In this part of our series, we look at Hot Buttered Rum. Although it is a relatively new invention, buttered mixed drinks were already being drunk in Tudor times, in the 16th century. If you get the chance, try a Buttered Beere, prepared according to the recommendation of a three-star chef.
Title picture by Dennis Wilkinson,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/djwtwo/8245393647
In the context of this series, we must also look at Hot Buttered Rum. David Embury did not like it very much and wrote: “And, of all the hot liquors, I regard Buttered Rum as the worst. The Hot Spiced Rum without the butter is bad enough, but the lump of butter is the final insult. It blends with the hot rum just about as satisfactorily as warm olive oil blends with champagne! I believe that the drinking of Hot Buttered Rum should be permitted only in the North west Passage and, even there, only by highly imaginative and overenthusiastic novelists.” [1-337]
Nevertheless, let’s take a brief look at this mixed drink. A long time ago, people put butter in their mixed drink. In 1810, for example, it was written: “Buttered Toddy Is strong rum and water, sweetened with honey, enriched with a good lump of fresh butter, and flavoured with nutmeg and lemon juice. It is much in favour with naval gentlemen.” [2-639]
A trip into the past: Buttered Beere
But the addition of butter to hot drinks goes back much further. In Tudor times, for example, in the 16th century, people drank Buttered Beere. Incidentally, they also drink it in Harry Potter. It’s a warmed mixture of ale, nutmeg, sugar and eggs. Heston Blumenthal has also turned to this ancient speciality and considers it a delicacy when properly prepared. We suggest you watch this video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAf8gVHLNQk . [3] [4] [5]
Heston Blumenthal suggests the following recipe, enough for six to ten servings: [6]
2 cans Old Speckled Hen Ale
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
120 grams sugar
5 egg yolks
20 gram unsalted butter
Put the ale in a saucepan and add the spices. Heat this mixture to 52 °C. In the meantime, beat the sugar with the egg yolks with a hand blender until it has a light and creamy consistency. Add this cream to the warmed beer, put the pot back on the cooker and heat the mixture, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken slightly. The pot must not get too hot so that the eggs do not curdle. The temperature must not exceed 78 °C. Maintain this temperature for two minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter until it has melted. Then froth this mixture with a cappuccino milk frother until it looks like a frothy, milky tea. You then pour the drink into small glasses, pitchers or espresso cups and serve immediately. [6]
Statistical analysis
Hot Buttered Rum only appears in recipe books from 1900 onwards. So it is not necessarily a very traditional method of preparation. It seems to have been particularly popular, as it was most frequently published, in the 1940s and 1950s. So what do these recipes say? What exactly is a Hot Buttered Rum?
If you analyse the recipes that have been handed down, you realise that a Hot Buttered Rum is nothing more than a Hot Rum Toddy with extra butter. In more recent times, people were not quite so unanimous, and variants appeared that were a punch, a skin, a grog or something else. But this is where the authors got it wrong. Their recipe is not a Hot Buttered Rum (Toddy), but a Hot Buttered Rum Punch, for example.
How exactly was the Hot Buttered Rum (Toddy) prepared?
We can see that it mostly corresponds to a Classic Spiced Toddy with Butter, i.e. consisting of rum, water, sugar, spice and butter. Rarely was the spice omitted, or the water and sugar varied.
Now, of course, the question arises as to how a Hot Buttered Rum differs from a Hot Spiced Rum. Is it only the butter that is missing? We will deal with this question in the next part of this series.
Sources
- David A. Embury: The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. New York, Doubleday & Company, 1948.
- https://archive.org/details/cookscompletegui00copl/page/638/mode/2up?q=%22buttered+toddy%22 Anonymus (Esther Copley): The cook’s complete guide, on the principles of frugality, comfort, and elegance including the art of carving, and the most approved method of setting-out a table explained by numerous copper-plate engravings, instructions for preserving health, and attaining old age; with directions for breeding and fattening all sorts of poultry, and for the management of bees, rabbits, pigs, &c. &c. rules for cultivating a garden and numerous useful miscellaneous receipts. London, 1810.
- https://oakden.co.uk/buttered-beere-1588/ Buttered Beere 1588.
- http://www.feastofstarlight.com/traditional-tudor-era-butterbeer/ Feast of Starlight: Traditional Tudor era Butterbeer. 13. March 2015.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAf8gVHLNQk Heston’s Tudor Butterbeer. 26. August 2018
- https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/dec/14/heston-blumenthal-christmas-recipes Heston Blumenthal: Christmas past and present. 14. December 2008.
Historical recipes
1900 William T. Boothby: Cocktail Boothby’s American Bartender. #82. Hot Buttered Rum.
Make the same as a Hot Rum Sling with a teaspoonful of butter added.
#102 Hot Rum Sling.
Make the same as Hot Brandy Sling, with Jamaica rum substituting for cog-
nac. (See Recipe No. 80)
#80 Hot Brandy Sling.
Place a cube of sugar in a hot-water glass, fill the glass two-thirds full of
boiling water, dissolve the sugar, fill the glass with coguac and serve with grat-
ed nutmeg.
1901 Anonymus: The Cocktail Book. Seite 32. Buttered Rum.
Use Tumbler.
ONE lump sugar; dissolve in hot water;
one-third rum; two-thirds hot water;
butter the size of a walnut. Grate a little
nutmeg on top.
1902 Anonymus: Fancy Drinks. Seite 40. Hot Buttered Rum.
HOT SCOTCH CUP. — Dissolve one teaspoon
fine sugar in some hot water, one wineglass Jamaica
rum, one piece butter half the size of a chestnut.
