Drinking Whiskey In The Spirit Of George Washington

NPR ^ | Oct. 22, 2011 | Allison Aubrey

[La Enchiladita]

Virginians have always enjoyed their liquor, and for much of the 18th century, their preferred drink was rum. But when war and tariffs made imported rum hard to come by, George Washington saw an opportunity. Why not make liquor out of grains he was growing on his farms?

"He was a businessman and he was a very, very successful one," says Dennis Pogue, the director of preservation programs at Mount Vernon.

By 1799, Washington's distillery was the single most profitable part of his plantation. He couldn't make enough whiskey to meet demand, Pogue says. Now the distillery has been restored, and I got a chance to see what Washington's rye whiskey probably tasted like.

[Ladysforest]

I’ve read about Cherry Bounce. Thanks, I’ll look it up - I like stuff like this.

[Ladysforest]

GOT A BOTTLE !!

Just did the transaction, and will have it picked up for me in a few days.

I was offered the opportunity to purchase a un-aged bottle also after I mentioned that my husband hasn’t opened the one I gave him last year.

Maybe she forgot how much this stuff costs. :)

I’m still in shock that I went ahead and brought this one. She had to jump through hoops to work this out for me, getting special permission - which was first denied.

So, YEA!

[La Enchiladita]

Slainte!!
:)

[La Enchiladita]

Thanks for checking in and Congrats!
I just reviewed the thread and was following your saga and wondering.
Here’s to your health, and here’s to America.
We had the right kind of Founding Father, *wink.*

[La Enchiladita]

Would Cherry Bounce be a liqueur?

[Ladysforest]

Thanks!

I’ll be making a presentation box for this new bottle - they don’t come in any sort of special box or package - and giving it to husband for Christmas. Just wish I could have given it as a surprise........but he checks the credit card statements :) .

I’ll consider letting him open his “last years” un-aged bottle for a tasting once this bottle is safely under the Christmas tree.

[Ladysforest]

It is a cordial.

**“Cherry Bounce” is one of this country’s oldest libations. Martha Washington even included her own special recipe in her writings:

“Extract the Juice of 20 pounds of well ripend Morrella Cherrys Add to this 10 quarts of Old French brandy and sweeten it with White Sugar to your taste—To 5 Gallons of this mixture add one ounce of Spice Such as Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmegs of each an Equal quantity Slightly bruis’d and a pint and half of Cherry kernels that have been gently broken in a mortar—After the liquor has fermented let it Stand Close-Stoped for a month or Six weeks—then bottle it remembering to put a lump of Loaf Sugar into each bottle.”**

[La Enchiladita]

YUM! Martha spent her time well, while George was off fighting the good fight and founding this great nation.

Maybe I could afford 10 qts of Old French brandy... at 1799 prices..hah.

[Pharmboy]

Thanks to La Enchiladita for the post and the Freepmail and to jocon307 for the ping. Although we have posted Gen. Washington's whiskey news before, good whiskey and The General are in my Top Ten favorite topics of all time, so here's a ping on the story that has some good updates.

The RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list...

[Ladysforest]

I wonder how long that sized batch would last? But they usually had a houseful of visitors, who often stayed weeks if not months.

Even sipped from those teeny glasses, that much could still be consumed pretty quickly.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

He was Frederick Winslow Taylor ahead of his time.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Pharmboy.

[reed13k]

Rye has a different flavor from bourbon it’s almost Monty in my opinion. It’s definitely a nice change of pace.

[Trajan88]

I never had rye whiskey before... saw some marketing at a liquor store in Dallas and was offered a sample of (ri)1... was a different change of pace... I may buy a bottle in the near future:

[Sacajaweau]

Yup....Poker was No. 1.

[El Sordo]

This is good history.

[thecodont]

Sounds interesting. Canned sweetened Morello cherries are locally available (Zergut brand at some local food shops, plus Trader Joe’s also carries some) so this would be a worthwhile experiment for Christmas.

[Ladysforest]

You’d have to adjust for the the sugar of course, but if you start out with a mini batch you should be OK.

I think I will talk the husband into trying a tiny batch. He brews beer and makes makes wine, so this should appeal to him.

[aculeus]

Thanks for the ping!