For he's a jolly good fellow

To commemorate Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday, industrious homebrewers across America are brewing up a nice big batch of "Poor Richard's Ale" to toast the big man with. The beer is a style typical of the Revolutionary era, and is not derived from any actual industrious homebrewing that Franklin may have done. (There are records of beers that Washington and Jefferson made - or at least had made on their estates, but that is a project for another holiday.)

I, as a non-industrious homebrewer, have not made any. If you want to try some, the Poor Richard's Ale page can guide you to brewpubs that might have some on tap.

In a similar vein, ten days from now I will celebrate Mozart's 250th birthday by not making fortified claret.