The President's Beer: Is It Legal?

Drinking alcohol is not prohibited for the president of the United States. While there is no technical limit to how much alcohol the president can consume, getting drunk would inhibit their judgment and effectiveness. Several US presidents have been known to enjoy a drink, with beer being a popular choice.

George Washington's beer recipe

In the late 1750s, George Washington, the first president of the United States, jotted down a recipe for "small beer" in his notebook. At the time, he was a colonel in the Virginia militia during the French and Indian War. The recipe, housed in the New York Public Library's collections, reveals that Washington was not only a beer enthusiast but also a brewer.

Washington's recipe is simple, requiring just a few basic ingredients and a short preparation time of about a day. It calls for boiling bran hops for three hours, then straining the mixture and adding a generous amount of molasses to sweeten the brew. The addition of molasses was likely used to mask the unpleasant taste of the hastily made beer. The recipe also takes into account environmental factors, suggesting that the beer be covered with a blanket if the weather is cold.

> "To Make Small Beer Take a large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste. -- Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gall [ons] into a cooler put in 3 Gall [ons] Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot or rather draw the Melasses into the cooler & St [r]ain the Beer on it while boiling Hot. let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yea [s]t if the Weather is very Cold cover it over with a Blank [et] & let it Work in the Cooler 24 hours then put it into the Cask -- leave the bung open till it is almost don [e] Working -- Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed."

"Small beer" was a beer with a low alcohol content, often consumed as a regular beverage and sometimes even as a substitute for water among troops. While Washington and his family preferred regular beer, they occasionally produced small beer for their servants, enslaved people, and children.

In recent years, Washington's small beer recipe has been recreated by historical beer enthusiasts and brewers, offering a taste of history and a unique insight into the drinking habits of America's first president.

Barack Obama's White House Honey Ale

The President of the United States can drink alcohol, and there is no technical limit as to how much. However, getting drunk would inhibit the president's judgement and effectiveness. Barack Obama, a well-known beer fan, decided to brew his own beer in the White House. The White House Honey Ale is believed to be the first beer ever made at the White House. The process began in January 2011 when President Obama purchased a home brewing kit using personal funds. The beer was brewed for various events held at the White House, including a Super Bowl party with around 200 guests. The White House chefs used "traditional methods" to brew the beer, which included a pound of honey collected from the beehives on the South Lawn.

The recipe for the White House Honey Ale was released on September 1, 2012, on whitehouse.gov. It was released due to the public excitement and a popular petition on the White House's online petition platform, which received 13,000 signatures. The White House Honey Ale was also served when former United States Marine Corps Sergeant Dakota Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor at the White House. The president and Meyer each drank a bottle of the ale on the patio outside the Oval Office.

In addition to the White House Honey Ale, there are three other styles that have been brewed: the White House Honey Blonde Ale, the White House Honey Porter, and the White House Honey Brown. The White House Honey Porter includes ingredients such as light unhopped malt extract, Munich malt, crystal malt, black malt, chocolate malt, White House honey, bittering hops, aroma hops, dry yeast, and corn sugar for bottling. The White House Honey Ale includes light malt extract, amber crystal malt, honey, Kent Goldings Hop pellets, Fuggles Hop pellets, Windsor dry ale yeast, and corn sugar for priming.

Presidential drinking facts

There is no law prohibiting the president of the United States from consuming alcohol. In fact, many presidents have been known to enjoy a drink, and some have even brewed their own alcoholic beverages. George Washington, for example, had his own beer recipe, which included molasses, and Barack Obama brewed his own beer, White House Honey Ale, using honey from the White House beehives.

While there is no technical limit to how much alcohol a president can consume, it is generally understood that excessive drinking would inhibit their judgment and effectiveness. Some presidents, such as George W. Bush and Joe Biden, have chosen to abstain from alcohol altogether, while others, like Grover Cleveland, have been known for their high alcohol consumption.

