Episode 37 Rum - The Most Profitable Industrial Waste of the 17th Century

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Listen to "037 Rum - The Most Profitable Industrial Waste of the 17th Century" on Spreaker.

 


Link to the Episode:


Yup!  We are definitely drunk now.

The problems with poisoning from “bad water” in the Military were endemic.  The old solution of making small beer was generally effective since the boiling part killed most problem of the day.  But this was expensive and time consuming.  

Distributing distilled alcohols and diluting it brought back dysentery and introduced a new level of drunkenness.  Whoops!

Most European distilled liquors like Brandies and the Medicinal Concoctions were passed through stages of alchemy and monasteries.  But rum, like Dutch gin and Chinese Rice based spirits (and later Russian Vodka) were more of a drink of the Every Man.  These were produced at factory scale pretty early on – and made available to even the lowliest worker at affordable prices.  And as likely to make you ill or blind you - or just mess you up enough to get in to quite a bit of trouble.  Like getting into a fight, impressed on an enemy ship, robbed, or just drowned when you fall off the dock.

 

17th Century Meth if you will.

Source of the molasses:



Pot Stills in use for Distilling Rum

Rum in New England

18th Century Advertisement - courtesy of the New England Historical Society

The Rum Punch Tradition:

Officers at Sea

A Midnight Conversation - William Hogarth (1733)

Rum Punch Recipe: 1 part lemon/lime juice, 1 part simple syrup, 2 parts rum,  3 parts tea - Mix in a large punch bowl with a big chunk of ice.

(A classic Daiquiri is this without the tea part, served over ice, 1 cocktail at time - if you are curious)

Related Media:

McGovern, Patrick. Ancient Brews Rediscovered and Recreated. NY: W.W. Norton Press, 2017.

Meacham, Sarah Hand. Every Home and Distillery. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009.

Curtis, Wayne. And a Bottle of Rum. NY: Three Rivers Press, 2006.

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