Fill 2/3 full of boiling water, grate nutmeg on top
and serve.
Hot spiced rum can be made by adding one tea-
spoon of allspice and whole cloves to above.
1902 Anonymus: The Cocktail Book. Seite 30. Buttered Rum.
Use Tumbler.
ONE lump sugar; dissolve in hot water;
one-third rum; two-thirds hot water;
butter the size of a walnut. Grate a little
nutmeg on top.
1904 Paul E. Lowe: Drinks as They Are Mixed. Seite 63. Buttered Rum.
Use tumbler.
Sugar, 1 lump dissolved in hot water.
Rum; fill glass 1-3 full.
Hot water; fill glass almost full.
Butter, a piece as large as a walnut.
Serve with nutmeg on top.
1908 William Boothby: The World’s Drinks and How to Mix Them. Seite 40. Buttered Rum, Hot.
Make the same as a Hot Rum Sling, with a teaspoonful of butter added.
#149 Hot Rum Sling.
Make the same as Hot Brandy Sling, with Jamaica rum substituting for
cognac. (See Recipe No. 126)
#126 Hot Brandy Sling.
Place a cube of sugar in a hot-water glass, fill the glass two-thirds full
of boiling water, dissolve the sugar, fill the glass with coguac and serve with
grated nutmeg.
1914 Anonymus: New Bartender’s Guide. Seite 13. Buttered Rum – Hot.
Use small bar-glass.
One tablespoonful of sugar dissolved in a little
hot water.
Add 1 wine-glass of Jamaica rum.
One small piece of butter.
Fill the glass with hot water. Stir; grate
nutmeg on top, and serve.
1917 Tom Bullock: The Ideal Bartender. Seite 21. Buttered Rum.
In a Tumbler drop 1 lump of Sugar and dissolve it in a
little hot Water, and add:
1 1/4 jiggers Rum.
1 piece of Butter about the size of a Walnut.
Grate Nutmeg on top and serve.
1923 P. Dagouret: Le barman universel. Seite 97. Buttered Rum.
Voir plus loin à Hot Rum.
Seite 101. Hot Rum.
Verre n° 7. réchauffe, ou n° 4:
1 cuiller à café sucre en poudre.
Demi-verre à madère de rhum.
Emplir d’eau bouillante.
Gros comme une noisette de beurre frais, dessus.
Muscader. Servir.
1926 Anonymus: The Cocktail Book. Seite 40. Buttered Rum.
Use Tumbler.
ONE lump sugar; dissolve in hot water;
one-third rum; two-thirds hot water;
butter the size of a walnut.
nutmeg on top.
1927 Anonymus: The Cocktail Book. Seite 40. Buttered Rum.
Use Tumbler.
ONE lump sugar; dissolve in hot water;
one-third rum; two-thirds hot water;
butter the size of a walnut. Grate a little
nutmeg on top.
1927 Paul E. Lowe: Drinks. Seite 34. Buttered Rum.
In a tumbler drop 1 lump of sugar
and dissolve it in a little hot water
and add:
1/4 jiggers rum.
1 piece of butter about the size of a
walnut.
Grate nutmeg on top and serve.
1929 P. Dagouret: Le Barman Universel. Seite 99. Buttered Rum.
Voir plus loin à Hot Rum.
Seite 103. Hot Rum.
Verre n° 7, réchauffé, ou n° 4:
1 cuiller à café sucre en poudre.
Demi-verre à madère de rhum.
Emplir d’eau bouillante.
Gros comme une, noisette de beurre frais, dessus.
Muscader. Servir.
1930 Anonymus: For Home Use. Seite 20. Rum and Butter.
Into a tumbler, drop one lump of
sugar and dissolve in a little hot
water. Then add:-
1/2 wineglass Rum (see page 8).
1 wineglass hot water.
1 lump Butter (walnut size).
Stir gently and serve with a little
nutmeg grated on top.
1930 William T. Boothby: „Cocktail Bill“ Boothby’s World Drinks. Seite 133. Buttered Rum.
Rum . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 jigger Butter . . . . . . . . size of pea
Spice . . . . . . . . . . . to taste Hot Water . . . . to fill
. Sugar Syrup . . . . . . . 1 spoon
Stir rum and sugar syrup with hot water in highball glass. Stir in butter,
add spice to taste and serve with spoon.
1931 Dexter Mason: Tipple and Snack. Seite 37. Hot Butter Rum.
Place a dessert spoon of sugar into a glass.
Put a spoon in the glass so that it will not
break, pour in a little hot water to melt the
sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, add a
jigger of rum and a pat of sweet butter.
Fill the glass with boiling water and serve
hot.
1933 A. E. P. Bird & William C. Turner: Cocktails. Seite 19. Buttered Rum (Hot).
Rum, 1 part Butter, size of pea
Spice, to taste Hot Water, to fill
. Sugar Syrup, 1/2 teaspoon
Using a 7 oz. highball glass, stir rum and sugar syrup
with hot water; stir in butter; add spice to taste and
serve with spoon in glass. An excellent way to serve at
home is to have the materials assembled on a tray . . .
the hot water in the kettle on the hearth . . . permitting
each and every one to mix their own.
