White House unveils 2 of its beer recipes

Beer lovers, the secret is out. The White House has made public the recipe for two homemade beers that have become an object of fascination for beer drinkers everywhere.

White House Honey Brown Ale, believed to be the first beer brewed on the White House grounds, includes light malt extract, amber crystal malt, honey, gypsum, yeast and corn sugar.

The recipe was released Saturday while President Barack Obama was campaigning in Iowa.

Obama has been talking about the White House brew for weeks, but he and other officials had refused to disclose details of how it's made, despite an online petition and reporters' questions.

Being identified as a beer drinker is an easy way for Obama to connect with voters and serves as a not-so-subtle reminder that his Republican rival Mitt Romney, a Mormon, doesn't drink.

White House press secretary Jay Carney announced the beer recipe on Twitter, linking to a blog post titled "Ale to the Chief." The White House was careful to say the president paid for the beer-making materials himself.

"With public excitement about White House beer fermenting such a buzz, we decided we better hop right to it" and release the recipe, wrote White House assistant chef Sam Kass, who brews the beer in the White House kitchen.

The White House also included a recipe for a honey porter, also brewed on the premises. -- AP