The father of our country was famous for his moderation, but when he did imbibe, he made sure his drink packed the punch of a Brown Bess. Not only did Washington keep a healthy supply of imported Madeira, but he also distilled his own distinctive rye whiskey, and the Commander-in-Chief always made sure his troops were well-lubricated when on the march.
Related: George Washington spent thousands on alcohol in a single (crazy) night
The most potent weapon in his cellar came only once a year, and the general’s eggnog made its presence felt.
In the years since his death, historians have rifled through all of our first president’s personal papers and diaries, and a number of interesting recipes have been found, including Washington’s small beer recipe. Though his personal eggnog recipe has never been found written in his own hand, it is at least a good representation of what such a recipe in the days of yore would have been like—at least for a wealthy man such as General Washington.
It is, unlike most recipes found online nowadays, remarkably blunt. There are no introductions. No headlines. It just cuts straight to the business of catching a buzz.
Maybe colonials weren’t the biggest fans of family get-togethers.
“One quart cream, one quart milk, one dozen tablespoons sugar, one pint brandy, ½ pint rye whiskey, ½ pint Jamaica rum, ¼ pint sherry—mix liquor first, then separate yolks and whites of 12 eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks, mix well. Add milk and cream, slowly beating. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture. Let set in cool place for several days. Taste frequently.”
“Taste frequently” is the operative command from the first Commander-in-Chief. Be careful, this drink packs a wallop. Unlike some other generals’ eggnog recipes.
While even the Farmer’s Almanac lists the recipe as General Washington’s, there is no evidence he ever wrote it, made it, or drank it. The earliest mention found of the recipe was in a 1948 book called “Christmas With The Washingtons” by Olive Bailey.
While this recipe can’t really be found in earlier papers or other works, the book can be found in the catalogue at the Mount Vernon Archives, and there is definitive proof that George and Martha Washington entertained Christmas guests with some kind of eggnog.
So why not this one?
Washington’s eggnog is a strong but delicious concoction that takes some work, like separating eggs and beating the whites until fluffy, then folding the whites into the mixture, but it is well worth the effort. Take heed, though: General Washington would not care much for soldiers in his army in a constant state of inebriation.
That is well-documented.
