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Cheers to us! This new lager is based on Washington's recipe. * Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY * 3 hrs ago The New York Public Library is teaming with Talea Beer Co. to produce Liberty Lager, inspired by a 1757 recipe from George Washington. * Courtesy of The New York Public Library Now that we have your attention, how about one inspired by a recipe written by one George Washington way back in 1757? Liberty Lager is a limited edition brew inspired by an entry in the future first U.S. president's diary entitled "To Make Small Beer." It's produced in honor of America's 250th birthday by the New York Public Library (NYPL), which has the notebook Washington kept while he was a colonel in the Virginia militia, and Talea Beer Co., a women- and veteran-owned New York-based brewer. And they're not the only ones with something brewing to mark the nation's semiquincentennial. Brew, then 'Bottle it that day' According to a blog post on the NYPL's website, "small beer" was called that because of its low alcohol content. Because safe drinking water wasn't always available, fermented and brewed beverages like beer and cider were commonly consumed. Small beer, the post explained, was relatively easy and quick to make, and was meant to be consumed quickly. Historians believe Washington meant for his recipe to be used for troops in his charge at Fort Loudoun, Virginia. The recipe instructs taking a large sifter "full of Bran Hops to your Taste," boiling them for three hours, straining them and adding three gallons of molasses "while the Beer is Scalding hot." Next, Washington wrote, "let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm," then add yeast, with instructions to cover it if "the Weather is very Cold," leaving it for 24 hours. Finally, Washington says, "put it into the Cask ‒ leave the bung open till it is almost don[e] Working ‒ Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed." Liberty Lager, though, will be no "small beer," with Talea's interpretation of Washington's recipe resulting in a brew that contains 6.5% alchohol and described as a "classic amber lager with subtle, malty sweetness and a hint of hops." The beer is part of the library's "250 Years: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" initiative which includes a chance to see a copy of the Declaration of Independence handwritten by Thomas Jefferson (on view July 1-7, tickets required), book giveaways and "Reading America: 250 Years, 250 Books" notable books for all ages highlighting the American experience from different perspectives. Beers across America for the 250th New York isn't the only place with a special brew for our national birthday to-do. In Wisconsin, 3 Sheeps Brewing beer was selected to represent Wisconsin in the United States' 250th anniversary events. The Sheboygan Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported that the Wisconsin America250 Commission chose the brewery to brew Stay Golden, a craft golden lager first launched in 2020, for the state's semiquincentennial. Pennsylvania's Runaway Train Brewery is making Declaration Lager and in Ohio, Columbia Brewing Co. is creating a commemorative IPA. Anheuser-Busch, which brews Budweiser and Busch Light, was named the official beer sponsor of the America250 celebration. Mother Road Brewing in Flagstaff, Arizona, is releasing AZ250 Arizona Lager, which it describes as having a "straw-gold color, light crisp malt flavor." Sam Adams, the Boston craft brewery named for a founding father, is reviving its Brewer Patriot Collection first introduced in 2006. The four-beer collection draws on original recipes from Washington, James Madison, Jefferson and of course Samuel Adams. Phaedra Trethan is a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writing about history and Americana. Contact her by email at [email protected], on X @wordsbyphaedra, on BlueSky @byphaedra, or on Threads @by_phaedra. Reporting by Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY / USA TODAY USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect More national/world news. Currently in Bend

TALEA Beer Co. just brewed George Washington's 269-year-old molasses recipe. To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, TALEA Beer Co. and the New York Public Library have resurrected a historic 1757 "small beer" recipe handwritten by George Washington. As the United States inches closer to its historic 250th anniversary, commemorative rollouts are flooding grocery store shelves and menus nationwide. But while most brands are leaning on modern marketing themes, one New York City craft brewery is giving history buffs a literal taste of the 18th century. On Monday, June 1, 2026, woman-owned craft icon TALEA Beer Co. and the New York Public Library (NYPL) announced a joint brewing project to resurrect a 269-year-old beer recipe handwritten by none other than