If Robert E. Lee was anything, he was a Virginian to the bone. Born in Stratford, VA, a hero of the Mexican-American War, Lee was a fast rising star in the US army. On April 15th 1861, Lee was asked by President Lincoln to lead the Union Army in suppressing the Rebel uprising. Lee, of course, turned it down. He said he could not raise his sword against his native Virginia. Virginia, with it's long history of great Americans (Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, Madison) meant more to Lee than preserving the Union. With this in mind, I certainly want to offer General Lee a beer brewed in his beloved home state.
At one point, years back, it would have been a chore to find Virgina made beer. Not today. There are dozens of excellent breweries in the Old Dominion, making high quality beer. And make no mistake, Lee was a high-quality man, deserving of an award winning, high-quality beer. Lee graduated 2nd in his class at West Point and was the first cadet to graduate without receiving a demerit. His tactics in battle were risky and brilliant, frequently defying odds in the face of superior numbers. Tragically, though, his genius was serving the evil of slavery.
After the war, General Lee became president of Washington College (now Washington-Lee) in Lexington, VA (which is also the final resting place for Lee and his family). Sitting about forty miles east of Lexington is the fantastic Devil's Backbone Brewery. Beyond the obvious play on words, their Award winning Gold Leaf Lager would certainly make Lee proud and would be the beer I'd recommend.
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