Bumbo
Rum, sugar, water and nutmeg. A pirate-era drink from the 1700s.
Built in glass · Rocks glass · Easy · about 2 minutes · about 21% ABV
Ingredients
- 60 ml Dark rum
- 15 ml Rich demerara syrup
- 30 ml Cold water
- Grated nutmeg (garnish)
Method
- Ice the glass
- Pour 60 ml dark rum into the glass
- Pour 15 ml rich demerara syrup into the glass
- Pour 30 ml cold water into the glass
- Garnish
About the Bumbo
Bumbo was a simple mix of rum, water, sugar and nutmeg drunk by sailors and pirates in the 1700s. George Washington served it to voters during his 1758 election campaign in Virginia.
The Old Fashioned family. In 1806 a New York newspaper defined a "cocktail" as spirits, sugar, water and bitters. By the 1880s drinkers asked for their whiskey "the old-fashioned way", and the name stuck. It is the original cocktail formula: a strong spirit, a little sweetness and bitters, stirred over ice.
Bumbo FAQ
What's in a Bumbo?
60 ml dark rum, 15 ml rich demerara syrup, 30 ml cold water, garnished with grated nutmeg.
How strong is a Bumbo?
About 21% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 1.9 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is stronger than a glass of wine.
Should I shake or stir a Bumbo?
Neither. Build it straight in the glass over ice, then give it one gentle stir.
What glass do you serve a Bumbo in?
A rocks glass, about 300 ml. Serve it over ice. No rocks glass? Use any short, heavy tumbler.
