Drinking in Colonial America (Part 2): The Potent Potables

 

While the cultural significance of alcohol in colonial society is undeniable, it's also intriguing to look at the very drinks that allowed those early Americans to while away their evenings and toast their new nation. The ingenuity of colonial drinking traditions gave birth to some iconic and decidedly potent potables.

Flip
No drink better embodied colonial America's zest for combining flavors and delivering a punch than Flip. This frothy concoction blended beer, rum, molasses or pumpkin, and eggs which were mixed vigorously with a red-hot "flip dog" or loggerhead poker fresh from the fire. The resulting drink had layers of smoky, sweet, and creamy flavors that delighted colonial palates. Tavern keepers each put their own spin on Flip's name and recipe, with names like "Yard of Flannel" or "Bellows-Stop" hinting at its hearty nature.

Stone Fence  
For a straightforward colonial refresher, you couldn't go wrong with a Stone Fence - a simple blending of hard cider and rum. Its origins likely hail from the Colonial-era practice of using cider as a cost-effective way to stretch limited rum supplies. The resulting beverage perfectly complemented the robust, fruity flavors of that era's ciders.

Syllabub
When colonists wanted a taste of home, they turned to an English drinking tradition - the Syllabub. A mixture of wine or cider with cream and egg whites, this drink was the era's version of a milkshake. But it packed an alcoholic punch along with the silky texture provided by the whipped egg whites. Maple syrup could substitute for sweetener, adding colonial Virginia's finest ingredient.

Rattle-Skull
With a name that evoked the morning-after foggy effects, the Rattle-Skull was not for the faint of heart or weak of constitution. Darkly hued with layers of porter beer, it combined equal parts rum and brandy fortified with a squeeze of lime and a flurry of nutmeg on top. Colonial barkeeps recognized this equal-parts philosophy made for a seriously potent drink.

Sangaree  
A proto-sangria of sorts, the Sangaree originated in England before finding great favor in the West Indies and American colonies. Rather than today's Spanish red wines, fortified wines like Madeira or port formed the base, accented with lemon, sugar, and nutmeg. This spirited punch perfectly suited the colonial upper class looking for elegant sipping drinks.

While crude by today's standards, these colonial drinks showcase the incredible resourcefulness and adventurous palates of early Americans. Lacking many of the modern spirits, wines, and ingredients we now enjoy, they made do by blending what was locally available - beer, rum, hard cider, unrefined sugars and dairy. The resulting potables may taste shockingly rudimentary to us now, but they were beacons of hard-won colonial ingenuity.

So let's raise a modern glass and toast those thirsty, spirited ancestors and their inherently American drinks borne of tenacity, necessity, and joie de vivre. For it was their rambunctious zeal for cobbling together decidedly potent potables that helped fuel the revolutionary spirit! Cheers to the Colonial cocktail pioneers!