Hire the Regimental Brewmeister for your Event or Site

Add excitement and authentic color to your special event, or create one for your site, with Philadelphia’s best Colonial Brewer and tradesman.  Whether it is a reenactment, motion picture, a tavern night for a private event, or other endeavor, I can bring can bring a real sense of authenticity and fun to your event and …

Historical Tidbits — Jacques Cartier Establishes Canada as a French Colony

When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. Jacques Cartier Establishes Canada as a French Colony July 24, 1534 Okay, if you have attended one of my spruce beer brewing demos, you undoubtedly have heard the name …

The Regimental Brewmeister Needs an Assistant (or three)

Wow, the presentation at Washington’s Crossing on July 4 was both very rewarding and too much for any one person to handle alone.  I really love doing these programs and I am getting more and more calls from worthy organizations to come and present the Colonial Brewer but I need help.  I’m reaching out try …

Of Government in Petticoats!!!

The provision on suffrage in the New Jersey state constitution of 1776 granted the right to vote to “all inhabitants” who were of legal age, owned property worth 50 English pounds, and resided in a county for at least one year. No one is sure what was meant by “all inhabitants” since the New Jersey constitutional convention …

Birth of the US Post Office

On July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress declared “…that a Postmaster General be appointed for the United States, who shall hold his office at Philadelphia, and shall be allowed a salary of 1,000 dollars per annum…”  Benjamin Franklin was not, however, the first Postmaster in America nor was this the first time he would …

Beer Recipe: Common Sense Cherry Pils

Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for the spread of ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. Before the era of radio communication and television, when you wished to convey a message to a large audience, you published it. Originally published anonymously, “Common Sense” not only advocates independence but explains how the …

The Invention of the Thermometer

Every time I give a brewer’s presentation, I must remind the various homebrewers who come to these events that a thermometer would have been an EXPENSIVE and rare instrument in the 18th Century.  Today they are ubiquitous, even my car has a built-in thermometer, but in 1750 these would have been delicate and hard to …

Hire the Regimental Brewmeister for your Event or Site

Add excitement and authentic color to your special event, or create one for your site, with Philadelphia’s best Colonial Brewer and tradesman.  Whether it is a reenactment, motion picture, a tavern night for a private event, or other endeavor, I can bring can bring a real sense of authenticity and fun to your event and …

Historical Tidbits — Stony Point taken by General Wayne

When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 15, 1779       Stony Point taken by General Wayne In a well planned and executed nighttime attack, a highly trained select group of Continental Army troops under the command …

Historical Tidbits — Riot Act

When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 15, 1715 – The Riot Act took effect in Britain.  Assemblies of more than a dozen people could be forcibly dispersed in order to maintain the peace.  The …