I especially like this image because the custom T-shirt company that owns it has copyrighted text that makes no grammatical sense. Probably Russian bots.
*Updated February 18, 2019
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• If you're a Jenn Gidman Super Fan and have already read the previous versions of "Beer Me, Mr. President!": Scroll down and start reading the new stuff added under "New for 2019!"
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It's President's Week — let's talk politics and beer! "But how can you link two such disparate subjects, Jenn?" Let me tell you: I'm going to have (at least) one high-ABV beer tonight (Dogfish's 120 IPA, to be specific). Anything's possible, friends.
Clay Risen's article covers ALL of the hooch (not just the beer) found behind past POTUS bars, but it's a fun, quick read. Where else will you come across these words, in this exact order: "Barack Obama doesn't just home-brew beer. He IS a home-brewed beer." Bill Clinton is a "Fresca spiked with old Grand-Dad," in case you're wondering. Mitt Romney is a Shirley Temple.
In October 2014, the New York Post ran a complete list of every president's drink of choice, which contained some interesting facts and more than a few recipes (the "McKinley's Delight" includes absinthe, if you're looking to hit it out of the park at your Presidents Day party).
In October 2014, the New York Post ran a complete list of every president's drink of choice, which contained some interesting facts and more than a few recipes (the "McKinley's Delight" includes absinthe, if you're looking to hit it out of the park at your Presidents Day party).
My favorite post, though, is "The 11th Drunkest Presidents in US History." If you want to know which of our forefathers drank beer for breakfast, which president boasted an "Andre the Giant–like tolerance" to his spirits, and which libation-loving leader headed over to the local distillery every Sunday morning for a 10-gallon jug of whiskey, this is what you should be perusing while you're shoving those greasy eggs down your throat during that Monday-morning hair-of-the-dog thing you do.
Draft magazine tempers it a bit by simply listing the 12 presidents "that would be amazing Oval Office drinking buddies."
Want to know why they called Rutherford B. Hayes' wife "Lemonade Lucy?" You'll have to read Rick Lyke's rankings of the best and worst presidents for beer. (Hint: She didn't earn her nickname in a Mike's Hard Lemonade kind of way.)
This is a more complete VinePair ranking of all 50 presidents in terms of their booziness, and surprisingly, teeetotaler Donald Trump doesn't come in last.
Don't forget those who feel compelled to drink when they're around presidents. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has admitted to throwing a few back not once, but twice right before Obama's State of the Union addresses. This is why we may need to get an RBG tattoo.
In a shoutout to beer snobs everywhere, the definitive proof that George Washington wouldn't be caught dead drinking a Coors Lite can be found here.
Draft magazine tempers it a bit by simply listing the 12 presidents "that would be amazing Oval Office drinking buddies."
Want to know why they called Rutherford B. Hayes' wife "Lemonade Lucy?" You'll have to read Rick Lyke's rankings of the best and worst presidents for beer. (Hint: She didn't earn her nickname in a Mike's Hard Lemonade kind of way.)
This is a more complete VinePair ranking of all 50 presidents in terms of their booziness, and surprisingly, teeetotaler Donald Trump doesn't come in last.
Don't forget those who feel compelled to drink when they're around presidents. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has admitted to throwing a few back not once, but twice right before Obama's State of the Union addresses. This is why we may need to get an RBG tattoo.
In a shoutout to beer snobs everywhere, the definitive proof that George Washington wouldn't be caught dead drinking a Coors Lite can be found here.
There have even been entire political parties formed around beer — including, much to my delight, the Ukrainian Beer Lovers Party, a short-lived totalitarian initiative dedicated to beer and ONLY the beer, comrades. And also to "the awakening and raise of the people's dignitiy through the cultural education." [SIC]
So drink up. It's what William Howard Taft (the "Bluto of American presidents," according to Risen's analysis) would want you to do. Here are a few presidential/politically themed beers to get you through the long four-day workweek (longer if you have an unpatriotic employer). There were far fewer than I thought there would be, which makes me sad and longing to drink whatever nonpresidential beer I have left in my fridge. If you know of any others that might fit into this category, please let me know for future roundups.
