Ale to the Chief! Happy Presidents Day from Craft A Brew

Feb 16, 2015Kyle Westfall

2/16/15 through 2/20/15, use code "presidentsday" at checkout for 15% off our White House Honey Ale homebrew kits + recipe.

No matter what side of the political fence you stand on, you have at least one thing in common with the Commander in Chief have: You both share a love for home brewed craft beer! In 2011, Obama purchased a home brewing kit with his personal funds to create the first batch of White House Honey Ale. History was made as it was the first beer known to have been brewed in the White House.

To recreate this delicious ale, the President recruited the helpful hands of White House chefs who used “traditional methods” to brew the beer. The recipe included a pound of honey collected from beehives from the South Lawn.

This special ale is often brewed for various White House events; however the most famous “beer moment” at the White House came in 2011 when former U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Dakota Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor. His one request after receiving the award – to share a beer with President Obama. The president gladly accepted his offer, and they drank a bottle of White House Honey Ale on the patio of the Oval Office.

So how did the secret recipe get released? It nearly took an act of Congress. On August 21, 2012, two attorneys (both home brewers) sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the White House seeking the recipe. Happy and eager to share with the rest of the country, the recipe was quickly released on the White House Blog on September 1, 2012.

Does it meet the hype?

Upon its release, the question then became “Is it good?” Home brewers everywhere immediately grabbed hold of the ingredients and started brewing. A NY Times review said, “The verdict: It was good. Very good. The aromas were floral with a touch of orange and a metallic note that I sometimes find in honey. On the palate, it was breezy, fresh, tangy, and lightly bitter, not bone dry but not at all sweet.”

We worked with the original recipe to create our own White House Honey Ale home beer brewing kit, and we proudly use the same ingredients and methods as the White House (ours is scaled down a bit to fit the kit). Our beer making kit is perfect for the novice home brewer

Our Recipe, Your Home Brew: Pilsen Malt Extract, Amber, Crystal & Biscuit Grains, Kent Goldings & Fuggles Hops, Windsor Dry Ale Yeast, Honey (Not included in the kit).

Try it out! We think you’ll enjoy! Cheers, and happy Presidents Day!

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