1933 Anonymus: Cocktails. Their Kicks and Side-Kicks. Seite 19. Buttered Rum (Hot).
Rum, 1 part Butter, size of pea
Spice, to taste Hot Water, to fill
. Sugar Syrup, 1 / 2 teaspoon
Using a 7 oz. highball glass, stir rum and sugar syrup
with hot water; stir in butter; add spice to taste and
serve with spoon in glass. An excellent way to serve at
home is to have the materials assembled on a tray . . .
the hot water in the kettle on the hearth . . . permitting
each and every one to mix their own.
1933 Anonymus: O’Dell’s Book of Cocktails and Fancy Drinks. Seite 218. Rum and Butter.
Into a tumbler drop one lump of
Sugar and dissolve in a little hot water.
Then add: — 1/2 wineglass Rum, 1 wine-
glass hot Water, 1 lump Butter (size of
Walnut).
Stir gently and serve with a little
grated Nutmeg on top.
1933 Anonymus: The Bartender’s Friend. Seite 54. Buttered Rum.
Rum In a warm tumbler melt two teaspoon-
Butter fuls of sugar with 2 tablespoonfuls of
Sugar hot water, add 1 jigger of rum and a
Water piece of butter the size of a marble.
. Fill the glass with very hot water.
. Stir and serve.
1933 Anonymus: The Cocktail Book. Seite 40. Buttered Rum.
Use Tumbler.
ONE lump sugar; dissolve in hot water;
one-third rum; two-thirds hot water;
butter the size of a walnut. Grate a little
nutmeg on top.
1933 George A. Lurie: Here’s How. Seite 142. Buttered Rum.
Rum . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 jigger Butter . . . . . . . size of pea
Spice . . . . . . . . . . . to taste Hot Water . . . . to fill
. Sugar Syrup . . . . . . 1 spoon
Stir rum and sugar syrup with hot water in highball glass.
Stir in butter, add spice to taste and serve with spoon.
1933 Harry Todd: Mixer’s Guide. Seite 112. Hot Buttered Rum.
Use small bar glass. One tablespoonful of sugar dissolved in a
little hot water, add 1 wine glass of Jamaica rum, one small piece
of butter.
Fill the glass with hot water. Stir; grate nutmeg on top, and serve.
1933 P. Dagouret: Le barman universel. Seite 99. Buttered Rom.
Voir plus loin à Hot Rum.
Seite 103. Hot Rum.
Verre n° 7, réchauffé, ou n° 4:
1 cuiller à café sucre en poudre.
Demi-verre à madère de rhum.
Emplir d’eau bouillante.
Gros comme une noisette de beurre frais, dessus.
Muscader. Servir.
1934 Anonymus: The Mixer of Beverages, Wines, Liquors. Seite 15. Hot Buttered Rum.
(Use medium glass, Hot)
1 small teaspoonful of powdered sugar
1 wine glass of Jamaica Rum
1 piece of sweet butter, as large as half a chestnut
Dissolve the sugar in a little boiling water, add
the rum and butter, fill the glass two-thirds full of
boiling water, stir, grate a little nutmeg on top, and
serve.
1934 William T. Boothby: „Cocktail Bill“ Boothby’s World Drinks. Seite 230. Buttered Rum.
Rum . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 jigger Butter . . . . . . . . . . . size of pea
Spice . . . . . . . . . . . . to taste Hot Water . . . . . . . . to fill
. Sugar Syrup . . . . . . 1 spoon
Stir rum and sugar syrup with hot water in highball glass. Stir in butter,
add spice to taste and serve with spoon.
1937 R. de Fleury: 1800 – And All That. Seite 215. Buttered Rum.
Use tumbler
1 Lump Sugar dissolved
in Hot Water
Fill glass 1/3 full of Rum.
Fill glass almost full
with Hot Water. A
piece of Butter as large
as a Walnut. Serve
with Nutmeg on top.
1938 Hyman Gale & Gerald F. Marco: The How and When. Seite 154. Buttered Rum.
1 jigger Demerara Rum 150°
Spice to taste
1 teaspoon Butter
Stir Rum and Sugar with Hot Water
Stir in Butter and Spice
Serve with spoon
1939 Charles Browne: The Gun Club Drink Book. Seite 112. Hot Buttered Rum.
A jigger of rum with a lot of
sugar (perhaps a tablespoonful), cloves, cinnamon,
and nutmeg, then either hot cider or hot water
and on the top, for no apparent reason, place but
ter the “size of an egg” (anybody’s egg). The but-
ter does not mix with the drink, it merely floats on
the surface so its function seems obscure, perhaps
it lubricates one’s moustache.
1939 Charles H. Baker, Jr.: The Gentleman’s Companion, Volume II. Seite 60. Harold Peter’s Hot Buttered Rum.
Anyone who has sailed with Pete-whether around the world on
PILGRIM, to EUROPE on the schooner LLOYD BERRY, or south
to Florida from Cape Cod on some ship like our own MARMION, as
we did, remembers his magnificent tattooed masterpieces, haunch,
paunch, back and chest, and his Hot Buttered Rums at the end of a
cold, wet, Fall chance. Our first introduction to them was running
from Woods Hole to New York, one late October day, with the wind
whipping up a dry nor’easter, and our new main trys’l pushing us
along close to nine knots.
Into each average sized glass put a teaspoon of brown sugar, a twist
of lemon peel, a teaspoon lemon juice, four to six whole cloves, and
a spoon. Take a “futt” dish and heat water on the galley stove-and
in case we don’t remember Pete’s definition of that time-honoured bit
of New England addenda, a futt dish is the flat tin handleless sort of
pan we see on top of bullet heating stoves down east, to keep the air
humid. Actually any pot does as well.
