THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS 1864, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman wrote a historic telegram to President Abraham Lincoln: “I beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton.”

One hundred and fifty years later, Savannah’s own Service Brewing Co. introduced another homage to Sherman’s victory. In 2014, the craft brewery opened its doors and, every winter since, serves pints aptly named Lincoln’s Gift. As a nod to one of the 16th president’s favorite foods — oyster stew — the sweet stout highlights another of the region’s bounties.

Continue Reading