The White House shows love to craft breweries!



The White House Honey Ale
Photo by Pete Souza/White House

 When it comes to the U.S. presidency, I don't think beer has been mentioned more than since President Barack Obama has been in office. I was ecstatic to do a piece on the "Beer Summit" back on July 30, 2009 for J'Adore Magazine, which discussed how the president I voted for used the world's greatest beverage to properly squash a beef between his fellow citizens. Understandably, every craft brewery and their mama sent in requests to use their beer for the globally hyped event prior to its commencement. Unfortunately for the "little guys," the country's top-selling beer, Bud Light, was President Obama's choice, while the other attendees sipped on Blue Moon, a Samuel Adams Light and a bottle of non-alcoholic Buckler in the hand of Vice-President Joe Biden.

I, plus a million other fond brew lovers, thought it would have been the perfect opportunity to show some love (and pub) to a burgeoning microbrewery or two who could benefit from the coverage. I shrugged it off and settled on the appreciation that beer was indeed the choice drink, with or without alcohol.



Although they sell a gang of brews,
Yuengling is still of considered a craft brewery of sorts



This time around, the White House quenched the thirst of its A-list of 100 or so guests that included J-Lo and husband Marc Anthony, and (a star to me) sports journalist extraordinaire Michael Wilbon, more consciously. Hinterland Brewery out of Green Bay, Wisconsin saw their Amber Ale, Luna Stout (5.6%) and cash cow, Pale Ale, get poured, while the oldest brewery America, Yuengling, repped Pennsylvania (Pottsville) with their Lager (4.4%) and Light (3.4%) brewskies. But to really keep it real, a White House chef and avid home brewer, provided an in-house White House Honey Ale! Want more? The Obamas reportedly paid for the brewing supplies out of their own pocket to shake off any haters who would contest their tax dollars were spent. You've got to love it!

We need to continue to support those striving breweries who respect the craft, flex their creative muscle through various styles, and overall do it for the love instead of solely for the dollar. No disrespect to the "macros" like MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch, but we have to spread the love for ales and lagers around for all brewers, including inside the Blue Room of the White House!
Here is the link to Brother Wilbon's recount of his awesome Super Bowl Sunday with The Obamas.
Cheers!
Ale