To each glass donate two ponies of Barbados, or any stout rum –
two full ounces – add boiling water to taste, stir, and with the spoon
which has kept the glass from cracking, slide in one teaspoon of butter
on top. Drink as butter becomes wholly melted . . . . When getting
really fancy for Harbour Furl Company, Pete may float a spoon of
rum on top, and set aflame, but not for anyone less than a full Com-
modore!
WORDS to the LIQUID WISE No. IX, on the EXCELLENCE
of ALLSPICE in HOT RUM DRINKS
To vary the usual clove and nutmeg add half a teaspoon of all-
spice to the next hot toddy. The result is quite aromatically happy.
1940 Anonymus: Professional Mixing Guide. Seite 77. Hot Buttered Rum.
3 oz Jamaica or New England Rum,
2 dashes Angostura Bitters, 1 tea-
spoonful of Butter, 3 or 4 Cloves,
hot water sufficient. Dash the Bit-
ters into a glass or pewter mug. Add
the Rum and place the teaspoon with
the butter in the Rum. Pour piping
hot water into the mug. Sprinkle a
few Cloves on top. Stir with the
spoon and allow to steep for a few
minutes. Inhale freely, sip cautiously!
1940 Charles: The Cocktail Book. Seite 147. Hot Buttered Rum.
2 tablespoonfuls of rum,
2 teaspoonfuls of sugar,
2 teaspoonfuls of butter,
1/2 teaspoonful of mixed spices (cinnamon and cloves).
Put the ingredients in a tumbler, fill up with boiling
water, and stir well.
1943 Oscar Haimo: Cocktail Digest. Seite 47. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 1/2 oz. Jamaica Rum
1 lump Sugar
1 Small Slice Butter
4 Cloves
Use old fashioned glass or mug
Fill with boiling water
Stir.
1944 Crosby Gaige: The Standard Cocktail Guide. Seite 67. Hot Buttered Rum.
3 ounces New England Rum
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 teaspoon Butter
3 or 4 Cloves
Hot Water Sufficient
Dash the Bitters into a glass or pewter mug.
Add the Rum and place the teaspoon with the
Butter in the Rum. Pour piping hot water into
the mug. Sprinkle a few Cloves on top. Stir
with the spoon and allow to steep for a few
minutes. Inhale freely, sip cautiously!
1944 Oscar Haimo: Cocktail Digest. Seite 58. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 1⁄2 oz. Jamaica Rum
1 lump Sugar
1 Small Slice Butter
4 Cloves
Use old fashioned glass or mug
Fill with boiling water
Stir.
1945 George Gardner: How to be a bartender. Seite 63. Buttered Rum.
Use tumbler.
Sugar, 1 lump dissolved in hot water.
Rum; fill glass 1-3 full.
Hot water; fill glass almost full.
Butter, a piece as large as a walnut.
Serve with nutmeg on top.
1946 Bill Kelly: The Roving Bartender. Seite 34. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 cube sugar
3 cloves
1 twist lemon peel
1 twist orange peel
1 oz. Rum
1/2 ration square butter
Rinse 6 oz. hot water glass in
hot water. Put in the sugar,
cloves, peels and butter. Fill
near top with hot water. Stir
and pour in Rum. Dust nutmeg
on top. Fine on a cold night.
1946 Charles H. Baker, Jr.: The Gentleman’s Companion. Seite 60. Harold Peter’s Hot Buttered Rum.
Anyone who has sailed with Pete — whether around the world on
PILGRIM, to EUROPE on the schooner LLOYD BERRY, or south
to Florida from Cape Cod on some ship like our own MARMION, as
we did, remembers his magnificent tattooed masterpieces, haunch,
paunch, back and chest, and his Hot Buttered Rums at the end of a
cold, wet, Fall chance. Our first introducdon to them was running
from Woods Hole to New York, one late October day, with the wind
whipping up a dry nor’easter, and our new main trys’l pushing us
along close to nine knots.
Into each average sized glass put a teaspoon of brown sugar, a twist
of lemon peel, a teaspoon lemon juice, four to six whole cloves, and
a spoon. Take a “futt” dish and heat water on the galley stove — and
in case we don’t remember Pete’s definition of that time-honoured bit
of New England addenda, a futt dish is the flat tin handleless sort of
pan we see on top of bullet heating stoves down east, to keep the air
humid. Actually any pot does as well.
To each glass donate two ponies of Barbados, or any stout rum —
two full ounces — add boiling water to taste, stir, and with the spoon
which has kept the glass from cracking, slide in one teaspoon of butter
on top. Drink as butter becomes wholly melted. . . . When getting
really fancy for Harbour Furl Company, Pete may float a spoon of
rum on top, and set aflame, but not for anyone less than a full Com-
modore!
1946 Lucius Beebe: The Stork Club Bar Book. Seite 104. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 1/2 oz. Jamaica rum
1 lump sugar
1 small slice butter
4 cloves
Us e an old-fashioned glass or mug. Fill with
boiling water. Stir.
1946 Oscar Haimo: Cocktail and Wine Digest. Seite 64. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 1/2 oz. Jamaica Rum
1 lump Sugar
1 Small Slice Butter
Use old fashioned glass or mug
Fill with boiling water
Nutmeg on top
Stir.
1946 Trader Vic: Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink. Seite 117. Trader Vic Hot Buttered Rum.
Preheat 6-
ounce mug with boiling water. Drop 1 heaping
teaspoonful of above batter in mug, add 1 1/2
ounces Puerto Rican rum, and fill with hot water.
