A Vote For Beer

Submitted by Randall Radic as part of our contributors program.

Not too long ago, I wrote a short piece about beer brewing supplies and the home brewing fad that seems to be taking off like a rocket. The whole thing is fueled by the fact that President Obama is into home brewing. Once the rest of the country heard the President was brewing his own beer, everybody decided to jump on the band wagon.

The White House brews three different beers: Honey Porter, Honey Ale, and Honey Blonde, all of which revolve around honey from the First Lady’s beehives on the South Lawn. And due to overwhelming demand and a lot of whining from home beer brewing fanatics, the recipes or formulas or techniques or processes (whatever beer recipes are called) were released at the beginning of September. Well, two out of three were, which, as Meatloaf sang, “ain’t bad.” Supposedly, the secret ingredients for Honey Blonde went missing.

President Obama has been hauling a stash of his White House beer around with him on his campaign bus, in effect using it as a campaign prop, which probably isn’t a bad idea seeing as how the Republican candidate is a Mormon teetotaler.

Some guy named Ray Daniels, who is an expert beer sommelier, got to look at the recipe. After looking it over, he tweeted “That should be a peacemaker!” When asked to explain what the tweet meant, he explained he was referring to the White House beer’s potential potency – more than seven percent alcohol. About twice as potent as most American beers.

What he was saying was that President Obama’s beer packs a punch. He also went on to say that the White House beers reflect our country’s heritage: by putting honey in them, they added something to the standard European recipe that makes it totally different and unique.

Reportedly, President Obama purchased his beermaking kit in 2011, and began making beer. Each batch produces fifty-two bottles of beer. According to Daniels, there’s nothing fancy about the White House recipes. They are straight-forward and simple, utilizing malt extracts, which makes the whole process easier.

Daniels said that the President’s choices – a porter and an ale – showed a great deal of insight, because they are both malty and sit on the sweeter side of the taste scale. This makes them appealing to most beer drinkers in America. Beers made with darker grains go well with any type of food that’s roasted or grilled, especially beef and pork. And Honey Ale goes well with such foods as pizza and sandwiches.

Now, if we could just get the recipe for the Honey Blonde, we could all relax and stop fretting. Maybe he’ll just happen to find it if he’s re-elected.