Presented by Dr. Malcolm F. Purinton

There were few places more important in Colonial and Revolutionary America than local  taverns. Though colonial and early American relationships with alcohol were constantly conflicted, and remain so, these spaces that served beer, wine, and spirits were where everyone went for local gatherings to discuss the news and politics of the day. Taverns were essential stomping grounds for rural and urban communities who would hold town meetings and elections, meet after church for discussions, and solidify their revolutionary identities as Americans in the 18th Century. They were the centers of local communities and played witness to local, regional, and national events that transpired in American history. Decisions made in these cozy environments had important and far-reaching consequences from planning protests to attacks like the Boston Tea Party.

Dr. Malcolm F. Purinton is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the History Department at Northeastern University where he teaches courses on World History, the British Empire, and histories of Boston and colonial America while 
and beer history. His recent book, Globalization in a Glass: The Rise of Pilsner Beer through Technology, Taste, and Empire examines the spread and domination of the light golden lager across the world during the late nineteenth century.