Brewmaster in Chief: Obama Breaks New Ground With Honey Brown Ale
Over the years, Barack Obama has made himself known as somewhat of a people’s president. He grabs burgers at Shake Shack, shoots hoops with kids and deals with texting teenagers like any other frustrated parent. But he has one extra hobby that makes him stand out among other hip presidential dads: beer brewing.
More than a handful of photos have been snapped of the President enjoying a cold brew, but Obama doesn't just enjoy a pint at the pub: he brews!
While beer enthusiasts founded the nation—even George Washington was known to brew his own beer—it took 43 more presidents to lead to brewing inside the White House.
White House Honey Brown Ale was the first official beer to be brewed at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Home brewers created the recipe specifically for President Obama using honey tapped from the first-ever bee hive on the White House South Lawn. The 70,000-plus bees providing the presidential kitchen with edible honey are an environmental feat in themselves, providing natural sweetener to food and beverages with a nominal carbon footprint.
We’re not going to go ahead and deem Obama a hipster, but he’s pretty down to earth when it comes to dining, even eating at small, independent restaurants like Ted’s Bulletin in DC. As for the beer, Obama’s presidential recipe is readily available on the White House blog, allowing anyone (of legal age) to participate in the patriotic tradition of home brewing. Home brewing may traditionally take place in a garage, basement or oversize closet (Brooklyn), but Obama has the White House chefs preparing his signature brew to store in the official temperature-controlled White House beer room. The President has reportedly paid for all of the ingredients and equipment on his own, so this isn’t a tax-funded presidential project.
While the Commander in Chief may not currently have the leisure time to stir his own wort, perhaps by 2017 we’ll be drinking bottles of Barack Brew. We don’t really see this retired president painting dog portraits. Until then, we’re still waiting on an invitation to a White House kegger.
