Obama’s beer recipe released by White House

Just in time for the debates, the White House has released recipes for Obama's favourite home brews: honey ale and honey porter.

White House assistant chef Sam Kass released the five-gallon recipes, adapted from a local brew shop — accompanied by a behind-the-scenes video — in response to a petition launched by a member of the DC Homebrewers Club.

"In keeping with the brewing traditions of the founding fathers, homebrewers across America call on the Obama Administration to release the recipe for the White House home brew so that it may be enjoyed by all," the petition reads.

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"With public excitement about White House beer fermenting such a buzz, we decided we better hop right to it," Kass responds.

"As far as we know the White House Honey Brown Ale is the first alcohol brewed or distilled on the White House grounds. George Washington brewed beer and distilled whiskey at Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson made wine but there's no evidence that any beer has been brewed in the White House. (Although we do know there was some drinking during prohibition…)," he writes.

Watch the video below:

"That is one incredible beer if I do say so myself," Kass says in the video. "America, I wish everybody could taste this but we don't quite brew enough."

You can download your own copies of the recipes.

Reuters reports that Obama served the home brew — made with honey from the White House's own beehive — at St. Patrick's Day and Super Bowl celebrations.

There's no word on whether the White House will start growing its own barley and hops to make the beer totally homegrown.

With an election in the not-so-distant future, everything the president does has political significance, including the release of beer recipes.

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"Being identified as a beer drinker is an easy way for Mr. Obama to connect with voters and serves as a not-so-subtle reminder that his Republican rival Mitt Romney, a Mormon, doesn't drink," the Associated Press reports.

"But the Republican Party could still tap voter interest — its vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan hails from Wisconsin, a major beer-making state, and he has professed affection for micro-brews," Reuters reports.