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The Campbell House Museum at 1508 Locust. "It doesn't get any better than this place," according to Cameron Collins, curator of Distilled History: A Drinking Blog with a History Problem.
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The visage of Ulysses S. Grant--noted general, U.S. President, and imbiber--is front and center on Drinking History's logo.
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This silver julep cup, once owned by Ulysses S. Grant, is normally locked away for safekeeping, but on Friday evening one lucky raffle winner will be able to drink their choice of booze from it.
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The details for Friday's #drinkuptweetupSTL event.
"Did you know that Adolphus Busch preferred wine over beer?"
While Cameron Collins does like to drink, he found it to be a much more enriching experience once he knew the history behind what he was drinking, as well as where it originated, when it became famous, why it's worth mentioning, and—most intriguingly—who drank it more than they should have.
And so began Distilled History: A Drinking Blog with a History Problem.
This blog touches on some pretty fantastic stuff (a four-part series on James B. Eads, the fact that Romans used to eat fried birds to cure hangovers, and stories of local suffragettes), but much of comes back to the Campbell House Museum and its prestigious (but often under-recognized) reputation as St. Louis' most historical and well-preserved/restored museum of an 1850's home. Not only does Collins volunteer there as a tour guide, but he also provides beer simultaneously—"seriously" as the parenthetical confirms on his site.
So in an effort to further combine his love of drinking and history, Collins is hosting a #drinkuptweetupstl event at the Campbell House this Friday, September 26th, from 5:00–7:30 PM. The free event will have food, music, brew, and, of course, remarkable tales of drinking and debauchery by Collins. Schlafly Beer will be the main collaborator, but Collins referenced a surprise appearance by something he found in a cookbook at the house—Virginia Campbell's Roman Punch. There will also be raffle prizes, including the opportunity to drink out of a julep glass once owned by Ulysses S. Grant, a frequent visitor at the Campbell House during his presidency.
When asked what historical figure Collins would want to have a drink with most?
"Easy. Ulysses S. Grant. He not only won the Civil War for the Union, but he has deep ties to St. Louis and was good pals with Robert Campbell. To top it all off, the guy was an epic drinker. We could throw down together."
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#drinkuptweetupSTL with Distilled History
Campbell House Museum
1508 Locust
314-421-0325
Friday, September 26
5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free
distilledhistory.com/drinkuptweetupstl/
@distlhistory
@campbellmuseum