Beer Recipe: Nightingale on a Stone Wall

The British army punished its soldiers mercilessly. The purpose was to inspire terror by setting an example. Soldiers were frequently whipped leading to the derisive moniker “bloody backs” by which Redcoat soldiers were frequently known. The most common offence was drunkenness, which could merit 100 lashes. The sentence was carried out in front of the …

In 1996, the City of Philadelphia did what the Whole British Navy could not do, they demolished the “Cannonball House” in a failed attempt to save it.

In the 1680’s Peter Cook build a small farmhouse on a plot of land nobody wanted.  Laying claim to a small swampy parcel on Mud Island several miles form William Penn’s utopian “green country town” this Swedish settler thought he and his family would never be challenged for their little farm.  The site proved good …

Historical Tidbits — Battle of Oriskany and St. Leger

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. August 6, 1777                   Battle of Oriskany and St. Leger The Battle of Oriskany occurred on August 6, 1777, when the local Tryon County Militia attempted to come to the …

Joseph Priestly and Carbon Dioxide

In Leeds Joseph Priestley’s home was situated near a brewery. Whenever he walked by the brewery, Priestley observed an unusual phenomenon. He noticed that “fixed air” (carbon dioxide) was released in the process of fermentation and that this new “air” would extinguish burning pieces of wood and then drift to the ground. At home Priestley …

The German Society of Pennsylvania was Founded in 1764 in Philadelphia

Last night I spent the evening brewing with the president of the German Society of Pennsylvania, Mark McGuigan, at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia. The synagogue and the German Society of Pennsylvania are working together to promote German Jewish (i.e. Ashkenazi) heritage in Philadelphia.  One of the cool projects is traditional brewing. The German Society …

Historical Tidbits — Signing of the Declaration of Independence

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. August 2, 1776 – Fifty-five members of the second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to formally sign the Declaration of Independence.  Benjamin Franklin is oft quoted as having said …

Phlogiston and Fire — The Isolation of Oxygen

In the mid-18th century, the most pressing issue in chemistry and physics was to determine what exactly happens when something burns. The prevailing theory was that flammable materials contained a substance called “phlogiston” (from the Greek word for burn) that was released during combustion.  The theory held that when a candle burned, for example, phlogiston …