Throughout history, the drinking habits of US presidents have varied widely. Some presidents, like John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, were known for their love of wine and cider, while others, like James Madison and John Quincy Adams, preferred whiskey and champagne. A few presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln and Rutherford B. Hayes, were teetotalers who rarely drank alcohol.

The drinking culture in the White House has also evolved over time. During the early years of the United States, alcohol was often consumed due to the lack of clean water, and it was not uncommon for presidents to serve alcoholic beverages at official events. However, with the rise of the temperance movement and the enactment of Prohibition, some presidents, like Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife, "Lemonade Lucy", banned alcohol from the White House altogether.

In conclusion, while there is no legal restriction on the president's alcohol consumption, the expectation is that they will exercise moderation and maintain their judgment and effectiveness in carrying out their duties. The drinking habits of US presidents have been shaped by personal preferences, historical contexts, and the evolving cultural attitudes toward alcohol in the country.

Presidents who loved beer

The President of the United States can drink alcohol, and there is no technical limit to how much. However, the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1967, clarifies what happens if the president is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office." While there is nothing barring the president from drinking alcohol, excessive drinking would inhibit their judgment and effectiveness.

Several US presidents have been known to enjoy a beer, including George Washington, who had his own recipe for "Small Beer," a light beer meant for sustenance and hydration. The recipe, which included a healthy dose of molasses, survives to this day, and some breweries have recreated it. Thomas Jefferson, the third president, also appreciated beer, although he was more well-known for his love of wine during his time in office. After leaving office, he built a personal brewhouse at Monticello.

James Madison, the fourth president, was a big fan of beer. He wanted to create a National Beer Brewery and appoint a Secretary of Beer to the cabinet to protect domestic beer by placing tariffs on foreign imports. Franklin Roosevelt marked the signing of the Beer-Wine Revenue Act, which led to the repeal of Prohibition, with the quote: "I think this would be a good time for a beer." Jimmy Carter also played a significant role in beer history by legalizing homebrewing in 1979.

More recently, Barack Obama brewed his own beer at the White House, creating a Honey Ale and a Honey Porter using honey from the White House's South Lawn apiary. Obama also hosted a "beer summit" in the Rose Garden to discuss race relations and smoothed over a phone-tapping scandal with a beer alongside the German Chancellor.

Presidents who abstain from alcohol

While many US presidents have enjoyed alcohol in its various forms, some have chosen to abstain from it altogether. Here is a list of presidents who have abstained from alcohol:

Donald Trump

Donald Trump's older brother, Fred, was an alcoholic who died at the age of 42. Fred repeatedly warned Trump not to drink, and seeing his struggles, Trump decided to heed his brother's advice. Fearing that he could be genetically predisposed to alcoholism, Trump refrained from consuming alcohol.

Joe Biden

Joe Biden's decision to abstain from alcohol is also rooted in family tragedy. Biden's uncle Edward and brother Frankie struggled with alcoholism, and Biden believed that alcohol would hinder his path to the presidency. Additionally, Biden's son Hunter continues to deal with addiction, and Biden suspects that alcoholism runs in the family.

George W. Bush

George W. Bush was once a heavy drinker, but he quit drinking cold turkey in 1986 after a night of excessive drinking to celebrate his 40th birthday. Bush acknowledged that he had struggled with alcohol addiction and chose to abstain from it.

Benjamin Harrison

Benjamin Harrison, who served as president from 1889 to 1893, was a deeply religious man. He was not known to be a drinker or drug user, and his White House events were notably devoid of alcohol.

William H. Taft

William H. Taft was a teetotaler and did not consume alcohol.

Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B. Hayes was a notable teetotaler and did not allow alcohol or smoking in the White House during his presidency from 1877 to 1881.

Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor abstained from alcohol and did not drink during his lifetime.

Millard Fillmore

Millard Fillmore was known for his focus on health and abstained from both smoking and drinking alcohol.

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