George Washington’s Farewell Booze Tab: A (Mostly) True Tale from City Tavern in Philadelphia, September 15, 1787
The City Tavern on Second Street was already swaying when George Washington strode in, still wearing the same blue sash he’d had on all day at the State House. The Constitutional Convention had finally spat out a finished document two days before signing, the delegates were exhausted, and tonight was the last time most of them would share a room without wanting to duel each other. Perfect conditions for a legendary bender.
Washington’s aide, Colonel David Humphreys, tried to announce him properly—“His Excellency, President of the Convention and…”—but George just waved him off.
“David, the only title I want tonight is ‘customer,’” he grinned, slapping the bar with a gloved hand. “Landlord! Whatever these reprobates break goes on my tab. And start pouring before Hamilton figures out how to tax the air we breathe!”
The room erupted. James Madison, all five-foot-four of him, was already perched on a stool like a scholarly owl, clutching a bowl of punch that was more rum than fruit. Alexander Hamilton slid across the floorboards with the grace of a man who had pre-gamed at three other taverns and declared, “Gentlemen, tonight we drink like the Articles of Confederation never happened!”
And drink they did.
The Tab (as recorded by the trembling hand of the tavern keeper):
- 54 bottles of Madeira (Benjamin Franklin insisted it was “the only wine that understands democracy”)
- 60 bottles of claret (Hamilton kept toasting “the energetic executive” until even the bottles looked tired)
- 22 bottles of porter (Gouverneur Morris drank eight by himself and still managed to lose his wooden leg only twice)
- 12 beers and 8 hard ciders (the New Englanders claimed they were “just pacing themselves”)
- 8 bottles of Old Stock whiskey (Washington’s personal favorite; he called it “liquid Virginia”)
- 7 enormous bowls of punch spiked so hard that one delegate swore he saw the Articles of Confederation rise from the dead, apologize, and dissolve itself again.
At some point Franklin hoisted a glass and slurred, “We have given you a republic… if you can keep it sober!” Nobody could. Not tonight.
George Washington—normally the most disciplined man on the continent—let his hair down. Literally. He took off the powdered wig, tossed it on a chandelier, and roared, “There! Now I’m just George, and George wants another round!” The wig stayed up there for weeks; the tavern keeper charged admission to see “Washington’s surrendered hair.”
Hamilton and Madison ended up in a drinking contest moderated by a laughing Washington. The rules were simple: quote Locke, drink. Quote Montesquieu, drink twice. After twenty minutes Madison was under the table reciting the Virginia Plan in Latin, while Hamilton stood on a chair singing an obscene sea shanty about checks and balances.
Around midnight someone produced a fiddle. Washington, who hadn’t danced since the war, grabbed light-horseman Harry Lee and spun him across the floor in a vigorous reel while shouting, “This is how we ratify, boys!” Tables were pushed aside, tankards flew, and for one glorious evening there were no Federalists or Anti-Federalists—just a room full of very tipsy revolutionaries.
As the sky turned gray, Washington stood on the bar (yes, the actual bar), raised the last bowl of punch, and toasted:
“To the United States—may she always have a Congress sober enough to argue, and friends drunk enough to forgive!”
They cheered until their voices cracked. Then, one by one, the delegates staggered out into the dawn—some to sign the Constitution two days later with trembling, hungover hands.
The final damage? A tab so epic the tavern keeper framed it. Adjusted for inflation, it comes out to roughly twenty-four thousand of today’s dollars.
And somewhere in Philadelphia, if you visit City Tavern on a quiet night and listen very carefully, you can still hear faint laughter, the clink of glasses, and the ghost of George Washington calling for one more round… on him.
What George Washington did after his presidency.
George Washington’s Distillery at Mount Vernon: America’s First Whiskey Powerhouse
George Washington’s Distillery, located just three miles from the Mount Vernon estate in Virginia, was one of the largest whiskey distilleries in early America when it opened in 1797. Built under Washington’s direct supervision after his presidency, the reconstructed stone facility (fully rebuilt and reopened to the public in 2007) produced nearly 11,000 gallons of rye whiskey in 1799 alone—making it bigger than the top three distilleries in Virginia combined at the time. Using a recipe of 60% rye, 35% corn, and 5% malted barley, Washington’s operation turned a profit of over $7,500 that year (roughly $180,000 today). Today, the site is a working, living-history distillery operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), producing small-batch, unaged and aged rye whiskey sold only at the Mount Vernon gift shop.
Visiting George Washington’s Distillery in 2026
Open seasonally from April through October, the distillery offers guided tours, live distillation demonstrations using 18th-century techniques, and a chance to see original pot stills replicated from archaeological evidence. Visitors can purchase limited bottles of George Washington’s Rye Whiskey—distilled on-site using his exact mash bill—along with peach brandy made from Mount Vernon’s own orchards (another Washington favorite). The experience includes the adjacent gristmill (also rebuilt), interpretive exhibits on colonial distilling, and seasonal events like Whiskey & History weekends. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, it’s the only place in America where you can literally drink whiskey made exactly the way the first president did. Perfect for history buffs, whiskey lovers, and anyone planning a Virginia day trip in 2025.
George Washington’s Beer Recipe – Oldest known writing from George Washington
George Washington’s Distillery – Largest Distillery in the U.S. in 1799.
The History of Beer in the United States
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