’s beer
Media gathered at the public library’s flagship Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Bryant Park to try the historic beer and learn the history behind the patriotic brew. Credit: Sadie Brown
During its time, Washington’s beer served an important role. Water was often contaminated with bacteria and could cause severe diseases like dysentery, potentially proving fatal to those who drank it. Military forces like those Washington commanded could be crippled by water sources contaminated with disease.
Brewing “small beer” was one way to ensure that soldiers had a safe source of hydration. The recipe required only about a day’s worth of fermentation to make it potable, ensuring that Washington’s garrison of soldiers had a safe source of hydration.
The recreated historic brew had a fuller body than contemporary beers, perhaps due to the high molasses content. The recipe called for 3 gallons of molasses per 30 gallons of water and Talea brewers chose to use baking molasses, which has a higher sugar content than other forms of the sugar cane derivative. It also had a distinctive tartness that dissipated on the finish, bringing forward notes of bread and oats.
Efforts to recreate the vintage beer pay homage to America’s 250th birthday, which will see enormous celebrations this summer across the city.
Talea’s head of production, Eric Brown, said that brewing the original recipe required turning away from more modern technology and brewing methods, instead focusing on finding ingredients that were as historically accurate as possible.
“This was much more similar to how you might brew in your garage or how it would’ve been brewed back then,” Brown said. “And also just sourcing the ingredients because today’s molasses is not the molasses of 250 years ago. So having to put on our beer historian hats and think about what actually would’ve been available to him when he was making beer.”
Talea co founders, Tara Hankinson and LeAnn Darland toast to the release of their new beer, the Liberty Lager, an amber lager developed in conjunction with the New York Public Library honoring a more than 200 year old beer recipe from founding father George Washington. Credit: Sadie Brown
Talea’s cofounder, Tara Hankinson, told amNewYork that the Brooklyn-born brewery was excited to take on the historic challenge with the NYPL.
”They approached us, and they’re such an institution and we love a creative challenge,” Hankinson said. “And I think brewing a beer recipe from 269 years ago is definitely a challenge.”
While Talea and NYPL will not be serving Washington’s original recipe to the public, the local brewery concocted its own “Liberty Lager” inspired by the nation’s first president’s home brew.
The more commercially palatable amber lager will be available at local retail locations and at Talea’s five taprooms around the city. The brew company also plans on hosting history-themed trivia nights and even a book lovers’ dating event in honor of its partnership with the library.
Thirsty New Yorkers can enjoy the Washington-inspired, Liberty Lager through the end of July.