Happy Thanksgiving from San Diego Beer and Wine Tours!

Beer • Breweries • Food and Vine • Holiday • Tours • Walking Tours

November 12, 2012

Temperatures have dropped, the wind is blowing gustily, and San Diego has even seen a few chilly and rainy days. That means it's truly fall, the holidays are on their way, and it's time to start planning for the annual autumn feast, Thanksgiving.
 
While everybody knows the story of the beleaguered pilgrims seeking a more free way of life, the story of Thanksgiving would be remiss if we did not mention beer's role in it.  Beer, with its natural antimicrobial properties, was a dietary staple on ships in those days; as it was boiled, it was purer than most of the water that was available at the time, and because of its alcohol content it was not prone to going bad on long voyages.

In fact, part of the reason the Mayflower established a colony at Plymouth Rock and not somewhere else is because they were running out of supplies. As two of the colonists apparently wrote, “….We could not now take time for further search or consideration, our victuals being much spent, especially our beer, and it being now the 19th of December.”

In other words, Plymouth has beer – or lack thereof – to thank for the Pilgrims' colony there. That's why the first structures established there included shelter… and a brewery.

So whether your choice is beer or wine, drink up and be thankful that craft beer is part of the heritage of the United States. We certainly are! But beyond everything else, we are most thankful for you.
 
Brooke B., Beer Historienne

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