There are 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week, and (roughly) 365 days in a year. There are 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute. You probably knew all that. But you know it because you’ve committed it to memory — it’s not something you can reason out. …
Author Archives: Michael Carver
The Act of Abjuration and the Declaration of Independence — A strong link between the Netherlands and USA
On July 27, 1581, the newly formed Dutch Republic issued a declaration — Plakkaat van Verlatinghe, formally declaring the Netherlands’ independence from the King Philip II of Spain. The Seventeen Provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands were united by Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain Charles V IN 1544. Under Charles, these provinces were governed …
Hey Brewmeister, why are there all those QR codes on your bottles and kegs?
Okay, I don’t give away bottles but you may have noticed that every bottle and every keg have a QR code on it and its not a SKU because I am not selling beer outside of events and I am not that sophisticated in my inventory management. So, what are these? Well, brewing beer is, …
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The Coow Woow
“Coow woow” was an Indian term for rum, and this makes sense since most of the drink is rum. The history of the Coow Woow is a bit murky but the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA claims it dates back to the early days of 1664 making it one of if not the first cocktail …
Hot Ale Flip
If you were traveling through Colonial New England, chances are the drink of choice is Rum Flip, which is quite a treat to see prepared with vigorous mixing and a final heating using a long metal rod known as a loggerhead or in the south a mulling iron. Flip was a common hot cocktail made …
Von Stueben Altbier
During the early American Revolutionary War, Continental Army lacked strong central command and was made up of state-run militias operating independently of each other. Each militia operated by its own rules and regulations and there was very little standardization or guidance for the duties and responsibilities of soldiers and officers. In 1777, Friedrich von Steuben …
Thanksgiving – 1770’s Style
In 1789, President George Washington issued a proclamation designating November 26 of that year as a national day of thanksgiving to recognize the role of providence in creating the new United States and the new federal Constitution. Thanksgiving as a celebration of surviving the first year of the Plymouth Colony had been celebrated in Massachusetts …
What’s in a Name? Why are Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Virginia called “Commonwealths?”
The United States is made 46 states and 4 commonwealths — Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Kentucky. While in modern politics, this is an academic distinction, the term “commonwealth” defined as a political entity founded for the good of the people; whereas a “state” existing for the benefit of its citizens. The term UnitedStates, was deliberately …
THE RATTLESKULL
If you read this blog enough, you are familiar with 18th Century taverns being the social and business hubs of many communities. Early taverns weren’t just bars, they were used for business meetings, post offices, news agents, militia headquarters, judicial meetings, polls, and as places for lively political debates. To overcome social anxiety and help …
And Now for Something Completely Different: The State Sport of Maryland is Jousting!?
Typically associated with either its military or aristocratic origins, jousting is a martial art we associate with 13th century medieval tournaments. Mention jousting and images of knights galloping headlong toward armored opponents, aiming wooden lances, and smashing against each other in an explosion of splinters comes to mind. Aside from the sometimes with deadly results, …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 