---
title: "Budweiser Unleashes Patriotic Summer Brew Cooked Up By… George Washington"
date: "2018-05-04"
modified: "2018-05-04"
authors:
  - name: "James Clark"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/james-clark/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/history/budweiser-george-washington-beer/"
categories:
  - "History"
---

# Budweiser Unleashes Patriotic Summer Brew Cooked Up By… George Washington

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/02/18988189-1.jpg>)

George Washington was a lot of things: An amazing portrait-poser, father of numerous national [legends](<https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/cherry-tree-myth/>) and [myths](<https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/wooden-teeth-myth/>), boon to the world of memes, career soldier, consummate badass, and yeah, our first president.

But the man was also an accomplished drinker, distiller, and brewer — a trait that Budweiser is leveraging with a new beer modeled after one of Washington’s personal beer recipes, [according to](<https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/a20133854/budweiser-george-washington-beer/?src=socialflowFBPOP>) Esquire.

Budweiser’s Freedom Reserve Red Lager is based on Washington’s original “small beer” recipe. It’s brewed by military veterans, with some of the proceeds going toward educational scholarships for military families through [Folds of Honor](<https://www.foldsofhonor.org/>), and is available now through September.

Related: What Enlisted Troops Drink At Every Stage Of Their Careers »

If you’re surprised that Washington was involved in the beer-brewing business, you shouldn’t be; he’s not the only founding father [to try his hand at hops](<https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a9066/how-the-founding-fathers-made-their-beer-15627801/>). In addition to brewing beer, Washington also ran one of the largest [whiskey distilleries in the country at the time](<https://www.mountvernon.org/the-estate-gardens/distillery/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6YiXtpns2gIVQQOGCh2IAQo_EAAYASAAEgKY6_D_BwE>).

Washington's original recipe was for a "small beer" which is pretty much a Revolutionary War-style O'Doul's, but “the recipe’s inclusion in Washington’s diaries during wartime suggests that it was consumed as a regular beverage — and even perhaps an occasional substitute for water — among troops,” [notes](<https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/recipe-for-small-beer/>) the Mount Vernon library.

In other words, Washington was like every other modern day general: He let his troops drink non-alcoholic beer while at war, because *that’s* fun.

Fortunately for us, Budweiser’s 5.4% ABV version of the founding father’s classic isn’t a light beer —at least, it’s not *as* light. So if you want to get sloshed like a true patriot, this might be a good choice.

**WATCH NEXT:**

## Author
James Clark is the editor-in-chief of Task & Purpose. He is a former Marine and a veteran of the War in Afghanistan.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/JamesWClark>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jclarkjournalism/>)