The French and Indian War gave many British aristocrats their first view into what their American colonists were like. They were not impressed! War thrust people of diverse backgrounds and views into close contact, the French and Indian War was no exception. Britons and Americans learned first-hand that many of the commonalities that they believed …
Category Archives: Events and Programs
America’s First True Disaster Area — New Madrid, MO
In the early hours of December 16, 1811, the residents of New Madrid, a Mississippi River town once part of the Louisiana Territory, rushed from their homes as the ground rolled beneath their feet. Trees were uprooted and thrown to the ground. Huge chasms opened in the earth, and the Mississippi River ran backward! Somewhere …
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Prescription Julep
Most people in the United States associate Julips drinks with The Kentucky Derby and certainly mint juleps have a storied history in that event but julep drinks have been around a lot longer and there are more julep drinks than the mint julep. This cocktail has origins back to the late 1700s, and ‘Julep’ is based …
Doctor Heal Thyself — 18th Century Medicine Gone Wrong
Stubbins Ffirth Bathed in Vomit to Prove Yellow Fever Wasn’t Contagious Doctor Stubbins Ffirth, an American doctor began to investigate the causes and communicability of yellow fever in 1793. A yellow fever epidemic hit Philadelphia in July 1793 and peaked during the first weeks of October. It is estimated that 5,000 of a population of 45,000 …
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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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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 …
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. …
Growing Hops at Home
I grow hops at home and not just because fresh hops make better beer. First of all, hops area a wonderful ornamental plant. I would grow hops for my wife just because she thinks they are pretty. Hops are also a powerful medicinal herb. You can use hop tea (or beer by the way) to …
Warm Beer?
The temperature of a beer changes the drinker’s experience. Warmer temperatures reveal the range of flavors in a beer but cooler temperatures are considered more refreshing. Drinking chilled beer didn’t really begin until the development of artificial refrigeration in the 1870s, so 18th Century beer would always be fermented and served at room temperature (~20C) …
Warm Beer?
The temperature of a beer changes the drinker’s experience. Warmer temperatures reveal the range of flavors in a beer but cooler temperatures are considered more refreshing. Drinking chilled beer didn’t really begin until the development of artificial refrigeration in the 1870s, so 18th Century beer would always be fermented and served at room temperature (~20C) …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 