George Washington. Released as part of the library's system-wide "250 Years: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" historical initiative, the partnership brings a piece of archival history directly into the pint glasses of modern drinkers. The 1757 notebook: "to Make Small Beer" Long before he was the first President of the United States, a 25-year-old George Washington was a colonel commanding the Virginia militia during the French and Indian War (Seven Years' War). While stationed at Fort Loudoun in 1757, Washington kept a detailed military journal containing letter outlines, officer commissions, and the names of wagon horses. On the very last page of that journal - which has been carefully preserved in the NYPL's Manuscripts and Archives Division since 1918 - Washington penned a simple, step-by-step guide titled "To Make Small Beer." In early America, "small beer" was a low-alcohol (typically 1% to 3% ABV), everyday mainstay. Because local water supplies were frequently contaminated with deadly bacteria, boiling the water to brew small beer was a vital way to keep military garrisons hydrated and safe from dysentery. "Take a large Sifter full of Bran Hops to your Taste. Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gallons into a cooler put in 3 Gallons Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot... let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yeast," Washington's original 1757 manuscript reads. One historic recipe, two distinct brews. To honor the text while ensuring modern tavern-goers actually enjoy their drinks, TALEA's culinary and brewing teams split the project into two entirely separate liquid concepts instead of just one. The first creation is a faithful recreation of Washington's Original Brew. It relies heavily on Washington's exact field instructions, combining boiled bran hops with a massive dose of molasses to yield a historically accurate, low-alcohol profile. The result is a very thick, intensely sweet, and slightly funky syrup-like liquid. Because of its extreme historical accuracy, this variant is not for wide public sale; instead, it was produced as a micro-batch strictly for private historical tastings and educational library archives. The second creation is Liberty Lager, a modern and highly approachable interpretation built for the 2026 palate. Brewed as a clean, crisp, classic Amber Lager, it features a subtle, malty sweetness, clean grains, and a gentle hint of hops while clocking in at a more robust 6.5% ABV. This commercial version is fully available to the public, sold in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans directly at TALEA's physical taprooms, partner New York City restaurants, and select regional retail outlets. "We're honored to create Liberty Lager to commemorate America's 250th," Tara Hankinson, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of TALEA Beer Co., stated. "Our goal was to brew an approachable beer that nods to George Washington's original recipe with subtle maltiness and a hint of hops. We're proud to bring this lager to life together with The New York Public Library." The limited-edition beer rollout is dropping alongside several broader summer activations by the New York Public Library, including free ticketed viewings of Thomas Jefferson's original handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence and special-edition library cards. For the curators behind the project, moving history from a temperature-controlled vault onto a tap handle is the ultimate form of community engagement. "By bringing George Washington's beer recipe out of our archives and into the pint glasses of New Yorkers, we can connect our collection to the public we serve," stated Brent Reidy, the NYPL's Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries. "We're proud to bring this lager to life together with TALEA." If you want to toast to the Founding Fathers like it's 1757, both the commercial Liberty Lager cans and select educational flight tastings of the molasses-heavy Original Brew will be rotating through TALEA's taprooms all summer long while limited ingredient batches last.

Singapore-based HC Surgical Specialists Limited has acquired a 51% stake in NYK Endoscopy and Digestive Centre for S$750,000, making it a subsidiary. The payment will be made in cash upon Dr Ng Yi Kang's employment commencement around 1 July 2026. Incorporated on 2 June 2026, NYKPL has yet to commence operations but will provide endoscopic procedures complementing HCSS's existing services. The acquisition addresses increased demand from Singapore's ageing population and will be led by Dr Ng, a gastroenterologist with over 15 years' public hospital experience. HCSS has an option to acquire the remaining 49% by November 2029 at a formula-based price. The transaction represents 1.34% of HCSS's S$55.98 million market capitalisation and is not expected to materially impact earnings per share.