Seite 116. Hot Buttered Rum Batter.
It pains me to drink some of the concoctions of-
fered in the name of hot buttered rum. I gen-
erally find little globules of fat floating around
in a not too hot drink, served up in a dainty little
glass cup that you can down in one swallow and
damn near swallow the cup along with it.
As I have stressed all along, you can’t make
anything good unless you take the time to do it
properly. Mixing the batter for my hot buttered
rum is the initial and final trouble and it will
give you the finest drink you ever tasted.
1 pound brown sugar
1/4 pound butter
Pinch of salt
Spices
Cream the butter and sugar together until
smooth, as you would for a cake, then add 1/4 to
1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon, and
cloves. If you prefer, you can omit the cinna-
mon and cloves and, instead, use whole cloves
and whole stick cinnamon in each drink as made.
Add salt.
1948 David A. Embury: The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. Seite 337. Hot Spiced Rum. Hot Buttered Rum.
While not
strictly a Grog because it is both sweetened and spiced,
this may be as good a place as any to mention Hot
Spiced Rum. Any place that it might be mentioned, to
me, would be out of place. Hot liquors have a number
of definite medicinal uses. They are excellent to warm
up on after exposure to cold (see page 192). Taken
upon retiring, they are excellent diaphoretics and
hypnotics — that is, they promote both perspiration
and sleep. With one or two exceptions, such as the
Tom and Jerry, however, their use should, in my
opinion, be strictly limited to medicinal purposes. How
anyone can possibly consume them for pleasure is
utterly beyond me. And, of all the hot liquors, I regard
Buttered Rum as the worst. The Hot Spiced Rum
without the butter is bad enough, but the lump of
butter is the final insult. It blends with the hot rum
just about as satisfactorily as warm olive oil blends
with champagne! I believe that the drinking of Hot
Buttered Rum should be permitted only in the North
west Passage and, even there, only by highly imagina-
tive and overenthusiastic novelists. However, just as a
curiosity, here is the recipe:
1 jigger Jamaica or New England Rum
1 teaspoonful Sugar Syrup
Spices to taste
1 small lump Butter
Hot Water
Stir rum and sugar in mug or Highball glass. Fill with
hot water, add spices, float butter on top, and stir
gently until butter is dissolved. Some recipes call only
for a few whole cloves, others call for 1/2 teaspoonful
mixed ground spices — cloves, allspice, mace, etc. Fre-
quently a little ground cinnamon or nutmeg is dusted
over the top when the drink is served.
The above is the usual recipe. Trader Vic, in his ex-
cellent Book of Food and Drink, a copy of which
should be in the hands of every true gourmet, recom-
mends that the sugar (brown) and butter be first
thoroughly creamed together with the spices and that
the hot water and rum be added to this batter and
stirred well. He has even prepared a ready-mixed
batter for the market and it is excellent. This un-
questionably makes a much better drink than the
usual formula given above. As medicine, it is not too
bad, but, to me, it is still definitely and solely a medic-
inal drink.
1948 P. Dagouret – Le Barman Universel 10. Seite 101. Butterer Rum.
Voir plus loin a Hot Rum.
Seite 103. Hot Rum.
Verre n° 7, réchauffé, ou n° 4:
1 cuiller à café sucre en poudre.
Demi-verre à madère de rhum.
Emplir d’eau bouillante.
Gros comme une noisette de beurre frais, dessus.
Muscader. Servir.
1948 P. Dagouret – Le Barman Universel 11. Seite 101. Buttered Rum.
Voir plus loin à Hot Rum.
Seite 105. Hot Rum.
Verre n° 7, réchauffé, ou n° 4:
1 cuiller à café sucre en poudre.
Demi-verre à madère de rhum.
Emplir d’eau bouillante.
Gros comme une noisette de beurre frais, dessus.
Muscader. Servir.
1948 Trader Vic: Bartender’s Guide. Seite 317. Hot Buttered Rum.
HOT BUTTERED RUM BATTER
1 lb. brown sugar Pinch of salt
1/4 lb. butter Spices
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy;
add 1/2 to 1/2 tsp. each of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves; add
salt. Use this batter in making the following:
Hot Buttered Rum: Preheat 6-oz. mug with boiling water.
Drop I heaping tsp. of above batter in mug; add 1 1/2 oz.
Puerto Rican rum; stir and fill with hot water.
1949 Anonymus: Bottoms Up. Seite 40. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 1/2 oz. Jamaica Rum
1 lump of Sugar
Small slice of Butter
4 Cloves
Fill with boiling water, stir.
1949 P. Dagouret: Le Barman universel. Seite 101. Buttered Rum.
Voir plus loin à Hot Rum.
Seite 105. Hot Rum.
Verre n° 7, réchauffé, ou n° 4:
1 cuiller à café sucre en poudre.
Demi-verre à madère de rhum.
Emplir d’eau bouillante.
Gros comme une noisette de beurre frais, dessus.
Muscader. Servir.
1950 Ted Shane: Authentic and Hilarious Bar Guide. Seite 135. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 lb. Brown Sugar Pinch of Salt
1/2 lb. Butter Spices
. 1 jigger Puerto Rican Rum
Cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Add 1/4 to 1/4 tsp. each nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove.
Add salt. Preheat mug with boiling water. Drop 1
heaping tsp. of above batter in mug, add 1 jigger
Puerto Rican rum, stir, and fill with hot water.
