Visit our special St. Patrick's Day secition here
Read more: Obama visit to Ireland is confirmed by senior White House source
President Obama has officially declared March 2011 Irish American Heritage Month. More importantly the White House also announced that the president would be brewing his own beer called White House Honey Ale for St.Patrick’ Day.
Obama, who said he will pay for the beer making equipment himself, has made presidential history by being the first U.S. president to brew beer at the White House.
It seems that Obama is certainly getting in touch with his Co. Offaly, roots although no one is sure if honey ale is brewed in the town of Moneygall (Obama's great-great-great grandfather is said to have left Offaly for New York in 1850).
Last month the president and his wife Michelle served White House Honey Ale at their Super Bowl party. They are officially the first White House residents to charge their chefs with brewing, and White House curator Bill Allman says the chefs love it.
Allman is the historian who oversees the White House, and although he has checked back through the 200 years of history he can see no precedent for home brewing.
Historian for the White House Historical Association William Ushong agrees. He said, "I haven't heard of any beer brewing going on at the White House itself. President Jefferson would be your likely candidate, given his epicurean taste."
The staff confirms that White House home brewing is here to stay. According to the Obama Foodorama blog Semonti Stephens, a spokesman for the East Wing said, "It is very safe to assume that there will be more White House beer in the future.”
In the official proclamation of Irish American Heritage Month Obama said, "Seldom in this world has a country so small had so large an impact on another. Today, the rich culture of Ireland touches all aspects of American society, and the friendship that binds Ireland and the United States is marked by a shared past and a common future."
He spoke about the deep influence that Ireland has had on the U.S. through the millions of immigrants who arrived over the centuries. "During Irish American Heritage Month, we honor the contributions Irish Americans have made, and celebrate the nearly 40 million among us who proudly trace their roots back to Ireland,” he said.
Visit our special St. Patrick's Day secition here
Read more: Obama visit to Ireland is confirmed by senior White House source
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Porickseantuny | Mar 06, 2011, 01:52 PM EST
The leader of the free world has time to worry about home brewing? Fiddling while Rome burns it seems.
gcwfromcanada | Mar 06, 2011, 01:02 PM EST
President Obama may be the first President to brew beer at the White House but darn sure, he's not the first to hoist a few.
Gearoid4 | Mar 05, 2011, 10:13 AM EST
Sure, they'll all get blootered after each samples a jugful of Obama's home brew. Enda might give them a few bars of 'The Boys From The County Mayo' and Barack will then likely give a rendition of an ole Come-All-Ye. The shamrocks will be well drenched and we could even see a bout of fisticuffs.
sirpeter | Mar 05, 2011, 10:03 AM EST
Delighted..They will all be forced to drink his homemade beer..The chocolate starfish will be busy for two days after drinking that. Yes!! It's lovely Mr President...What!!!!Mr President. Do I want another home-brew!!!? Thank you Mr President,you are so kind..200 gallons you made!!!!Mr President ,WOW!!For us all!! says he with sphincter clenching horror.
Helen Ferone | Mar 05, 2011, 07:23 AM EST
While he's making the beer maybe he can come up with a solution to the outrageous price of gas without blaming Libya. The prices were climbing way before that. We have enough problems in our own country without trying to solve others. The gas price hurts all of us including car dealers who sell SUV's and large cars!!! Nobody seems to help us.
Rodgersjn76 | Mar 05, 2011, 01:54 AM EST
Honestly, I am not a fan of Obama, But I feel it is about time that our Irish ancestors get the recognition they deserve for everything they have brought to the United States.
elektros | Mar 04, 2011, 07:32 PM EST
I never had a reason to try to get invited to the White House before, but now I want to taste the presidential homebrew!
jamieLM | Mar 04, 2011, 06:11 PM EST
Obama's beer sounds good to me. Not everything needs to revolve around politics.
labadugh | Mar 04, 2011, 05:57 PM EST
God Bless President Obama and Michelle. I think it is brilliant.
kateomprint | Mar 04, 2011, 05:42 PM EST
Hope it tastes good nothing as bad as beer that goes wrong. Moneygall is a small village on the Tipperary/ Offaly border with about five pubs so he will be right at home if he does call there. Lets hope he enjoys his visit.
JBRAFTREE | Mar 04, 2011, 05:14 PM EST
Does ATF know????
Gearoid4 | Mar 04, 2011, 03:47 PM EST
It is a nice gesture by Obama whatever one might think of his politics. The Whitehouse is getting into the party mood for the annual St Patrick's day bash. It is way better than the Kool-Aid that some people have been swallowing.
Meniskos | Mar 04, 2011, 03:41 PM EST
Barry Beer? Is this going to be what Billy Beer was in the 70s?
hollabackgurl | Mar 04, 2011, 03:15 PM EST
I'm impressed by this president, who has inspired the nation and the world toward the greater embrace of democracy. I ignore the birther ankle biters because they're a bunch of nuts.
