Barack Obama's Biography

Barack Obama is responsible for a lot of firsts, foremost among which is his role as the first African American President of the United States. He was also the first President born outside the 48 contiguous states (don’t get any ideas—he was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961), the first to publicly endorse same-sex marriage, the first to publish a scientific paper, and the first to have his official photo portrait taken with a digital camera, among many others.

When it comes to drinking, Obama has always had pretty eclectic tastes, making it hard to pin down his signature cocktail, beer, or wine. He’s been seen drinking Martinis, craft ales, and even the occasional glass of sparkling wine, but now that he’s a civilian once again, we can get a little better sense of his Presidential preferences.

The first thing to mention, of course, is the White House Honey Ale, a homebrew developed by White House chefs made with honey from White House beehives. It’s the first beer to be brewed in the White House (at least as far as we know), and was generally reserved for dignitaries and close friends who sat down with the President over a cold one.

These days, it looks like Obama has come to enjoy Vodka Martinis a bit more, though we can’t exactly say we approve of the recipe he uses. During his first post-Presidential vacation to Hawaii, he reportedly ordered a Grey Goose Martini, “extra shaken,” garnished with olives. In general, Martinis are made with gin, stirred instead of shaken (so they don’t get all frothy), and a bit more vermouth than the “dash” he requested, but hey—the guy’s earned a drink however the hell he wants it.