1951 Anonymus: The Holiday Drink Book. Seite 47. Hot Buttered Rum.
2 dashes bitters
3 oz. dark rum
1 teaspoon of butter
3 or 4 cloves
Dash the bitters into a glass or pewter
mug. Add the rum and place the tea
spoon with the butter in the rum. Pour
piping hot water into the mug. Sprinkle
a few cloves on top. Stir with the spoon
and allow to steep for a few minutes.
inhale freely, sip cautiously!
1951 Ted Saucier: Ted Saucier’s Bottoms Up. Seite 248. Volcano House Hot Buttered Rum.
By Bob A. Ida, Head Bartender, Volcano House, Hawaii National
Park
“A welcome drink on cold rainy days.”
1 jigger Myers’ rum
1/2 jigger sirup
1/2 jigger lemon juice
Few dashes maraschino liqueur
Twist lemon peel
Put into large-sized gin fizz glass. Fill rest of glass
with very hot tea. Stir well, then float small piece
of butter, and add 3 or 4 pieces of cloves.
1952 Charles: The Cocktail Bar. Seite 147. Hot Buttered Rum.
2 tablespoonfuls of rum,
2 teaspoonfuls of sugar,
2 teaspoonfuls of butter,
1/2 teaspoonful of mixed spices (cinnamon and cloves).
Put the ingredients in a tumbler, fill up with boiling
water, and stir well.
1953 Anonymus: Esquire’s Handbook for Hosts. Seite 171. Hot Buttered Rum (Bowl).
1 qt. New England rum
3 qts. sweet cider
1 cup brown sugar
Enough butter to dapple the
surface
1 cup boiling water
Dissolve sugar in 1 cup boiling water,
add cider and heat to boil, then add
rum. Butter. Serve piping in punch
bowl, flurried with ground cinnamon.
1953 Anonymus: Esquire’s Handbook for Hosts. Seite 173. Hot Buttered Rum (Individual).
Dissolve 1 or 2 lumps of sugar in a little
hot water, add a wineglassful of rum,
a piece of butter the size of a small
walnut, and fill the mug or glass with
hot water. Sprinkle nutmeg on top. (A
teaspoon of spices such as Cinnamon
and cloves may be added to this mix-
ture, or you might garnish with clove-
studded lemon.)
1953 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 129. Hot Buttered Rum.
Use old-fashioned glass.
1 1/2 oz. Jamaica Rum, 1 lump Sugar, 1 small slice of Butter, 4
Cloves. Fill with boiling water. Stir.
1953 David A. Embury: The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. Seite 333. Hot Spiced Rum. Hot Buttered Rum.
HOT SPICED RUM or HOT BUTTERED RUM While not
strictly a Grog because it is both sweetened and spiced, this may be as
good a place as any to mention Hot Spiced Rum. Any place that it
might be mentioned, to me, would be out of place. Hot liquors have
a number of definite medicinal uses. They are excellent to warm up
on after exposure to cold (see page 192). Taken upon retiring, they are
excellent diaphoretics and hypnotics — that is, they promote both per-
spiration and sleep. With one or two exceptions, such as the Tom and
Jerry, however, their use should, in my opinion, be strictly limited to
medicinal purposes. How anyone can possibly consume them for pleas-
ure is utterly beyond me. And, of all the hot liquors, I regard Buttered
Rum as the worst. The Hot Spiced Rum without the butter is bad
enough, but the lump of butter is the final insult. It blends with the
hot rum just about as satisfactorily as warm olive oil blends with cham-
pagne! I believe that the drinking of Hot Buttered Rum should be
permitted only in the Northwest Passage and, even there, only by
highly imaginative and overenthusiastic novelists. However, just as a
curiosity, here is the recipe:
1 jigger Jamaica or New England
Rum
1 teaspoonful Sugar Syrup
Spices to taste
1 small lump Butter
Hot Water
Stir rum and sugar in miig or Highball glass. Fill with hot water, add
spices, float butter on top, and stirgently until butter is dissolved. Some
recipes call only for a few whole cloves, others call for 1/2 teaspoonful
mixed ground spices — cloves, allspice, mace, etc. Frequently a little
ground cinnamon or nutmeg is dusted over the top when the drink is
served.
The above is the usual recipe. Trader Vic, in his excellent Book of Food
and Drink, a copy of which should be in the hands of every true gour-
met, recommends that the sugar (brown) and butter be first thoroughly
creamed together with the spices and that the hot water and rum be
added to this batter and stirred well. He has even prepared a ready-
mixed batter for the market and it is excellent. This unquestionably
makes a much better drink than the usual formula given above. As
medicine, it is not too bad, but, to me, it is still definitely and solely a
medicinal drink.
1953 „Kappa“: Bartender’s Guide to the Best Mixed Drinks. Seite 59. Hot Buttered Rum.
Put lump of Sugar into Hot Whiskey glass and
fill with two-thirds Boiling Water. Add square of
Butter and 2 oz. Rum. Stir and grate Nutmeg
on top.
1953 Leo Cotton: Old Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide. Seite 80. Hot Buttered Rum.
Put Lump of Sugar into Hot Whiskey
glass and fill with two-thirds Boiling
Water. Add square of Butter and
2 oz. Old Mr. Boston Imported Rum.
Stir and grate Nutmeg on top.
1953 Marcel et Roger Louc: Cocktails et Grand Crus. Seite 34. Hot-Buttered.
Boissons mi-longues se caractérisant par la présence d’une petite
quantité de beurre et se préparant directement dans un verre old
fashioned réchauffé, avec sucre semoule, une noisette de beurre et
liqueur désirée. Elles se complètent avec eau ou lait bouillant, muscader
et servir.
