Thread: President Obama Brews His Own Beer

Minnesota's 'Beer Guy' meets brewmaster in chief

Brad Magerkurth just wanted a cup of coffee. The traveling beer salesman from the Twin Cities had just sat down at a small-town Iowa cafe when in walked the president of the United States.

Minutes later, Magerkurth was talking beer with Barack Obama and being offered a bottle of the president's home brew.

"I thought to myself: 'This is really weird,'" Magerkurth recalled Thursday.

The whole encounter raised two questions: 1) The president has a home-brewing operation at the White House? And 2) He travels with a stockpile of homemade beer in his motorcoach?

Yes, reports Brad the Beer Guy, as he's known in the Twin Cities' tight-knit craft beer community.

"He's just a dude," Magerkurth said of his encounter with the president.

Magerkurth, who works for a St. Paul wholesaler called Artisan Beer Co., was in Knoxville, Iowa, on a business trip Tuesday morning when he stopped at the cafe.

"I thought it was really weird that they were wanding people at the front door," he said.

Then he watched Obama's motorcade pull up to the curb with the press corps and Secret Service agents in tow.

Once inside, the president chatted with customers and seemed genuinely interested in Magerkurth's beer expertise.

"He said, 'You know, Michelle and I brewed a beer together,'" Magerkurth recalled.

Obama launched into a two-minute story about the couple's home brew, made from honey harvested from a beehive in the White House garden. The president asked Magerkurth if he could give him a beer. Minutes later, an aide came back from the president's bus with a 12-ounce longneck bottle of White House Honey Ale.

"Try it out -- and we want a review," Obama told Magerkurth.

Save it or drink it?

Following the encounter, White House spokesperson Jay Carney told a gaggle of reporters that the home brew comes in two varieties, light and dark.

Some pundits have suggested that Obama is using beer to connect with voters. His everyman approach is in direct contrast with opponent Mitt Romney, who doesn't drink and was seen scooping ice cream in Ohio while Obama was buying beers at the Iowa State Fair, according to the Washington Post.

Magerkurth is preoccupied with a more serious dilemma. Should he save this presidential keepsake or drink the beer? After all, he did promise the president a review.

"How often does the president give you a beer?" Magerkurth said.

Not often. Obama reportedly shared a home brew with a Medal of Honor recipient last year. And a batch of the honey beer was supposedly made during this year's Super Bowl.

While this particular beer moment happened on the campaign trail, Magerkurth said his encounter with the president was devoid of politics.

"Beer brings people together," he said. "If people could just sit down and share a beer, I think the world would be a better place."

Source

The Obamas installed a set of beehives in front of the White House soon after they moved in there. They're plainly visible when viewed from the front fence. It's the first presidential beehive on the grounds.

Nice to see that they're using the honey for more than just garnish. They should sell it! (at least the recipe for certain brewers- presidential history buffs and Obama lovers would swarm all over it, no pun intended)

"Hoo boy, Joe, the honey's damn good this year! Let's make us some moon-shine! Hooooo-wee!"

I may not drink beer for personal reasons, but I like this quote:

"Beer brings people together," he said. "If people could just sit down and share a beer, I think the world would be a better place."

I actually really like this story. It kinda just makes me feel like everyone's connected through something, no matter who or what. In this example it was beer and the president, which I think is really quite cool.

I remember reading about this a while ago. Doesn't really mean much, but it's still an interesting story, I suppose. I'd buy it, but would def drink it.

If the president asked for my opinion on his home brewed beer, I would definitely drink it. Cool story, none the less.

The last line sums things up pretty well for me. I am a firm believer in the fact that 99% of the world's problems could be solved over a case of beer.

Not trying to make a political statement or anything here, but I bet Bush drank Bud Light.

Oh hell no. He definitely drank Bud Heavy. It's the Bud for men. It's American. It's the king of beers.

Originally Posted by Mako

The last line sums things up pretty well for me. I am a firm believer in the fact that 99% of the world's problems could be solved over a case of beer.

This is why I used the "Diplomacy" tag.

I liked what Bill Maher had to say about this: How can people still think he's a Muslim now?

He also had a joke Obama attack ad about how Mitt Romney doesn't drink beer because he's a Mormon. I lol'd.

Originally Posted by TheMissingno.

Originally Posted by Mako

The last line sums things up pretty well for me. I am a firm believer in the fact that 99% of the world's problems could be solved over a case of beer.

This is why I used the "Diplomacy" tag.

Does anybody remember the "beer summit" three years ago between Obama, an African American Harvard professor, and the officer that arrested him because he was locked out of his own house and somebody thought he was a burglar? Obama seems to be very casual when it comes to using brews to connect with people on a personal level in semi-political situations.

Freedom of Information Act invoked by brewers to try to get the White House Honey Ale recipe.

And the White House actually posted the recipe.