April 4, 1776

On April 1, 1776, a fire consumed the malt-house of Robert Hare, on Water Street near Vine Street in Philadelphia. By the time the fire was discovered, “it was impossible to stop the flames till they had destroyed the roof and upper floor with a great quantity of malt.” Hare was known for his American porter. When he immigrated to Philadelphia in 1773, he carried a letter of recommendation from Benjamin Franklin in London, who wrote: “He bears an excellent Character among all that know him here, and purposes Settling in America to carry on there the Brewing Business.” Although he was a fairly recent arrival, Hare made a name for himself by creating a distinctly American brew that did not need to be imported. It is unclear how much of an impact the 1776 fire had on his business. In August of that year, John Adams described Hare as “the celebrated Porter Brewer of this City.” George Washington’s wartime receipts also show a fondness for Hare’s porter.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post
Printed by Benjamin Towne

On Monday evening last a fire broke out in the malt-house of Mr. Robert Hare, porter brewer, which got to so great a head before it was discovered, that it was impossible to stop the flames till they had destroyed the roof and upper floor with a great quantity of malt.