Alcohol and American Chief Executive go way back — all the way back to the original commanding officer in foreman , George Washington . Here , the boozingest Chief Executive ( and one first ma’am ) to ever curb the fate of our body politic .
George Washington
Before the first U.S. president help oneself plug America ’s independence , Washington facilitate fix his constituents with a besotted beverage . In 1758 , he clinch his ass in the Virginia House of Burgesses by “ swilling the planters with bumbo ” ( aka sway voters with 144 gal of hard drink ) . After he retired from the presidency , Washington carry on to be a pioneer of presidential drink when he found awhiskey distillery at Mount Vernon .
Thomas Jefferson
While serving as Minister to France in the 1780s , Jefferson became quite the enophile . By the prison term he hit the oval office , he was drinking three glasses of wine a sidereal day and grow his own grapes at Monticello . Jefferson ’s love of wine was so intense that it kick in to his fiscal ruin . While in office , Jefferson purchased 20,000 bottles of wine for societal events at the White House — and his own personal enjoyment — resulting in a debt of $ 10,000 ( about $ 150,000 today ) .
James Buchanan
Buchanan did n’t tidy sum around . The adult male could hold his booze , never show mansion of poisoning or ever suffering from hangover , much to the physical anguish of those who endeavor to rival him drink for drink . He spend Sundays at Jacob Baer ’s distillery , using church services as a cover for his weekly John Barleycorn run . Gout and dysentery , maybe induced by heavy drink , could n’t even discontinue Buchanan from putting down two to three bottles of whiskey or cognac in one sitting .
Franklin D. Roosevelt
FDR establish Social Security . He imposed a interior lower limit wage . He start the Allies to triumph in WWII . But for our purpose , FDR ’s most clapping - worthy accomplishment during his presidency was end Prohibition . He was also a dedicatedMartinidrinker and was perpetually mess around with his recipe — much to his Guest ’ chagrine . His own grandson , Curtis Roosevelt , delineate FDR ’s intermixture as “ the worst Martinis ” he had ever tasted .
Theodore Roosevelt
An realised outdoorsman , Teddy Roosevelt knew the value of a overbold cocktail garnish . He had a hatful garden planted on the White House ground specifically forMint Juleps . Sadly , President Calvin Coolidge demolish the eyepatch to make mode for his poulet coops .
Lyndon Johnson
LBJ may not have enjoy the same amiable party guy report as his harbinger , JFK , but he know how to enjoy living . One of his preferent pastimes was cruise his Texas spread in his sofa bed with a large froth cup full of Cutty Sarkscotchand soda , which he would fill again in motion by retard to a rolling , flummox his loving cup out the window , and waiting for a jog privy table service agent to top him off .
Honorable Mention: Dolley Madison
James Madison may have drank a pint of whiskey a day , but it was his wife , Dolley , who spread the booze around at her Wednesday nighttime “ squeezes . ” Over her eight year tenure at the White House , she hosted more ragers — ahem , formal dinner — than any other presidential spouse . She was famed for her whiskey punch , which was virile enough to rival thestrongest of biff .
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