Sarasota pro brewers weigh in on Obamabrew

President Barack Obama delivers a case of White House homebrew to firefighters in Norfolk, Va., on Sept. 4. (AP Photo)

After the White House revealed its recipes for two homebrew beers, I sought out the opinion of our local professional brewers. I was inspired by the New York Times, which got Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster and beer superstar, to comment on the recipes.

Vincent Pelosi, brewmaster at the Sarasota Brewing Co. brewpub, said he sees it as a public relations move suggesting that President Barack Obama is a regular guy. Pelosi wonders if Obama brewed any of the beer himself, "thus making him a real brewer and not just taking advantage of a popular growing craft."

Jared Barnes, brewmaster at Darwin's on 4th brewpub, writes: "I love the fact that they use honey brewed right on premise, that's pretty awesome. If I was making that porter, I would switch around the amounts for the black and chocolate malt. Reduce some of that astringency and bring out more of that malty chocolate flavor to meld with the honey."

Barnes liked the Honey Ale recipe.

"The honey ale looks pretty nice, though," he wrote. "I might have to make something similar to that using some Sarasota honey to pay tribute."