. >> it is a little known fact about the first president and historian dennis polk says he was pretty good at it. >>> by 1799, the last year of washington's life, they made 17,000-gallons of spirits. >> reporter: this recreation was open to the public in 2007. production on these grounds resulted in a product. >> most whiskey sold in the 18th century was unaged. that means it would have been clear, sort of like moon shrine. >>> it wasn't bottled, and washington may have occasionally enjoyed some whiskey of his own. >> we know whiskey was sent over to the mansion house farm for the use of the washington household, so presumably washington drank some of that as well. >> reporter: today washington's rye whiskey recipe has been revived here and sold. >>> and being a whiskey maker is nothing compared to some of the other odd jobs presidents have had. gerald ford spent time as a mod expel also washed dishes. johnson was an elevator boy and fruit picker. >> ronald reagan was a radio announce and you may remember also an actor. >>> in about four minutes, the latest on a deadly avalanche that