1953 Marcel et Roger Louc: Cocktails et Grand Crus. Seite 65. Hot Buttered Rhum.
Dans un verre highball:
Une cuillère de sucre en
poudre
Un verre de Rhum
Compléter à l’eau ou au
lait bouillant, ajouter une
petite noix de beurre frais,
muscader.
On procède de la même fa-
çon pour les Calvados, Co-
gnac, Whisky, etc… « Hot
Buttered ».
1953 S. S. Field: The American Drinking Book. Seite 234. Hot Buttered Rum.
Scald a mug or Old Fashioned glass. Put
in 1 teaspoon of maple sugar, 1 slice of lemon studded with 6 cloves,
1 stick of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. Pour in 2 ounces of gold
label Rum, fill with boiling water and drop in a generous gob of un-
salted butter. Carefully float a flaming tablespoon of Rum on top.
One of the finest known reasons for a long hard
winter.
1954 Eddie Clark: King Cocktail. Seite 54. Hot Buttered Rum.
Into a goblet glass place a good teaspoonful of brown sugar
and the twist of lemon peel, also a teaspoonful of lemon juice
and 4 cloves. Add \\ measures of Rum and a spoon.
Almost fill the glass with boiling water, stir, then slide a
teaspoonful of butter on top, also a pinch of nutmeg.
1954 Robert H. Loeb, Jr.: Nip Ahoy. Seite 54. Hot Buttered Rum.
1955 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 129. Hot Buttered Rum.
Use old-fashioned glass.
1 1/2 oz. Jamaica Rum, 1 lump Sugar, 1 small slice of Butter, 4
Cloves. Fill with boiling water. Stir.
1956 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 123. Hot Buttered Rum.
2 Jiggers Jamaica Rum
1 Twist Lemon Peel
1 Stick Cinnamon
1 or 2 Cloves
Boiling Cider
Butter
Place Rum, Lemon Peel, Clove
and Cinnamon in a Pewter
Tankard or heavy mug. Fill
with Boiling Cider. Float a pat
of Butter on top and stir well.
1957 Lawrence Blochman: Here’s How. Seite 125. Hot Buttered Rum.
3 ounces Jamaica rum 1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 cloves Pinch of cinnamon
Hot water 1 tablespoon fresh butter
Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water in a thick mug,
metal tankard, or heavy glass. Add the rum and spices,
nearly fill with very hot water, float the butter on top.
If glass is used, leave a spoon in while pouring the hot
water.
1960 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 117. Hot Buttered Rum.
Use old-fashioned glass.
1 1/2 oz. Jamaica Rum, 1 lump Sugar, 1 small slice of Butter, 4
Cloves. Fill with boiling water. Stir.
1960 Mapie de Toulouse-Lautrec & Robert J.-Courtine: A boire, a boire. Seite 65. Grog au beurre.
3 CUILLERÉES A SOUPE Mélangez les ingrédients dans un grand verre,
DE RHUM ajoutez de l’eau bien chaude, remuez à la cuiller.
1 PETITE NOIX DE BEURRE Servez.
2 MORCEAUX DE SUCRE
ÉPICES:
1 PINCÉE DE PODRE
DE CANNELLE
OU DE MUSCADE
2 OU 3 CLOUS DE GIROFLE
1963 Eddie Clarke: Shaking in the 60’s. Seite 130. Hot Buttered Rum.
Into a goblet glass, place a good teaspoonful of
brown sugar and twist of lemon peel, also a
teaspoonful of lemon juice and 4 cloves. Add:
1 1/2 measures of rum
Almost fill the glass with boiling water, stir,
then slide a teaspoonful of butter on top with a
pinch of nutmeg.
1964 Anonymus: Peter Pauper’s Drink Book. Seite 38. Hot Buttered Rum.
2 dashes Bitters 1 teaspoon Butter
3 ounces dark Rum 3 or 4 Cloves
Dash the bitters into a glass or pewter mug.
Add the rum and place a teaspoon with the
butter in the rum. Pour piping hot water into
the mug. Sprinkle a few cloves on top. Stir
with the spoon and allow to steep for a few
minutes. Inhale freely, stir cautiously!
1965 Aladar von Wesendonk: 888 Cocktails. Seite 168. Hot Buttered Rum.
man erhitzt
1 Cocktailmaß Jamaica Rum
2 TL Wasser
1 Stückchen Nelke
1 Prise Zimt
1 TL Karamelzucker
2 dashes Angostura
und füllt alles in ein heiß ausge=
schwenktes Grogglas. Nun setzt
man einen gehäuften Teelöffel
frische Butter oben darauf, rührt
kurz um und serviert mit einem
Barlöffel
1965 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 120. Hot Buttered Rum.
Use old-fashioned glass.
1 1/2 ozs. Jamaica Rum, 1 lump Sugar, 1 small slice of Butter, 4
Cloves. Fill with boiling water. Stir.
1965 Robert London & Anne London: Cocktails and snacks. Seite 96. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 1/2 ounces Jamaica or New 1 teaspoon butter
England rum Grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon sugar Freshly boiling water
Place rum, sugar, and butter in a hot tumbler or mug. Fill with boiling
water and stir well. Top with freshly grated nutmeg.
Variations: Early New England recipes usually called for 2 to 3 ounces
of rum per serving with as much as 1 tablespoon butter and the addi-
tion of 3 or 4 cloves and a stick of cinnamon.
