George Washington's Beer: Where To Buy Bud Light?

In May 2018, Budweiser released a new beer based on George Washington's handwritten recipe from 1757. The beer, Freedom Reserve Red Lager, was described by Washington as a small beer in his military journal, which can be found in the Digital Public Library of America. It is brewed by veterans, with a portion of the proceeds going to Folds of Honor, a non-profit that provides educational scholarships to military families. While Budweiser's Freedom Reserve is not the official beer of the Washington Commanders—that title goes to Bud Light—it is still possible to buy Bud Light with Washington Redskins NFL team branding.

George Washington's love of beer

George Washington was a lover of beer. While his fondness for Madeira wine is well-known, his appreciation for beer is less commonly recognised. Beer was a favourite drink of Washington, as it was for many people living in eighteenth-century America.

Washington's love of beer began in his 20s, when, as colonel of the Virginia militia during the French and Indian War, he inscribed a recipe for "small beer" in his notebook. Small beer was a weak beer, with a low alcohol content, that was often consumed by servants, enslaved people, and children. Washington's recipe called for a large sifter full of bran hops, boiled for three hours, strained, and mixed with molasses. It was then left to stand until it was "little more than blood warm" before yeast was added, and it was left to ferment for 24 hours.

Washington did not brew his own beer but relied on others to cater to his needs for hoppy refreshment, preferably good and strong. He sourced beer from domestic brewers, such as John Mercer of Frederick County, Virginia, and also purchased English beer from brewers like Benjamin Kenton and Thomas Dale. Inventories of Washington's property at Mount Vernon recorded a large collection of beer glasses, mugs, and other drinking vessels, many of which were ordered from England.

Beer was also a staple of Washington's election campaigns for the House of Burgesses in the 1750s and 1760s, where he provided large quantities of beer for his guests and supporters. During the Revolutionary War, Washington oversaw the purchase and distribution of even larger quantities of beer for soldiers and officers, as it was a staple of their liquid diet.

After the war, Washington continued to purchase American porter and also had beer brewed at Mount Vernon for "home use". He agreed to provide his farm manager, James Bloxham, with enough bran to brew beer for his family, and there is evidence that enslaved workers at Mount Vernon may have also brewed their own beer.

Washington's love of beer extended beyond just drinking it. He was interested in promoting American self-sufficiency in the brewing industry, believing that American-made beer could be as good as, if not better than, any porter made in England. This passion for porters may have been Washington's way of encouraging people to support American-made products and reduce their reliance on imports.

Bud Light's availability for pickup or delivery in select locations

Bud Light is widely available for purchase in the United States, and you can find it in most bars and restaurants across the country. If you're looking to buy Bud Light for pickup or delivery, here are some options in select locations:

Missouri, United States

You can order Bud Light through online delivery services such as Drizly. It is available in packs of 12 and 24, with prices starting from $12.99.

California, United States

Several restaurants and bars in California offer Bud Light, including Sutter Pub & Restaurant in San Francisco, Double D's Sports Grille in Los Gatos, and Thirsty Barrel Taphouse & Grille in Grass Valley. You can also find it at The Slip Bar & Eatery in Redondo Beach, where it is available by the bottle or pitcher.

Nevada, United States

Bud Light is available for purchase at restaurants such as Slater's 50/50 in Las Vegas, where you can find it by the taster, snifter, pint, or mug.

Oregon, United States

In Oregon, you can find Bud Light at Gryff's Pub in Eugene.

Washington, D.C.

As the official beer sponsor of the Washington Commanders, Bud Light is readily available at FedExField, the home stadium of the Commanders. You can find it at the Bud Light Backyard and the Bud Light End Zone within the stadium.

Please note that availability may vary, and it's always a good idea to check with the specific location or retailer to ensure they have Bud Light in stock. Additionally, some establishments may offer delivery services, so you can enjoy your beer without leaving your home.