If you don't trust my admittedly unscientific vetting procedure (typing a slew of SEO-friendly terms into search engines) for these "recommendations," you're on your own for the pilsners and porters you should be pouring down your parched pharynx based on your politics. I'm drunk. Huzzah!
POTUS Potables
Fireside Chat is a spiced English ale usually only available during the holiday season. I've tried it, because I'm a sucker for kindly looking FDRs in pleasing red smoking jackets, but it's not that great. I think an intern stirred it with cousin Teddy's Big Stick. The only thing we have to fear is the beer itself!
I'm too young to personally remember Billy Beer, but this train wreck of a brand endorsed by President Jimmy Carter's hard-partying younger brother was epic. I suspect it wasn't very good, since this Mental Floss story reveals that Billy would get wasted at promotional events for the product and then admit to reporters that he still sucked down PBR at home. I wasn't going to include it in this list, because it's not available for purchase anymore that I know of (except for HERE), but the tale of its spectacular marketing fail will intoxicate you.
Lame, right? But this photo made me laugh, because it looks like the shell has its arm around the beer like they're pals, and Portlandia is on in 10 minutes. Conch!
NEW FOR 2016!
• It's election year, so Mediaite took it upon itself to designate the best beers to throw back with the presidential candidates. This is from September, so many of these guys (and gal) have dropped out, and the list is pretty cheesy, but it fits the narrative I'm trying so desperately to spin.
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• Some presidents are better than others when it comes to public policy about beer. Spirits writer Rick Lyke makes his pics.
• Guess what I have here, guys? Oh, nothing much. Only what's been described as the "most effervescent item of Washingtoniana in the New York Public Library." NBD. Also known as George Washington's recipe for "small beer." (More on No. 1's porter predilections here.)
• Did you know there was a White House Beer Summit in 2012? Even though supposedly there wasn't a White House Beer Summit in 2012? Well, there are pictures, at any rate. Decide for yourself.
• Behold this animated argument for why presidents should even drink beer—and why it might be a nifty idea to bring beer into Congress.
• You know who brewed a shitload of beer? Thomas Jefferson. And Martha, too, that lush. A rundown of brewery operations at Monticello proves quite fascinating.
• Getting wasted was one of FDR's favorite pastimes. He also supposedly made the worst martinis in the world. How the heck did he govern and live such a hedonistic lifestyle, you may be asking? This "Portrait of a Drinking President" is well worth a read to answer such questions.
• Brian Abrams wrote a book last year called Party Like a President, and History.com offers a snippet of what's inside. Spoiler alert: Ulysses S. Grant once projectile-vomited onto his horse after one particular episode of excess.
• Finally, the 50 most patriotic beers in 'Murica, per Thrillist. There's even a handy downloadable checklist so you can keep track of your own quaffing. Skål! (Editor's note: Yes, "skål" is my nonsubtle push for Scandinavian-style socialism. Working on my own special Bernie brew....)
NEW FOR 2018!
• Jimmy Carter was the first president to greenlight homebrewing, giving the craft beer industry a major push. I did not know that!
• Remember that time Grover Cleveland tried to limit his quaffing to four beers a day? Yeah, no one does, because it didn't go too well.
• Gerald Ford's staff would take Air Force One to fly to Colorado, stock up on Coors, and bring it back to DC for him. There's your answer when your kids ask: "What made Ford not a great president?"
• I'm not sure how I never included this Simpsons clip of JFK and Nixon stumping for Duff Beer, but better late than never.
• I missed this one, too, about the Beer Hall of Presidents. I really must be drunk.
NEW FOR 2019!
• "What can an ex-president of the United States do except get drunk" was said by none other than ... well, I don't want to spoil it for you, but it was a past president. Saucey.com rounds up a bunch of drinking quotes from ex-commander in chiefs.
• You won't find me drinking Budweiser except in Desperation Mode (and probably not even then anymore), but if you did, it would probably be this brew based on George Washington's original recipe. Maybe. No promises. I still have standards (I think).
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