1966 Oscar Haimo: Cocktail and Wine Digest. Seite 64. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 1/2 oz. Jamaica Rum. 1 lump Sugar. 1 Small Slice Butter
Use Old Fashioned glass or mug. Fill with boiling water.
Nutmeg on top. Stir.
1971 Anonymus: Tropical Recipes. Standard Recipes. Hot Buttered Rum.
(Build)
Highball or Old Fashioned
glass
1 Cube of Sugar
1 Jigger Rum
Place Toddy spoon in glass
Fill with boiling water
Place small cube of butter
on top
Note: Make any hot buttered
drink same way, using liquor
preferred. Add spices if
desired – Cloves, Cinnamon
sticks, etc.
1971 Anonymus: Tropical Recipes. Standard Recipes. Hot Buttered Rum.
Same as “Red Heart Rum.”
Hot Red Heart Rum.
(Build)
Old Fashioned Glass
1 Jigger, 3 Dagger Jamaica Rum
5 Pieces Cloves, mashed
1 Teaspoon sugar
Lemon and Orange peels, twist
Hot water
1972 Anonymus: Recipes – Wines and Spirits. Seite 59. Hot Buttered Rum.
To make 1 hot drink
1 1/2 teaspoons superfine sugar
A 1-inch piece cinnamon stick
3 ounces rum
1 cup hot milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Ground nutmeg
A 12-ounce mug
Wash the mug with very hot water and shake it dry. Place the sugar,
piece of cinnamon stick and rum in the mug, and stir to dissolve the
sugar. Pour in the hot milk, top with the tablespoon of butter, and sprin-
kle with ground nutmeg.
1972 Leo Cotton: Old Mr. Boston. Seite 48. Hot Buttered Rum.
Put lump of sugar into hot whiskey
glass and fill two-thirds with boil-
ling water. Add square of butter and
2 oz. Old Mr. Boston Imported
Rum. Stir and grate nutmeg on
top.
1972 Trader Vic: Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide, Revised. Seite 304. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 heaping teaspoon Hot Buttered Rum
Batter (see below)
1 1/2 ounces light Puerto Rican rum
Boiling water
Preheat skull mug with boiling water. Put batter into mug.
Add rum. Fill mug with hot water. Stir well. Hit with hot
poker. Decorate with 8-inch cinnamon stick.
Our famous formula:
HOT BUTTERED RUM BATTER
1 pound brown sugar
1/4 pound soft butter
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of salt
Beat sugar and butter together until thoroughly creamed and
fluffy; beat in nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
1973 Oscar Haimo: Cocktail and Wine Digest. Seite 64. Hot Buttered Rum.
1 1/2 oz. Jamaica Rum. 1 lump Sugar. 1 Small Slice Butter.
Use Old Fashioned glass or mug. Fill with boiling water.
Nutmeg on top. Stir.
1976 Anonymus: International Guide to Drinks. Seite 86. Hot buttered rum.
Use old-fashioned glass
1 measure dark rum
1 lump sugar
Slice of butter
4 cloves
Fill with boiling water
Stir
1977 Stan Jones: Jones’ Complete Barguide. Seite 306. Hot Buttered Rum.
Old Fashioned Glass Build
or Mug
1/2 tsp sugar
1 pat of butter
Fill with boiling water
1-1/2 oz rum
Sprinkle nutmeg
Variation
1-1/2 oz Jamaica rum
Lemon twist
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 pat butter
Fill with boiling cider or
water
Variation
Other spices, rums, liqueurs may
be used to taste
Lemon wedge is optional
1979 Fred Powell: The Bartender’s Standard manual. Seite 44. Hot Buttered Rum.
2 jiggers Jamaican rum
1 scant Teaspoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Maple Syrup
Dash each of Cinnamon,
Allspice and bitters
Slice of Lemon
4 jiggers of boiling water
Place butter in preheated cer-
amic mug or heavy glass.
Leave spoon in mug. Add
syrup, spices, lemon and rum.
Mix. Pour in boiling water.
Stir.
2013 Tristan Stephenson: The Curious Bartender. Seite 184. Hot Buttered Rum. 50 ml Bacardi 8 rum; 15 g soft brown sugar; 150 ml hot water; 15 g butter; grating of nutmeg.
2016 André Darlington & Tenaya Darlington: The New Cocktail Hour. Seite 215. Hot (Spiced) Buttered Rum. 45 ml rum (El dorado 5 Yr); 1-2 teaspoons spiced butter; 177 ml boiling water; garnish: cinnamon stick, orange wheel. Spiced butter: 57 g butter; 43 g dark brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon orange zest; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; pinch of grated nutmeg.
2016 Martin Cate & Rebecca Cate: Smuggler’s Cove. Seite 202. Hot Buttered Rum. 3 barspoons SC Hot Buttered Rum Batter; 1,5 ounces blended aged rum; 6 ounces hot water. Hot Buttered Rum Batter: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 teaspoon ground black papper; 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/2 teaspoon ground anise seed; 2 cups salted butter; 4 cups golden brown sugar; 2 tablespoons Brer Rabbit Mild Molasses; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
2018 Gary Regan: The Joy of Mixology. Seite 221. Hot Buttered Rum. 1 teaspoon honey; 1 clove; 4 ounces hot water or hot aplle cider; 2 ounces dark rum or spiced rum; 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter; ground cinnamon; garnish: cinnamon stick.
explicit capitulum
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