Days of the Beer, August 1

The beer for today is Mendocino Brewing Company Black Hawk Stout.

On August 1, 1832, the Black Hawk War ended. Black Hawk was a war chief of the Sauk, Fox and Kickapoo Native Americans. He fought against the U.S. for their lands. The Black Hawk War has it's roots in earlier Indian U.S. wars. After the Fox Wars, the Sauk and Fox were forced to move further west from their Great Lakes home. Most settled between the Illinois and Wisconsin Rivers. Black Hawk was born in Saukenuk (in modern Rock Island, Illinois) and when he returned home in 1831, was declared an invasion of the state.

The Illinois governor called for federal help to get Black Hawk and his men from the state. On June 30, 1831, Black Hawk and his men signed a surrender agreement, in which they promised to remain west of the Mississippi.

On April 5, 1832, he came back to Illinois. He had been promised the help of the Ho-Chunk Nation, but instead was only offered the support of a tribe. He was also promised British help, but that didn't show up either. Black Hawk's 500 men and 1000 women and children, were then on their own against about one half of all federal troops (1500) and 9000 Illinois militia members.

There were skirmishes between Black Hawk's forces and the U.S. soldiers through the rest of 1832. The final meeting was known as the Battle of Bad Axe (Bad Axe Massacre). The battle took place near modern Victory Wisconsin. Black Hawk's men were fleeing from the Battle of Wisconsin Heights and were stuck at the eastern bank of the Mississippi. The battle was very one-sided and is a massacre. Black Hawk and most of his commanders managed to escape. Throughout the months of conflict the U.S. side lost about 60 members, while 450-600 native Americans died.

Black Hawk died October 3, 1838 in Iowa.

Of all the wars in U.S. history, the Black Hawk War is the only one named for a person.

While Black Hawk may have lost his land, there is now a Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois.

About the beer:

Black Hawk Stout retains the big traditional flavors of an Irish-style stout and yet offers a refreshing dry crispness that is rare in many dark beers. "Bottle Conditioned" Black Hawk Stout is replete with a rich, roasted malt flavor that makes this not-so-heavy stout, creamy and ever so smooth. It has a subtlety that surprises and converts even the most reticent stout drinker.

I had this beer March 7 last year. It isn't named for Black Hawk the war chief, but for the bird.