Whiskey on the frontier

[bnail]

Who knows what spirits were carried by "Americans" into the hinterlands?
I'm thinking Corn whiskey, as I believe bourbons weren't "Invented" yet. I had an account that Boone liked a little whiskey while out, but I've since lost the source.

 

[Stony]

Rum, whiskey, wine, grog, just about anything that could be bottled or kegged. :thumbsup:

 

[bnail]

Rum, whiskey, wine, grog, just about anything that could be bottled or kegged. :thumbsup:

Yeah, and I've carried all of 'em too :shake:
I'm thinking I asked the wrong question, I'm most interested in what the American Distillaries were producing in the 18th century. It's not "Bourbon" as that term wasn't even coined until the 19th century.

 

Lum, gimme lum!!! :grin:
Capt. Morgan's Spiced, please. :rotf:

 

[Bountyhunter]

The Spanish were bringing brandy and mexican whiskey up into the Taos area by 1600. Taos Lightening--Tarantula juice--Tongue oil, Tornado juice--Valley tan--Tiswin (Apache beer)--Wild Mares Milk--Who-hit-John!!

 

[bnail]

Is "Mexican Whiskey" the same as Tequilla?
I was wondering how authentic "white whiskey" is. Today, the brands would be Platte Valley and Everclear, don't know about any others

 

[shunka]

historically we find that leftover grain that that not sold as food was made into "whiskey" and sold. This was considered a dependable "cash crop" by the farmers - google on "Whiskey Rebellion" to learn more of this amazing "first american rebellion" that was reluctantly put down by George Washington. Bear in mind that what they called "corn" at that time is *not* the same as today - they called the crop "maize", and "corn" referred to other grains.

Further, one of the most popular and easily made alcohol beveredges was "hard cider". You made your apple cider and just waited for it to ferment, drinking it quickly before it turned to cider. This lead to heavy autumn drinking, alcoholism and the widespread devestation (cutting down) of the apple trees by women desparate to stop to the drinking during the harvest season. This in turn led to "Johnny Appleseed" re-populating the wild apple groves.

best
shunka

 

[Bountyhunter]

Boys will be boys most anywhere you go. There was an active trade from Mexico City to Santa Fe and Taos in the early 1600's even though it was a 1700 mile journey. Whatever was made in Mexico City and Juarez was carted to Santa FE and Taos to trade. Liquor was problematic in the trade with the indians, and caused a lot of fueding. As a matter of fact, it still does.

Their first liquor was pulque or fermented cactus (Mezcal) juice. By 1525 the Spanish were distilling the Mezcal wine into "brandy" or as we now know tequila. And what they had in the City, got carted to the country.

1532--"The Spanish explore Mexico to the north, they discover the area now known as the State of Jalisco. Here they discover a tribe of indians known as the "Tiquili" they are a faction of the Toltecs. Their village "Tequitlan," land of hard labor," is later shortened by the Spaniards to "Tequila." "

"Mezcal wine. This becomes the generic name for all distillates of the Mezcal plants. Many small taverns appear competing to sell their own creation of Mezcal wine. The taxes are used used to build the city of Guadalajara: The second largest city in Mexico."

NOW we know who was behind these danged taxes...

 

[jdixon]

Who knows what spirits were carried by "Americans" into the hinterlands?
I'm thinking Corn whiskey, as I believe bourbons weren't "Invented" yet. I had an account that Boone liked a little whiskey while out, but I've since lost the source.

What we now know as Bourbon is made from corn. People in this area started making it around 1780 in what was at that time a large county of Bourbon when Kentucky was still part of Virginia. Bourbon County was named for the House of Bourbon in Paris, France. We were so happy at the time for the French assistance in our struggle against the British, several towns and areas in what later became Kentucky were named after French locations or figures, Versailles, Paris, Louisville, etc. Whiskey was produced by farmers throughout the central Kentucky area and transported to a town on the Ohio River (present day Maysville - Boone had a store there at one time) and from there shipped to New Orleans. From there it was shipped west and east. No doubt Bourbon County whiskey was carried into the American interior from 1785 or so on. Since Maysville was in Bourbon County at the time the whiskey shipped from there started being referred to as Bourbon Whiskey. Since this Bourbon Whiskey was the favorite with many consumers, the name stuck and eventually became known as just Bourbon. Bourbon County, Kentucky exists still today, far smaller than it was before, just north of Lexginton. As far as I know, no Bourbon is distilled within that county today. Good link with the true story of Bourbon can be found @[url] http://www.straightbourbon.com/articles/ccname.html[/url]

 

[Ridge]

Hard Cider.