Dublinjas | Mar 04, 2011, 02:22 PM EST
I agree with you 'hyattsville' I think this is a great gesture by President Obama and should be received just as it was meant to be, it's all good, No losers here.
Superb54 | Mar 04, 2011, 01:42 PM EST
Well, I guess Obama needs to network and find a new career, 'cause he isn't getting re-electe!! LOL What a total disappointment. We seriously need change.
peterson | Mar 04, 2011, 01:18 PM EST
The Obama brewery will not help the sale of REAL Irish beer in the U.S. He will probably screw that up too !!
hyattsville | Mar 04, 2011, 12:29 PM EST
I despair when I read the small minded and negative comments that pepper this website. I find it embarrassing that so many so-called Irish people feel the need to spew such venom. Although we may share ethnicity I'm at least thankful that we’ve not been swimming in the same gene pool.
Ajreaper | Mar 04, 2011, 12:13 PM EST
Good God- you want to debate the Obama's or the Democratic parties philsophies do so, if you want to nitpick on completely meaningless things then it only makes you look ignorant.
CaliforniaShamrock | Mar 04, 2011, 11:53 AM EST
get a life!
Tommy Tourguide | Mar 04, 2011, 11:34 AM EST
Let the Philistines rant! Then remind them that George Washington declared St. Patrick's Day a holiday for his troops during the American Revolution. Every president before Obama has probably welcomed guests on St. Patrick's Day. But too many near-sighted patriots these days have no perspective. Obama's an easy target -- they'd complain if he handed out shamrocks. Good luck to Barack and Michelle. Thanks for recognizing the Irish contributions to our great nation. Slainte!
Murph46 | Mar 04, 2011, 11:26 AM EST
Well said Getlin deuce! I just don't want him in Offaly when I come back to visit!
geoIIIIV | Mar 04, 2011, 11:10 AM EST
Finally we can stop the bitching about Black History Month. Regarding Obama's negatives,I guess it's the "damn Prots." from the north or "weak minded" RCs that push conservative dogma.
EphraimKibbey | Mar 04, 2011, 11:04 AM EST
Are you saying the brewing of beer for the Super Bowl Party was OK but that its an insult to the Irish to do it for St. Patrick's Day? Give me a break! This Great President can't sneeze with out the bigots on the right condeming him for it. And the deficit problem had nothing to do with two unpaid-for wars and the collapse of the US economy under Bush's skillful touch I suppose! I salute the President for his recognition of Ireland's contribution to what makes America great! It is nice to have a REAL Irish-American who cares about the people of both countries in the White House again.
CitizenWhy | Mar 04, 2011, 10:12 AM EST
Isn't this a little too daring for a moderate Republican to be doing?
Searlit | Mar 04, 2011, 10:03 AM EST
It's not the beer that is the problem - it's the people who don't know how to control themselves, and then blame alcohol. Do you guys know what hospitality means? Come on, I thought you were Irish. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!
Murph46 | Mar 04, 2011, 09:51 AM EST
What's next Niall -Censorship!
EireinAmerica | Mar 04, 2011, 09:49 AM EST
This is the only good thing he has done to make March Irish-American month,...otherwise,....he needs to get out of the Oval office as soon as possible!!!
Niall O'Dowd | Mar 04, 2011, 09:38 AM EST
lighten up lads, its a nice St.pat's story
Murph46 | Mar 04, 2011, 09:32 AM EST
Couldn't agree more feeneycj this SOB is the worst president since old gas lines Jimmy Carter.Go brew beer you jerk.Ever since my sister traced my heritage to Offaly I have been mortified by this eejit!
donal1951 | Mar 04, 2011, 09:30 AM EST
I'm not a fan of Obama, but I don't begrudge him a good beer. I'm sure he gives the chefs an idea of what he wants and, as the story says, they put their magic touch to it. It's legal for any of us in the USA to brew beer if we are of age and it's for us and our guests, not for sale.
justchris1 | Mar 04, 2011, 09:25 AM EST
Now it makes sense...Hell with the economy ...dont worry about the jobless ...HEY, LETS BREW BEER.....good thing he got his health care pushed through...the one thing he did do was a waste of time because everyones gonna be on welfare anyway and so they'll have health care...lol ...What a responsible leader...YEAH RIGHT!!!!
REMITROMJR | Mar 04, 2011, 09:25 AM EST
This is RACIST behavior on the part of the Obama Administration! They are promoting the stereotype of Irish life revolving around alcohol consumption. Would it be acceptable for Black History month to celebrate by serving meals of fried chicken and chitlins with watermelon for dessert? Or "celebrating" the lazy "Stepin Fechit" character or the terrified "whites of the eyes" characters portrayed in '30s and '40s films by Willie Best and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson? Shame on Obama!
feeneycj | Mar 04, 2011, 09:20 AM EST
important, presidential-like stuff to do. God help us! sober up Barry Soetoro, we have a monstrous deficit...oh yeah I forgot, you created it and duh what next?