Lecture and tasting by speaker Steve Grasse on the role of porter in colonial America, with a tasting of porter brewed by My Local Brew Works.
Steve Grasse is coming to the Powel House on Friday, November 20, for a talk and tasting centered on porter in colonial Philadelphia. He's the author of Colonial Spirits: A Toast to our Drunken History, and the evening is part of Spirits of Independence, a lecture and tasting series by PhilaLandmarks that looks at the brews, wines, and spirits that shaped the city. The format is pretty straightforward: an expert talk paired with complimentary drinks made from colonial-minded recipes.
This particular night is all about porter, which was the brew of choice for many in the colonial era. The Powel House itself has a connection to the trade: the Powel family was linked to Robert Hare, the most renowned porter brewer of the time, who had married into the Willing family. Grasse will talk about porter's role in colonial life and the experience of brewing it from a colonial recipe. You'll get to taste a porter brewed for the occasion by My Local Brew Works, and you can even take some home with you.
If you've been following the series, this is the third stop. It launched on September 18 at Grumblethorpe, a 1744 home built by wine merchant John Wister—who was Benjamin Franklin's landlord and made fruit wines there. The porter evening follows a Madeira event at Hill-Physick House and comes before a Colonial Rum Trade session at Historic Waynesborough. Each one pairs a specific colonial drink with a historic Philadelphia site.
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The talk runs from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the Powel House, 244 S. Third Street in Society Hill. You have to be 21 or older to attend.
