Excerpt from Chapter 2, “New Beer for New England.”

        The Stuarts  were the Catholic kings of En gland, exiled by the Tudors. Peter’s lineage included Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–87), and six generations  later—take a deep breath for  this—Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Silvester Maria Stuart, better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie (1720–88).

        “I met Peter when he came  here to visit Alan and talk to the press and promote his ales and spirits a bit,” said D.L. “He was a very tall, regal man, and you could tell that he had good bloodlines going. The next time he came, he stayed at our  house as our guest. And through many long conversations in the evening he said, ‘Have you ever thought about starting a small commercial brewery?’ Minibreweries as they called them in England back then. ‘Well, if you ever get that notion, come to Traquair and

start  here.’

        “A year or so later, the company I was working for went bankrupt, and I thought, ‘Oh, boy, what do I do now?’ So I talked it over with Karen and asked, ‘What do you think?’”

        That goes to show how you never know when sharing some pints with a new friend will change your life. I pieced together with that how earlier in the day Karen had told me about receiving an inheritance from her grandmother. After she and D.L. discussed starting a business, she said, “Let’s do it.”

        In 1984, D.L. journeyed to Scotland. He stayed with Peter Maxwell Stuart and began learning the brewing trade at Traquair House, built in 1107. At best, where you now live, there was a tepee nine hundred years ago.

        “You want to talk about antiques? I lived, worked, and brewed there,” D.L. said, guffawing, recalling the remarkable crystal and furniture. “Learning on a  three- hundred- and- fifty- year- old brewery with all wood vessels was one hell of an introduction.”