Mattapo-NeIpa is a New England style IPA that takes its name from an event that is extremely important to the founding of this country. During the American Revolution, Washington and his army were engaged with the British out of New York and  Nathaniel Greene and the Marquis de Lafayette were leading the Continental Army in the south against General Lord Cornwallis. After the Battle of Guildford Courthouse Lord Cornwallis lead his soldiers to Yorktown, VA in order to build a deepwater port to help in resupplying his army.

 

Upon hearing that the French Fleet out of the West Indies was headed to blockade the Chesapeake Bay, thus cutting off Cornwallis, General Washington and Rochambeau, who commanded the French army that had just landed in Rhode Island, hatched a plan. When they linked up armies that made it seem as though they were going to lay siege upon New York City, thus keeping the British Northern Army occupied. On August 19th, 1781, under the cover of darkness, the combined armies started their march in Newport, Rhode Island towards Yorktown to meet up with their southern forces.  This march would take just about a month, arriving in Williamsburg on September 14th. 

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During this march the combined armies marched through this area, crossing the Mattaponi River near present-day Aylett, Virginia. Soon after this crossing the army from the north combined with Lafeyette's forces and started the final march to Yorktown to win the Revolution.  

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Our New England Style IPA takes its name from the crossing that helped pave the way for winning the American Revolution. This beer brings a little bit of New England to the area and its refreshing citrus taste would certainly have been a welcome edition on that long march.

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