NYPL serving up George Washington's favorite brew
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May 23, 2011
Official Site
‘Fortitude’s Founding Father Brew’ Created In Honor Of The Centennial Of The Library’s Landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
The New York Public Library has teamed up with Coney Island Brewing Company in Brooklyn to create a beer fit for a Founding Father – a porter based on George Washington’s handwritten “small beer” recipe, which can be found in the Library’s extensive collections.
The two institutions are brewing a very limited amount of “Fortitude’s Founding Father Brew” to toast the 100th birthday of the Library’s landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street.
"This partnership is a fun and unique way to bring our awe-inspiring collections to life,” said Ann Thornton, Acting Andrew W. Mellon Director of the New York Public Libraries. “Not only will it give people a rare opportunity to experience history first-hand, but it will shine a spotlight on the incredible depth and breadth of our collections. We have a treasure trove of materials that can be accessed by the public and used to advance the worlds of scholarship, literature, invention, creation . . . or even beer-making. It's a perfect message to send on the 100th birthday of our Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, which houses millions of these precious items. Cheers!"
The brewery – maker of such craft beer favorites as Coney Island Lager, Sword Swallower and Freaktoberfest and a part of Shmaltz Brewing Company, the “Best American Craft Brewer” according to Beverage World Magazine – is creating the beer in collaboration with two local brewers, Pete Taylor and Josh Knowlton, using Washington’s own instructions, which he wrote on a small piece of paper.
"To Make Small Beer,” reads Washington’s recipe. “Take a large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste. Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gall[ons] into a cooler put in 3 Gall[ons] Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot or rather draw the Melasses (sic) into the cooler & St[r]ain the Beer on it while boiling Hot. let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yea[s]t if the Weather is very Cold cover it over with a Blank[et] & let it Work in the Cooler 24 hours then put it into the Cask -- leave the bung open till it is almost don[e] Working -- Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed."
The recipe sits along with Washington’s Farewell Address and other items belonging to him and his family in the Library’s Manuscripts and Archives Division.
"What an incredible opportunity that the New York Public Library has offered Shmaltz Brewing Company,” said Jeremy Cowan, founder of Shmaltz. “A chance to bring history, culture, and the written word from revolutionary times into today's craft beer evolution. We are thrilled to transform Washington's recipe into an even more complex and flavorful robust porter using a delicious array of the best small batch dark malts and hop varieties to produce a truly spectacular celebration for the contemporary beer connoisseur. By adding Brown Malt to the grain bill and the additions of Northern Brewer hops and rich molasses to the boil we were able to produce a beer that is modern but with ingredients that have been a part of brewing for generations. The 100th birthday of the Schwarzman Building is such a monumental occasion, let's toast to 100 more successful years as a true New York cultural institution."
Tastings of the beer will be served to guests at the Library’s Centennial gala on May 23 -- exactly 100 years after “The People’s Palace” opened in 1911. The press will have an opportunity to taste the beer at an event on Wednesday, May 18 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Rattle N Hum, located at 14 East 33rd Street in Manhattan. The public will have a chance to get a free tasting of the special brew as part of an event by Shmaltz Brewing Company at 7 p.m.
Bank of America is the Lead Sponsor of the Centennial Gala. Additional support for the Library's Centennial Festival has been made possible through an endowment established by family and friends of the late Richard B. Salomon, and by The Skeel Fund, MetLife Foundation, The Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Asprey, Wells Fargo, Celeste Bartos, The Wall Street Journal, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Titan, WABC-TV/Channel 7, Penguin Classics, Engine Yard and Gotham Magazine.
Author: NYPL
New York Public Library
Libraries
East 40s
5th Ave at 42nd St
New York, NY 10018
Email
Site
Map
All events and times are subject to change.
May 23, 2011
Official Site
‘Fortitude’s Founding Father Brew’ Created In Honor Of The Centennial Of The Library’s Landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
The New York Public Library has teamed up with Coney Island Brewing Company in Brooklyn to create a beer fit for a Founding Father – a porter based on George Washington’s handwritten “small beer” recipe, which can be found in the Library’s extensive collections.
The two institutions are brewing a very limited amount of “Fortitude’s Founding Father Brew” to toast the 100th birthday of the Library’s landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street.
"This partnership is a fun and unique way to bring our awe-inspiring collections to life,” said Ann Thornton, Acting Andrew W. Mellon Director of the New York Public Libraries. “Not only will it give people a rare opportunity to experience history first-hand, but it will shine a spotlight on the incredible depth and breadth of our collections. We have a treasure trove of materials that can be accessed by the public and used to advance the worlds of scholarship, literature, invention, creation . . . or even beer-making. It's a perfect message to send on the 100th birthday of our Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, which houses millions of these precious items. Cheers!"
The brewery – maker of such craft beer favorites as Coney Island Lager, Sword Swallower and Freaktoberfest and a part of Shmaltz Brewing Company, the “Best American Craft Brewer” according to Beverage World Magazine – is creating the beer in collaboration with two local brewers, Pete Taylor and Josh Knowlton, using Washington’s own instructions, which he wrote on a small piece of paper.
"To Make Small Beer,” reads Washington’s recipe. “Take a large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste. Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gall[ons] into a cooler put in 3 Gall[ons] Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot or rather draw the Melasses (sic) into the cooler & St[r]ain the Beer on it while boiling Hot. let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yea[s]t if the Weather is very Cold cover it over with a Blank[et] & let it Work in the Cooler 24 hours then put it into the Cask -- leave the bung open till it is almost don[e] Working -- Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed."
The recipe sits along with Washington’s Farewell Address and other items belonging to him and his family in the Library’s Manuscripts and Archives Division.
"What an incredible opportunity that the New York Public Library has offered Shmaltz Brewing Company,” said Jeremy Cowan, founder of Shmaltz. “A chance to bring history, culture, and the written word from revolutionary times into today's craft beer evolution. We are thrilled to transform Washington's recipe into an even more complex and flavorful robust porter using a delicious array of the best small batch dark malts and hop varieties to produce a truly spectacular celebration for the contemporary beer connoisseur. By adding Brown Malt to the grain bill and the additions of Northern Brewer hops and rich molasses to the boil we were able to produce a beer that is modern but with ingredients that have been a part of brewing for generations. The 100th birthday of the Schwarzman Building is such a monumental occasion, let's toast to 100 more successful years as a true New York cultural institution."
Tastings of the beer will be served to guests at the Library’s Centennial gala on May 23 -- exactly 100 years after “The People’s Palace” opened in 1911. The press will have an opportunity to taste the beer at an event on Wednesday, May 18 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Rattle N Hum, located at 14 East 33rd Street in Manhattan. The public will have a chance to get a free tasting of the special brew as part of an event by Shmaltz Brewing Company at 7 p.m.
Bank of America is the Lead Sponsor of the Centennial Gala. Additional support for the Library's Centennial Festival has been made possible through an endowment established by family and friends of the late Richard B. Salomon, and by The Skeel Fund, MetLife Foundation, The Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Asprey, Wells Fargo, Celeste Bartos, The Wall Street Journal, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Titan, WABC-TV/Channel 7, Penguin Classics, Engine Yard and Gotham Magazine.
Author: NYPL
New York Public Library
Libraries
East 40s
5th Ave at 42nd St
New York, NY 10018
Site
Map
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All events and times are subject to change.