The Regimental Brewmeister will be brewing SPRUCE BEERin Dover, DE on 11/4/23 Want to have the Regimental Brewmeister at your site or event? You can hire me. https://colonialbrewer.com/yes-you-can-hire-me-for-your-event-or-site/
Monthly Archives: October 2023
Doctor Heal Thyself — 18th Century Medicine Gone Wrong
John Hunter Gave Himself Gonorrhea and Syphilis John Hunter was a renowned 18th-century surgeon in London and eventually become the most famous physician in all of England. Hunter made enormous contributions to anatomy and embryology through the dissection of cadavers pilfered by the professional grave robbers known as resurrection men. This knowledge of anatomy allowed …
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Mead was not Mainstream in Colonial America
Honey bees are not native to North America. They were originally imported from Europe in the 17th century. In a letter written December 5, 1621 by the Council of the Virginia Company in London and addressed to the Governor and Council in Virginia, “Wee haue by this Shipp and the Discouerie sent you diurs [divers] …
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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 …
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Baldwin Apples
If you are serious about drinking cider, then you almost certainly know that US President John Adams also drank cider enthusiastically, and professed to consume a gill a day, before breakfast. Cider was John Adams’ orange juice, and in his day, it was understood that a good quantity of cider, and the Vitamin C that …
Benedict Arnold American Wild Ale
Do you consider Benedict Arnold a brilliant general or an evil traitor? Despite what you may have learned in school, the answer to this question is far from simple and highly political. Blessed with almost superhuman energy and endurance, handsome and charismatic, he was a successful apothecary and a seagoing merchant before the war. Unfortunately, …
US Marines in the American Revolution — Defeat on Lake Champlain
13 October 1776 In the fall of 1776, the American Revolution appeared doomed to the ignominious fate of a suppressed insurrection. The invasion of Canada had collapsed with the assault on Quebec, where General Richard Montgomery was slain, and the ocher colonial commander, Benedict Arnold, severely wounded, was forced to flee southward with his men. …
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Historical Tidbits — Birth of U S Navy
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. October 13, 1775 — The acquisition of a fleet of ships that would become the United States Navy was authorized by an act of the Second Continental Congress. The …
The Ugly History of Hops
Hops are a relatively new addition to the brewmaster’s toolkit. Prior to the widespread adoption of hops, beer, sometimes called gruit, was bittered and flavored with spice and herb mixtures. Any number of herbs and spices went into gruit including henbane, wild rosemary, heather, ginger, spruce, juniper, and bog myrtle, just to name a few. …
Medicinal Properties of Hops
Beyond beer, what are hops used for? Well, humulus lupulus (hops) is related to cannabis (humulus cannabis) and while you can’t smoke it, the herb is used for calming: reducing anxiety, encouraging sleep, and many other medical properties. As a tea, hops are quite bitter and the flavor. Its bitterness is actually a plus when …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 