The unforgettable phrase “H-U-Z-Z-A-H”, rings loud as we kick off our tour around Boston, led by historian-turned-guide Brooke Barbier. Just a stone's throw away from the famed Cheers bar on Beacon Street, Barbier prefers focusing on the picture from 1770s, of taverns not television sets.

Guiding our eyes to the grassy mound to the left of the Massachusetts State House, Barbier points out where John Hancock’s house once stood, and regales us with delectable tales of Hancock's grand hospitality that earned him political clout.

As we trudge into a cozy bar bordering America’s oldest public park, it becomes clear that Barbier is a fixture in this tight-knitted neighborhood. Bartenders, waitstaff, and patrons greet her warmly as we settle down for a slew of locally-brewed beers.

Barbier, a Ph.D. in American history from Boston College, conceived a unique walking trip in 2013 - Boston’s Freedom Trail reimagined with pit stops for beers and history of those beers. Her venture, Ye Olde Tavern Tours, is still lively, combining her love for history and alcohol into a singular experience. Her tours, and her latest book "Cocked and Boozy: An Intoxicating History of the American Revolution", emphasize the immense influence alcohol had on colonial society, economy, and politics, a topic often overlooked or ignored due to its taboo nature.

As we finish the in-house special, Barbier works in some of Benjamin Franklin’s 229 terms for inebriation into her immersive history lesson. After having “Swallow’d a Tavern Token”, we journey along the red brick path that crisscrosses through Boston. The twisting and turning Freedom Trail takes us past important old cemeteries, churches, ancient government buildings, statues, and onto the site of the Boston Massacre, the Old State House.

For Barbier, there is something magical about relating historical events while having a beer just like our ancestors did in the 18th century, such as discussing the Boston Massacre in a tavern near its location. She repeatedly loops back to the recurring theme of alcohol, for events from the angry protests about taxes on sugar and molasses to the impactful revolutionary riots set off in politically affiliated taverns.

Her tavern tours have received an upgrade in authenticity this year, as America celebrates its 250th anniversary. They now offer a taste of what our founding generation drank, with Benjamin Franklin’s very own recipe for milk punch, and a slew of local New England craft brews bringing alive the flavor of history in a glass.

Barbier even partnered with local bars like America’s oldest circular bar, Bell in Hand, to brew colonial cocktails. Co-creator of the historic cocktail list and manager at the bar, Syd Williams, relishes the historic aura of the place.

Delving deeper into history, Barbier collaborated with Dorchester Brewing Company to create a special small beer, Brewnited States, as a tribute to Boston's 18th-century rum industry. Joe Estrin, the lead brewer at the brewery, gushes about the fun challenge of creating a historically accurate brew from an antiquated recipe.

Barbier's tours wind up at the Green Dragon Tavern, where the steps towards the Boston Tea Party of 1773 were planned. Leaving the bar and Boston's rich history behind, Barbier assures us that revisiting the history is always welcome at any time. With a parting “Huzzah!”, we complete our journey. However, the echoes of their cheers will long resonate in the annals of Boston's boozy history.