Poor Richards Ale
The Original Basil T's

This one-off brew was brewed to celebrate the birth of Benjamin Franklin. Here is an excerpt from the Asbury Park Press describing the Brewer, The Beer and some historical context:

<snip>When you think about it, it only seems fitting to commemorate the 300th birthday of a genius like Benjamin Franklin by inventing something.

That's essentially what Gretchen Schmidhausler was doing earlier this week in Red Bank as she stood over a large copper kettle and worked a hoe through a steaming gruel of grain and water — the beginnings of a brand new beer.

Schmidhausler, head brewer at Basil T's Brewery & Italian Grill, was making the special brew for Franklin's birthday on Tuesday. The molasses-flavored beer is called Poor Richard's Ale, a reference to Franklin's pen name, and it's a variation on a recipe developed by a Colorado brewer, Tony Simmons, who won a competition sponsored by the Brewers Association.

Franklin himself was known to enjoy a few pints at the local tavern when he wasn't busy coining maxims, conducting scientific experiments and helping bring the United States into existence. Beer in his day was ale — the cold-brewed lagers that modern day American beer-drinkers are accustomed to weren't available until the mid-1800s. And while molasses seems like an odd addition to beer today, it was a popular sweetener in Colonial times.

Corn, another ingredient in Poor Richard's Ale, was a common beer "adjunct" or filler, because malt barley was expensive to import and the local supply was unreliable.

Schmidhausler's brew also uses pale, roasted and crystal malts and Kent Goldings hops. The molasses, she said, will add a slight spiciness to the flavor. <snip>

The brew pours out a deep chestnut with a creamy short-lived tan head. It leaves nice lacing on the glass. The aroma is spicy hops with a nice caramel malt backbone. The taste is nicely balanced with an initial malty sweetness up front with a dry middle and short balanced finish. A medium-bodied brew that goes down easily.

I have to admit after reading the above article I was expecting a sweet and thick brew, this was not the case at all this brew is both drinkable and a fitting tribute to a great man. I would go out of my way to sample this beer again.