George Washington, Founding Father Of American Beer? I Tried A Pint Based On His Recipe

As America inches closer to 250 years of existence, everyone is looking to celebrate in a unique way. In perhaps one of the most spirited ways of them all, the New York Public Library dusted off a small beer recipe that George Washington literally penned himself in 1757, tapped nearby neighbor Talea Beer Co. on the shoulder, and asked if it wanted to make its rendition a reality. The answer was an obvious yes, with Talea co-founder LeAnn Darland telling us in an interview, "It's like a dream come true."

Washington's recipe is older than the Declaration of Independence by 19 years. The NYPL is no slouch, having celebrated 125 years in 2025. Talea Beer Co. hasn't forged a history that old, but founders Darland and Tara Hankinson have made quite the mark with their uniquely fun and fruity beers ever since they got things brewing in 2019 as the first women- and veteran-owned craft brewery in New York City. Comparatively, they are newish kids on the block, but Talea was up to this revolutionary task. 

The result was two beers — a small batch of George Washington's Original Brew that hews close to and honors the actual recipe (and is sadly not for retail sale), and the Liberty Lager, a drink designed for more modern palates. Interest in both beers has been strong, with even someone claiming to be Martha Washington writing the company looking for a taste of her husband's suds. Luckily, Talea saved some for us, and we pulled up a seat to drink up this bottled-up piece of history.

Before he became the first President of the United States, George Washington was Colonel of the Virginia militia. In 1757, during the French and Indian War, while stationed at Fort Loudoun in Virginia, he jot down notes in a book, which has been in possession of NYPL's Manuscripts and Archives Division since 1918. Within the pages were drafts of letters, tasks, orders to give, and, on the very last page, an undated recipe entitled "To Make Small Beer."

So what exactly is small beer? It's not a tiny drink, but an everyday, 1 to 3% ABV beverage. Washington was in charge of the welfare of the men in the militia, including providing clean and reliable sustenance. Meredith Mann, interim Charles J. Liebman Curator of Manuscripts at the NYPL, says that "In the days before Brita filters, the creation of small beer was a way of ensuring that what they were drinking was safe, because the first step in the process is to — to boil the mixture, so that would have killed off any bacteria that might have caused dysentery or other unpleasant diseases of the time." Washington's recipe didn't outline many ingredients beyond a lot of molasses and to add bran hops "to your taste," but it helped outline the process into how to brew it.

In the NYPL's collection, it's the only recipe included in its entire treasured Washington holdings, although it has a plethora of other recipes and menus throughout history in its collection. It's worth noting that the president wasn't a actually a brewer himself, but he reportedly enjoyed a good porter beer brewed locally or imported from England from time to time.

The collaboration between the New York Public Library and Talea Beer began with a simple cold email from the literary institution to the brewery in January. LeAnn Darland, a veteran, understands how patriotism can carry a certain stigma. These beers are offerings all Americans can enjoy, as she notes that it's something that "doesn't draw a line with politics on one side or the other, but it's just something fun to commemorate what this country was and what it's transforming into without being so serious."

At Talea's Brooklyn HQ brewery and taproom, head of production Eric Brown admitted the task was tall and said that the team assumed it was not going to be a good beer — though that was not the case. For the first batches of Washington's Original Brew, the team produced several versions using fermentable sugars. The one that hit the right notes during taste tests used 100% molasses. They then learned that golden molasses was a better match for what George Washington and company would have used than modern blackstrap molasses (which is one of the most common types of molasses). Then it was about utilizing modern techniques to produce a balanced beer, as soldiers couldn't take advantage of oxygenation, added yeast nutrients and zinc, or temperature control in their brews.

As for the Liberty Lager, Darland says, "We wanted to make what we consider like a classic American lager that hearkens back to his original recipe just through common ingredients and tasting notes." Out went the molasses, and in went German caramelized malts, adding a deep amber color, aromatics, and flavor akin to malted milk balls. To balance the sweetness, more hops and lager yeast were used.

The 500-milliliter bottle of George Washington's Original Brew was an atypically dark brown, casting shade on its contents. As Washington's beer was poured into a branded Talea glass, my eyes lit up at the formation. While it may appear a bit more muddy than a standard beer, it had the most amazing color. It looked like a liquidized Werther's Original candy (arguably one of the best vintage sweets), with a bright and rich shine. When I swirled it, the head took on a glorious yellow shade that resembled fresh bee pollen.

I leaned in for a whiff and couldn't really discern any specific odor below my nostrils. I approached my first sip with caution, but any idea of some ye olde skunky beer was quickly washed away when I sipped it. While the molasses flavor was certainly present, I would say it had more bitterness than sweetness. I had to take many, many, many sips to come to a conclusion, and the best way I can describe the beer is a sour porter lovingly made in someone's basement. And at just 3.5% ABV, I was able to casually ruminate on this perhaps once-in-a-lifetime drinking opportunity without falling on the floor. Sadly, this beer is not for sale publicly, and the rare bottles are reserved for the NYPL. Hopefully we won't have to wait another 250 years to have another taste of this lovely artifact that the NYPL and Talea conjured up. Hopefully Talea will relent, brew additional batches, and get more of Washington's recipe into hands across America.

Since George Washington's Original Brew wasn't deemed primetime ready for everyday drinking, Talea set about providing another beer evoking Washington's recipe made with a similar spirit. The result is the Liberty Lager. Its Star Spangled cans not only stand out on a shelf, but they practically beg to be saluted.

The Liberty Lager's sudsy liquid had its own attractive coloring, which is par for the course for a brew under the Talea name. The foam was a custardy shade of white, and the lager's body a red mahogany, but in the light, it took on a more orange tint, almost like DayQuil. Thankfully, it didn't taste medicinal, unless a lovely lager is just what your doctor ordered. This lager was free of molasses, and instead of pitching in sweetness, it offered something fruitier. It also had more of a crisp bite, making it more of a slow sipper for a relaxed summer picnic or lounge-y day at the beach.

The Liberty Lager is a solid beer, and one to certainly be proud to raise this summer — if you can somehow get your hands on one. The first batch, which was sent to stores like Wegmans and even Washington's old watering hole, Fraunces Tavern, has sadly sold out. Currently, it's only available in limited quantities at Talea's tap rooms spread across New York City, although more will hopefully be made available this summer. Here's to you America, Washington, Talea, and NYPL — drink and read up, my friends!