Gen. Nathanael Greene, the Rhode Island native whose wily
tactics and adroit leadership played an instrumental role in the American
victory at Yorktown, is a big name in Savannah. There’s the massive obelisk to
his memory in the middle of Johnson Square, along with Greene Square and Greene
Ward. Mulberry Grove, his plantation along the Savannah River, is world famous
as the site of the invention of the cotton gin. Yet, you can’t buy any products
here from Natty Greene’s Brewing Co., a history-conscious craft-beer business
in Greensboro (named for guess who!), N.C. On a recent trip to Charlotte, I came across a
12-pack of Natty’s, stylishly labeled as a Battalion. Inside were four longneck bottles each
of Buckshot Amber Ale, Southern Pale Ale and Wildflower Witbier. There’s also a
nifty quote from Natty himself on the side of the carton: “Without spirits the
men cannot support the fatigues of a long campaign.” As for the beers inside
the carton, each was a solid representative of its respective style. I was
particularly impressed by the pale ale, which I found to be medium bodied, with fine tones of pine and fruit, accented by an easy malt finish. Other Natty
offerings include Freedom American IPA, Flintlock Double IPA and the
soon-to-be-released Hessian Hefe-Weizen. For more information on Natty’s, go to
www.nattygreenes.com.
