I am still actively planning events for 2025. If you want to book the Regimental Brewmeister, please contact me soon so I can block the calendar.   I already have dates reserved for certain sites and my schedule fills quickly.  If there is a date that you want to secure as a tentative booking, please do so now so that I will not book over that time.

Add excitement and authentic color to an event, or create more traffic to 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 make it an occasion that people will long remember.  Every large gathering of people in the 18th Century needed a brewer.  I not only provided the libations that as Doctor Franklin so clearly stated “is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,” but I also make sure the that people remained healthy and free of waterborne disease.

Philadelphia is also a great center of science and technical learning in the 18th Century.  Perhaps your group would like to meet Joseph Priestly first hand and learn how he discovered the element Oxygen.  Perhaps your group wants to learn the fascinating story of how in 1769, we actually measured the size of the solar system.  You may want to see an 18th Century surveying crew in action or observe a brewery or distillery.   I bring all of these to real tangible life.  In my presentations, participants are encouraged not just to watch but to take part in the using the tools and working through the problems and, of course, drinking the beer.

I have conduct presentations and tours for the National Park Service, Carpenters Hall, Pottsgrove Manor, Hope Lodge, Graeme Park, and with the 2nd PA/43rd Regiment of Foot and several other Philadelphia region historic sites for several years. I routinely speak to large audiences and my presentation is tight, interactive, dynamic, and engaging.  I am eager to expand my repartee to additional skills so are looking to develop something new, I am also interested in working on those sorts of project.  My rates are very reasonable and I give substantial discounts to non-profit historical sites.  Let’s turn back the pages of history in an extraordinary way!

For more information see: https://colonialbrewer.com/yes-you-can-hire-me-for-your-event-or-site/

To learn more about my immersive brewing classes see: https://colonialbrewer.com/resources/programs-and-ideas/18th-century-brewing-an-immersive-history-experience/

For general information on my other talents, please refer to: https://colonialbrewer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/interpretation-cv.pdf

In 2025, I am taking a different approach to bookings than I have done in the past.  I am only booking a limited number of each type of event.  In 2025, I will accept bookings for the following:

  • 10 brewing events (5 already booked so only 5 slots available)
  •   5 Tavern Events (3 already booked so only 2 slots available)
  •   5 Special presentations like surveying or colonial science (4 currently available)
  • Presentations or lectures

As you can see, the slots are filling quickly so if there is a program you want the Regimental Brewer, the Admiral of the Blue, or David Rittenhouse to present, now is the time to secure your dates. 

In addition to reenacting events, I also do lectures and talks.  Here are some of the topics I cover:

  • Brewing for the Army – Washington’s General Orders stipulate that each man is to be issued “… one quart of good spruce beer per man per diem.” This practice actually dates back to the Seven Years/French & Indian War as a French then British practice. The Regimental Brewmeister discusses the history of brewing and why it is critical for successful military campaigns in 18th Century North America.
  • 18th Century Cocktails — We all know the Sugar Trade and Rum fueled the Boston and Philadelphia economies in the 1760’s. There is no denying that our founding fathers frequently enjoyed a stiff drink. While the working classes mainly indulged in beer and cider, rum and applejack. Those who could afford it looked to Europe to slake their thirst, with old-world elixirs like madeira, sherry and Holland gin all popular along the eastern seaboard. The Cocktail Hour was not really a think in 18th Century America. But people were beginning to imbibe what we would clearly recognize as mixed drinks today. The Admiral of the Blue Apron discusses tavern mixed drinks, shares a few recipes, and delves into why these concoctions were so popular.
  • The Importance of Taverns in America – The Tavern Act ensured that public houses were constructed along England’s (and her colony’s) major highways and at her ports. This was done principally to support commerce but since these were often the largest and most accessible buildings in many communities, taverns took a major role in keeping communities together, sharing news, and ensuring that the government functioned. Taverns hosted militia musters, court proceedings, polls, and post offices. The tavern was where people gathered to share news and engage in trade. These institutions were far more than just bars and hotels, they were the heart of many communities, second only to the church. The Admiral of the Blue Apron discusses how the tavern was instrumental in both preventing anarchy and driving revolution in the American colonies.
  • Jews in the American Revolution – Popular histories tend to focus the discussion of “freedom of religion” on Protestant Christians. Jews and Muslims, while a small minority, were also residents of the North American colonies (especially the colonies of France and Spain as well as the British cities of Savannah and Philadelphia). Even though places like Philadelphia claimed to be open to all people and all faiths but in reality, much of American society was only open to Christians. Despite these injustices, Jews rallied to support the cause of American Independence. The Regimental Brewmeister discusses significant contributions of Jews in the cause of Independence and the challenges they faced.

I am also working on some exciting new additions to stay tuned. To learn more about my programing and approach, please visit www.colonialbrew.com where you will find my talents and recent experience for your review. 

Thank you,

Michael Carver
The Regimental Brewmeister
www.colonialbrewer.com
colonialbrewer@macarver.com
215-512-3380

Published by Michael Carver

My goal is to bring history alive through interactive portrayal of ordinary American life in the late 18th Century (1750—1799) My persona are: Journeyman Brewer; Cordwainer (leather tradesman but not cobbler), Statesman and Orator; Chandler (candle and soap maker); Gentleman Scientist; and, Soldier in either the British Regular Army, the Centennial Army, or one of the various Militia. Let me help you experience history 1st hand!