President Obama has a taste for his hometown's renowned and controversial craft brewery: Goose Island.
During the President's White House Event in which he announced the establishment of two large manufacturing hubs in Chicago and Detroit, Goose Island got the nod from Obama for their craft beer, according to USA Today.
Goose Island was once a small craft brewery which opened in the late 1980's, during a relatively docile time in the craft beer scene. In 2011 the brewery was purchased by Anheuser-Busch InBev.This purchase outraged many a craft beer fanatic, and has still colored the opinions of Goose Island beers by some aficionados ever since.
It hasn't colored the opinion of the President, however, who after announcing that the Chicago manufacturing hub, which will be awarded 70 million dollars in federal money, will be built on Goose Island, gave a shout out to his hometown brewing company. He said that the factory would be built in the shadow of where "a very superior beer" is brewed.
The President then went on to give the love to his brewing buddies. "I'm just letting you know," he said, to chuckles from the crowd, including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn. "A little hometown plug there. Feel free to use that, Goose Island."
The President is also a bit of a brewer himself, having released his secret White House home brew recipe last year. Inspired by all of the brewers he met on the campaign trail, Obama purchased a kit similar to the many owned by home brewers across the country, and made two beers featuring White House honey. The recipes are available on the White House website.
