ONLY HERE FOR THE BEER

The Wampanoag had a barrel of fun.


Our modern Thanksgiving menu is based on the offerings of the first celebration in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the fall of 1621, and it might surprise many to know that nasty old beverage called 'beer' was an important part of the meal and diet during those times.

With foul water supplies the rule of the day, beer was the beverage of choice as it required the brewers to boil water, thus killing microbes that imperiled health (microbes or germs were completely unknown in those days).

Colonist of the period who left Europe for the New World had a long distrust of tainted water supplies, as they were well aware that a great number of deaths could be traced back to a simple drink of water.
The 102 Pilgrims and their crew on the Mayflower brought plenty of beer with them when they set sail on September 6, 1620. In fact, three times more beer than water. Beer was very precious cargo on the small ship, not only as a healthy nourishment, but also a reminder of home.

The Pilgrims' journey lasted 65 days, ending on November 11, 1620, when they anchored at a favorable harbor, later called Plymouth. They had hoped to be further south, but, due to a shortage on the Mayflower of their 'beer' supply, decided to land and settle in Massachusetts. Pilgrim leader William Bradford wrote in a diary dated December 19, 1620, "We could not now take much time for further search..our victuals being much spent, especially, our... beer."

After a harsh and bitter winter during which over half of their number succumbed to disease, on March 16, 1621, a Native American by the name of Samoset walked into the struggling Plymouth settlement, speaking the English word welcome. Samoset had learned some English from the captains of fishing boats that had sailed along the coast. He and his Wampanoag people thrived on a culture of agriculture and fishing.

The Wampanoag taught the settlers farming and fishing skills, including how to tap maple trees for syrup and how to identify local plants that were poisonous and others with medicinal powers. The concept of fertilizer was also introduced to the settlers, who were taught how to grow maize (corn) by burying decaying fish in the ground. Most of this corn and barley was used to make beer.

The Pilgrims considered beer essential to the social, cultural and physical health of their fledgling communities, and a brew house was among the first structures built in the New World during the winter of 1620-1621. Later colonist arriving from Europe brought additional supplies with them, including the Puritans who arrived in 1630.

The fall harvest of 1621 was very successful and the Pilgrims had more than enough food to put away for the upcoming winter. They packed fruits, vegetables and fish in salt and cured meats and fish over smoky fires.

With so much to celebrate in beating the odds of survival, Bradford declared a day of Thanksgiving, a day which included their new Native American friends. During the festival of Thanksgiving which followed, colonist and Native Americans alike, tapped a keg of good 'beer' cementing the bond between the groups.
Naturally, do the nature of the Native American (who never had fermented strong products like whiskey) old rot gut got the best of many and is still dominant in NAI society to this day.

Despite beliefs to the contrary NAI did produce beer before the coming of the Europeans. Many of the tribes living in Mexico and some in Arizona are known to have produced a week beer called tiswin, made by fermenting kernels of corn.