Do you remember the elementary school play where kids dressed as Pilgrims and Native Americans? The scripts were simple, presenting a narrative of peaceful trade and the Pilgrim's journey on the Mayflower. They always concluded with a joyous depiction of the first Thanksgiving, peppered with songs, dances, and children in costumes representing the crops that were said to be traded. Amidst the show, while a plethora of elements were erased, one interesting ingredient was overlooked — Beer.
Captain Christopher Jones, concerned for his crew and their dwindling beer, cut off the beer supply for the Pilgrims to ensure it lasted the crew until they set sail the following spring. William Bradford, a passenger on the Mayflower and future deputy governor of Plymouth County reflected on this reality. Per the book " ," he stated that they "were hasted ashore and made to drink water that the seamen might have the more beer.
" While the Pilgrims were nervous about consuming the water, beer was seen as the safer option. It was a consumable resource that could be stored without the risk of contamination. This decision ultimately led them to take harbor at Plymouth Rock, marking the beginning of the Pilgrim's settlement — an unexpected tale shaped by their reliance on beer.
The evolution of beer among the Pilgrims Although Pilgrims struggled to get their handle on beer in the beginning, as time passed, a variety of types were established in the time period and eventually the settlements. .