Bud Light's status as the official beer of the Washington Commanders

Bud Light has been the official beer of the Washington Commanders since 2023. The partnership between the NFL team and Bud Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch, was announced in August 2023, ahead of the 2023 NFL season. The partnership is a multi-year deal, although the exact duration was not disclosed.

As part of the deal, Bud Light sponsors several events and giveaways for fans aged 21 and over. This includes the annual Commanders Season Kickoff Party, which features complimentary fan giveaways, live entertainment, and appearances from Commanders players. Bud Light also sponsors the Bud Light Backyard within Legends Plaza, a pre- and post-game gathering place for fans with live music, yard games, and local food trucks. The Bud Light End Zone is another designated gathering place for fans to grab a beer and cheer on the team.

In addition to these fan experiences, Bud Light also provides exclusive content for Commanders fans through social and digital channels, such as the Countdown to the Season series and the Easy to Celebrate series, which highlights exciting celebrations from players each game.

The partnership between the Washington Commanders and Anheuser-Busch also extends to honouring the veteran and first-responder community. The Commanders' players display a Folds of Honor patch on their practice jerseys as a tribute to the nonprofit organisation that provides educational scholarships to the families of military members and first responders. Anheuser-Busch has supported Folds of Honor for over 13 years and has contributed to providing 44,000 scholarships.

George Washington's beer recipe

George Washington was a man who loved beer. In particular, he was fond of dark, English-style porter, and always kept a large supply at his Virginia estate, Mount Vernon. However, it was a recipe for "small beer" that Washington recorded in his notebook. Small beer is notable for its low alcohol content.

The recipe was inscribed in Washington's personal military journal from 1757, during the French and Indian War. It was likely consumed as a regular beverage by troops, and Washington's recipe was probably used to make beer for paid servants, enslaved people, and children at Mount Vernon, while the higher-quality, more alcoholic beer was reserved for those who could afford it.

The recipe is short and requires very few ingredients, and can be made in little more than a day. It also takes into account the environmental factors of brewing outside of a brewery, specifying that the beer should be covered with a blanket if the weather is cold. The full recipe is as follows:

> "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."

Since its rediscovery, Washington's small beer recipe has been recreated by multiple historical beer connoisseurs. In 2011, the New York Public Library and Brooklyn-based Coney Island Brewing Company partnered to brew a porter based on the recipe, with slight amendments to appeal to contemporary drinkers. Budweiser also released a beer based on the recipe, Freedom Reserve Red Lager, brewed by veterans with a portion of the proceeds going to Folds of Honor, which provides educational scholarships to military families.

Beer culture at Mount Vernon

Beer was a popular drink in eighteenth-century America, and George Washington was a fan of a good beer. In fact, he enjoyed brewing his own "small beer", a drink with low alcohol content, which was ideal for soldiers to brew. Washington's recipe included bran hops and a lot of molasses, and it didn't take long to brew.

Washington's love of beer is evident in the fact that he brewed his own, but also in the beer culture that existed at Mount Vernon. The Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant, located near Washington's historic estate, offers visitors the chance to "savor the flavours of early America". While beer is not explicitly mentioned, it can be assumed that beer is on the menu, given the popularity of beer in eighteenth-century America and Washington's own interest in the beverage.

Washington and his wife, Martha, were known for their hospitality, welcoming thousands of guests to Mount Vernon during the 40 years they lived there. Meals were prepared in the kitchen next to the mansion to protect it from potential fires and to keep the smell of cooking out of the residence. The Washingtons relied on a group of enslaved cooks, butlers, and waiters to serve their guests. It is likely that beer was served at these meals, given its popularity at the time and Washington's personal preference for it.

Washington's gristmill, located 2.7 miles from the main entrance of the estate, is also open to visitors. The gristmill produced flour and cornmeal, which would have been used in the brewing process. While Washington is best known for his whiskey production, with his distillery being one of the largest in America at the time, it is safe to assume that beer was also an important part of the drinking culture at Mount Vernon, thanks to Washington's personal preference and the general popularity of beer in eighteenth-century America.

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