Summer is still hanging on where I am, but my excitement for Fall continues this week with a jazzed up colonial favorite with a knee slapper of a backstory. We’ll also take a brief look at the history of booze in America and how it’s changed over the years.
Hello Everyone, While researching for cocktails this week, I ran across this gem called a Stone Fence. A Stone Fence is rum and hard apple cider. It was apparently a favorite of the Green Mountain Boys - the militia company commanded by Ethan Allen.
In April 1775, Allen and the Green Mountain Boys knocked back Stone Fences at Remington Tavern in Castleton, Vermont the night before their raid on Fort Ticonderoga. The Fort sat at a choke point in Lake Champlain and held important ammunition stores and cannon.
Note: Benedict Arnold, who joined Ethan Allen, captured Fort Ticonderoga the next morning.
Allen and Arnold would go on to capture Fort Crown Point and harass British at Fort Saint-Jean, threatening to capture Montreal. Allen and his Green Mountain Boys secured Lake Champlain and helped to eliminate any threat of invasion from Canada during the war. The cannon from Fort Ticonderoga would be hauled over land by General Knox in the winter of 1775 and used to fortify Dorchester Heights, liberating occupied Boston.
Thank you for your support and please tag me @drinkswithdane on Instagram or #DrinksWithDane so I can raise a glass with you!
About Them Apples
Apples are not native to North America and were introduced by the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Apples took readily to their new environment and quickly became a staple in early American alcohol production. Due to an excess of apples during the harvest session, leftover apples would be pressed and fermented into a cider.
The cider would be stored in wooden barrels. Over winter the cider would freeze, the ice would be chipped away and the remaining cider would be at a higher proof. This process is called freeze distillation and works by removing the water and concentrating the alcohol content. The remaining spirit would now be referred to as “Apple Jack” which was America’s first spirit.
Rum was a very popular product produced in New England during the Colonial Era because it took advantage of molasses brought up from the English Caribbean colonies.
Whenever they needed an extra kick to their cider, men would add two shots of rum to it. They called the drink a "Stone Fence" because it felt like you were running down a hill into one.

Cocktail of the Week: Whim & Caprice
After the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, the Green Mountain Boys set about plundering the fort's liquor provisions, including the British Commander's private stores. Allen later issued him a receipt to which he submitted to the state of Connecticut for payment. Benedict Arnold protested but his authority was not recognized by the Militia. Frustrated, he retired for the evening and commented in his journal that Allen and his men were "governing by whim and caprice". We salute their spirit with this beverage.
What you’ll need:
Bourbon (I'm using Wild Turkey 101)
Lemons
Grade B Maple Syrup
Cinnamon Syrup
Angostura Bitters
Unfiltered Apple Cider
Citrus Juicer
Shaker Set
Mint and Apple Chips for Garnish
Cinnamon Syrup
There is commercially available cinnamon syrup. I recommend BG Reynolds, however it is quite easy to make at home.
Start with a 1:1 simple syrup with white or demerara sugar. In a saucepan, bring equal parts sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Once it starts to boil, turn off the heat and add 2-3 cinnamon sticks. Cover and let steep for 1 hour. Strain out the cinnamon sticks and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. This will keep refrigerated for one month.
Whim & Caprice Cocktail serves 1 1 ½ oz Wild Turkey 101
¾ oz Lemon Juice
¼ oz Maple Syrup
¼ oz Cinnamon Syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
4 oz of Apple Cider
Add all but the apple cider to the shaker tins, shake vigorously until tins are frosty cold. Strain into Collins glass and top with 4 ounces of apple cider. Garish with mint and an apple chip. Salute!
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