White House releases Obama's 'secret ale' beer recipe

The White House has revealed details of one of its most closely guarded secrets, the recipe for President Barack Obama's famed home-brewed honey ale beer.

Bowing to growing pressure from curious US citizens, the recipes for two beers brewed on the grounds of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the White House Honey Ale and Honey Porter were divulged in a blog.

The honey ale is believed to be the first-ever made at the White House and includes light malt extract, amber crystal malt, honey, gypsum, yeast and corn sugar.

The recipe was kept under wraps until 13,000 people signed an on-line petition demanding to know it, and someone even filed a freedom of information request.

The recipe was released on Saturday while President Barack Obama was campaigning in Iowa.

Obama has been taking the beer with him on the campaign trail, and is said to be known to offer it to voters. For weeks, the White House had refused to comment on the recipe, but the secret was finally aired in a blog post entitled "Ale to the Chief".

"With public excitement about White House beer fermenting such a buzz, we decided we better hop right to it," says the White House's assistant chef Sam Kass, who brews the ale, in the blog.

The White House stressed that it was Obama who bought the equipment and pays for the ingredients out of his own pocket.

There is also a video on how the beer is brewed. "God, that is one incredible beer, if I do say so myself. America I wish everyone could taste this but we don't quite

brew enough," Sam Kass comments in the video.

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

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