George Washington and Beer

Photo via Wikipedia

Of the three historical figures I've taken a look at over the last few weeks, George Washington most likely enjoyed beer the most. Porter to be exact. So, it's convenient that Yards Brewing chose to base a beer off of his personal recipe for porter. One with plenty of molasses.

It works out perfectly. Our nation has a profound enjoyment for beer as did our very first president. It's also been said that Washington made sure that soldiers in the Continental Army had beer as part of their food rations.

His personal recipe for what he called "small beer" is currently on display at the New York Public Library. Keep in mind that small beer was known as a weaker beer in older times and was constantly mocked and wasn't given much value at all.

If what Yards used in the brewing of the porter I reviewed yesterday has anything to do with the recipe that's on display in new York, then that recipe was nothing to reckon with. It's almost a perfect beer with some awesome historic value.

Beer Review: General Washington's Tavern Porter

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Seven percent

Appearance: General Washington's Tavern Porter pours a really dark black. By black, I mean black like the ocean abyss with the weird-looking creatures you learned about in elementary school. The body also featured a few slight brown highlights. The head was a dark beige and begins as the width of a half-finger and has a moderate dissipation rate..

Smell: Some strong and dark coffee is prevalent in this brew's aroma. Behind that came some roasted malt. What made me feel like I was in a colonial tavern somewhere was the presence of molasses. A lot of molasses, which I had no problem with at all.

Taste: That dark, roasted coffee was once again dominant. I got some nice zing from some black licorice as well. The molasses took over on the finish and in the aftertaste, which really lingered. You'll thank me for this later, but let the beer warm a bit. As it warms, there's a small alcohol warmth sensation that accompanies each sip.

Overall Rating: 

This is a fantastic beer. I love the heavy use of molasses in this brew. It's something that I don't sense much in a lot of beers today. The zing I got from the licorice also added an awesome touch. If you get a good glass of this with a great head, it's a very attractive beer as well. Unfortunately, the photograph I took doesn't get that across as well as I would've liked.