Honoring the Unseen Labor Behind American Brewing
Beer played a central role in the Revolutionary War and the founding of America. Yet those who brewed it are largely absent from the historical record.
Enslaved people drew on their knowledge, creativity, and craftsmanship to produce beer for all. Their expertise was real. Their contribution was foundational. Their names were almost never recorded.
On this 250th anniversary of our nation, the Beer Culture Center has partnered with George Washington's Mount Vernon and two Black-owned breweries—Funkytown Brewery of Chicago and Soul Mega of DC/Virginia—to create a beer that reclaims their place in the American story.
Doll's Garden
A blonde ale brewed with persimmons and apricots—two ingredients grown at 18th-century Mount Vernon. It echoes the persimmon beer made at the estate by enslaved brewers, keeping their legacy alive in every sip.
"This beer honors their labor and the unseen hands behind one of America's most important beverages."— Doll's Garden Label
Stories Worth Knowing
Doll
The enslaved cook who ran Mount Vernon's kitchen for decades—and whose knowledge of preserving fruit lives on in this beer.
Hercules Posey
A celebrated chef who learned his craft from Doll, earned public fame in Philadelphia—and freed himself on Washington's birthday.
Beer & the Founding
Slavery, brewing, and a history that has been largely scrubbed from the American record—until now.
The Breweries
A historic estate. A cultural institution. Two Black-owned breweries. One beer that could not have been made alone.