The Intoxicating History of the American Revolution with historian Brooke Barbier

Thursday, September 3rd, 2026

The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport

Admission $15 – $20 per person | *Student Discounts now available $10 with valid student ID

6pm to 7pm; doors open at 5pm for a complimentary reception

Eighteenth-century Americans consumed a staggering amount of alcohol compared to us today. Drink influenced their politics, built and sustained their relationships, and drove the economy. Booze was not a small part of colonial society, nor covertly consumed in private spaces—it was integral to American life. When the colonists rebelled against the British Empire, this culture of drink and taverns helped foster revolution.

Join historian Brooke Barbier for a lively talk about the influence of tavern and drinking culture on the American Revolution. You’ll hear about the way alcohol influenced colonial resistance, soldiers on both sides of the war, and the creation of a new nation. You’ll see famous founders and lesser-known Patriots drink their way from British subjects into Americans.