Many historical beverages may brew up nicely in a well shaken 7 gallon jug, weighing in at 57 LBS.So earlier this summer I made a drink called shrub, which is a fruit flavored vinegar-based drink popular in the 19th century, and in that video lots of people in the comments requested that I make switchel which is another vinegar-based drink, very similar and yet very different at the same time.
And switchel was very popular in the 18th and 19th century especially in New England, which is one of the reasons that it's sometimes referred to as Yankee punch Yankee beverage or simply Yankee.
In fact this drink has a whole host of names including swizzle, ginger pop, ginger water, and haymaker's punch as it was often drunk during the harvest as people were making hay. This is also why the 1856 recipe from "Practical American Cookery and Domestic Economy' by Elizabeth M. Hall calls it "Harvest Drink. Mix with five gallons of good water, half a gallon of molasses, one quart of vinegar, and two ounces of powdered ginger. This will make not only a very pleasant beverage, but one highly invigorating and healthful."
A very simple yet interesting beverage for a hot summer's day but before we whip up a jug of switchel …