 

[Bountyhunter]

Then Apple Jack come winter.

 

[Sutallee]

Being a descendant of a long line of blockaders from the mountains of North Georgia, I know a little bit about how whiskey was produced under primitive conditions. While it's true that there was a variety of spirits around in colonial times, most of the beverage alcohol in a particular location was made from what was available at that location. Transporation was expensive, and people on the frontier had little money to import commodities that they did not grow or make at home. So, they made whiskey from what they had.

Because molasses from sugar cane was available on the coast or in the very warmest areas, they made rum there. On the frontier in the east, the only materials available to make whiskey in quantity were likely corn, wheat, and maybe some rye, barley, and sorghum. So, this was likely what was used.

I think that corn whiskey was likely the most widespread simply becasue corn was the primary crop of most frontier farmers. Both bourbon and Tennessee whiskey started out as varieties of corn whiskey and corn is still the primary ingredient of both. The bourbon that we know and love is a variety of aged corn whiskey, but on the frontier, aging was an unecessary frill, and they likely drank it as it came from the still, or maybe cut it with a little water.

 

[bnail]

I think that corn whiskey was likely the most widespread simply becasue corn was the primary crop of most frontier farmers. Both bourbon and Tennessee whiskey started out as varieties of corn whiskey and corn is still the primary ingredient of both. The bourbon that we know and love is a variety of aged corn whiskey, but on the frontier, aging was an unecessary frill, and they likely drank it as it came from the still, or maybe cut it with a little water.

That's kind of what I'm thinking. I wished I could get hold of some honest to goodness moonshine, but I'll content myself with commercial brands.

 

[Sutallee]

I would like to offer a serious warning to anyone who is tempted to try moonshine. Do not ever even taste it. The problem is that for various reasons, most home made stills have lead in the solder in the joints. The organic acids in the fermented mash will attack the lead and lead salts will form in the whiskey. Lead salts cause blindness and brain damage. It just ain't worth it.

 

[bnail]

I would like to offer a serious warning to anyone who is tempted to try moonshine. Do not ever even taste it. The problem is that for various reasons, most home made stills have lead in the solder in the joints. The organic acids in the fermented mash will attack the lead and lead salts will form in the whiskey. Lead salts cause blindness and brain damage. It just ain't worth it.

your warning is well heeded Sutallee: I'll be sticking with the commercial stuff as I'm well aware of the hazards of amatuer moonshine. wouldn't mind trying my hand at making a few batches though. . . :hmm:

 

[sidelock]

To learn about the first Bourbon whiskey, the truly first Thanksgiving, the first playing of "TAPS", two presidents, and more google Berlely Plantation VA. Enjoy. I'll be there this coming Fri. :thumbsup:

 

[sidelock]

That should be Berkely Plantation VA. Sorry. Sidelock :v

 

[Many Klatch]

There is a good book called "The History of the World in 6 Glasses". The author lists 6 drinks that changed the world. They are Beer, Wine, Distilled Spirits, Coffee, Tea, Coca Cola.

The first distilled spirits were available in the 1500's and they were distilled wine which is where Brandy comes in.

Rum was the first distilled spirit that was widely available on this side of the Atlantic. If you are doing an early period like the F&I era longhunter, you would be carrying brandy or rum.

 

[Bountyhunter]

I still have my G-pas copper still. He was always afraid of being poisoned and when he made this one, he silver soldered it--No lead. But keeping the corrosion from the copper outta the inside of the worm so you dont get the fusil oils was a major cleaing operation.

Just a little side note here, ya see the movies and ya see the guys takin a swig outta the jug, and it has XXX on the side of it? There is a reason to that. That run in that jug has been through the still 3 times. The first run is full of contaminants, and it is poured back in and distilled off a second time and filtered. If you did your part well on the second run the yield at the end of the worm will twist. That's called doubled and twisted. It is then poured back in and distilled off a third time. That removes the contaminants and fusil oils which cause the jake leg poisoning. That's the reason for the three X's and if you are going to drink some, it need be from someone you know and trust, and it better be run three times.

 

[patch knife]

jake leg poisining , fusil oils doesn't sound too good :shocked2: I think I'll stick with the store bought stuff .