Elections in the 18th Century were festive. Food and drink were provided to voters to encourage both turn-out (often 85 percent of the eligible voters[1] participated). Songs were sung and GALLONS of rum punch were consumed. Prior to Prohibition, handing out drinks in order to woe voters was common. When Washington entered politics for the …
Category Archives: General history
Dirty Business and Politics are Often Bedfellows
We all think of Benjamin Franklin as a grandfatherly type who invented and published things, sort of that eccentric neighbor who was everyone’s friend, but there was a ruthless side to Franklin. In 1728, a printer named Samuel Keimer founded the Pennsylvania Gazette, the second newspaper ever printed in the colony. It did not do …
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Schuylkill Fish House Punch
Fish House Punch is an alcoholic drink consisting mainly of rum. The first mention of Fish House Punch — though not yet by that name — may be in the notes of William Black, the secretary of the embassy of Virginia Commissioners who visited Philadelphia in 1744. He recounted being met by locals on the …
The Spice Trade – Nutmeg, Mace, and Cloves
Okay, we are deep in the Pumpkin Spice season. It’s not safe to order a cup of coffee lest you get dragged into the Anglo-Dutch Wars. I like nutmeg and spices a lot but I think I would rather have Manhattan but the Dutch choose to keep the Maluku Islands and their special spice – …
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Black Tea Punch
Punch was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. The original drink was named paantsch from Hindi पाँच (pāñć), meaning “five,” as the drink was frequently made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, juice from either a lime or a lemon, water, and spices …
The Brewmeister was in Lewes
I brewed pumpkin beer in Lewes, DE yesterday at the Historic Lewes Town Campus of the Lewes Historical Society (https://www.historiclewes.org/locations/historic-shipcarpenter-street-campus/). For those of you who have not yet been to Lewes for its historical museums and interpretation, its well worth the drive (especially now that the summer season is over). Want to have the Regimental …
The Regimental Brewmeister is on BLUESKY
For about a year I played with broadcasting my blog onto Facebook. I have learned to truly loath a huge population of Facebook users and so this week I killed the feed. For those who use social media, you can converse with the Regimental Brewmeister on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/) as @colonialbrewer.bsky.social Want to have the Regimental …
Historical Tidbits — Siege Fort Mifflin
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. November 16, 1777 Siege Fort Mifflin On September 22, Howe succeeded in achieving an uncontested crossing of the Schuylkill River and four days later occupied Philadelphia. Having taken the city, …
Historical Tidbits — Fort Washington taken by British
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. November 16, 1776 Fort Washington taken by British After winning a major victory on Long Island the British began to move against Manhattan in mid-September. Unwilling to abandon New York …
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Martha Washington’s Shrub
In the drink world, a shrub is a concentrated syrup that combines fruit, sugar, and vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is the most common base for shrubs, and herbs and spices are often added to create interesting flavor combinations. By the 18th Century, making shrub with no vinegar was considered passé but vinegar shrubs will make …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 