When the British imposed the Stamp Act of 1765, John Hancock helped lead the opposition in urging a boycott of British-made goods. Far from an act of patriotism, Hancock, a smuggler of tea, rum, and wine, used these boycotts earn obscene profits. But the boycotts did impact the Crown and eventually lead to the repeal …
Category Archives: Brewing
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 …
UPCOMING EVENT
The Moland House Revolutionary War Reenactment1641 York Rd., Warminster, PA 18974Sat. Aug. 26, 2023 10 am – 4 pm The Historic Moland House (www. Moland.org) is the site where George Washington & 11,000 troops camped during the summer of 1777 while preparing for General Howe’s invasion of Philadelphia. The Regimental Brewmeister is setting up a field …
The Yeast Ring
This year, I am adding a somewhat archaic bit of brewing equipment to the gear brought out by the Regimental Brewmiester. The yeast ring or gjarkrans is a piece of traditional brewing gear from medieval Sweden and Denmark. This tool resembles a complicated wreath of small pieces of whittled wood. Yeast harvested from one batch …
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 …
Beer Recipe: Act of Parliament — Small Beer
In the days before proper sanitation, drinking water could be very dangerous. There are many waterborne parasites (like the amoebas that cause dysentery) and pathogens (like cholera) and as people formed settlements and cities, these diseases were easily spread. Fear of drinking the water was so strong that in 1620 when Puritan settlers arrived in …
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UPCOMING EVENT
Washington’s Crossing — July 4th CelebrationWashington’s Crossing Historic Park July 4, 2023 10:00pm – 4:00 pm Come join us as the townspeople around McConkey’s Ferry as we gather to celebrate Independence Day. At Washington Crossing Historic Park, you can watch living historians demonstrate their crafts and see a military encampment. There will be a reading …
UPCOMING EVENT
Washington’s Crossing — July 4th CelebrationWashington’s Crossing Historic Park July 4, 2023 10:00pm – 4:00 pm Come join us as the townspeople around McConkey’s Ferry as we gather to celebrate Independence Day. At Washington Crossing Historic Park, you can watch living historians demonstrate their crafts and see a military encampment. There will be a reading …
Beer is Good for You
Okay this is weird but as the Regimental Brewmeister I feel compelled to inform you that the Mayo Clinic has suggested (not proved but only suggested) that may be preventative for Alzheimer’s Disease. For those of you who may have forgotten (pun intended), Alzheimer’s often causes memory loss and personality changes. It generally afflicts the …
Basic Colonial Brewing #11 — Managing Heat
A friend of mine recently comment that my 18th Century brewing demonstrations are so much more relaxed than what they see when modern methods are used. WOW! It must be like the duck on a pond – calm above and paddling like mad below. Even when you ignore the added complexity of simultaneously speaking to …
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Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 