Bouncing into the holiday season

By Mike Armstrong

Cherry season is just about over, but if you come across a great sale on them, there is a cocktail from days gone by, that will put those pitted little fruits to good use.

One of the few recipes known to have been used by George Washington in his early years was a cocktail that was brandy-based, called the Cherry Bounce.

A Bounce is a type of cocktail from the 18th century that was popular in the early years of mixing drinks. It was such a favorite of our first president, he took a flask of it, along with Madeira and Port on his trip across the Allegheny Mountains in 1784.

As other spirits got popular, the Bounce started having other spirits being used to create it. Bourbon was one of them, as was rum.

Because in the time of the Old West, many spirits were made on premise, the Cherry Bounce was a cocktail which could be made in advance and served over stretches of time and was popular with barmen 100 years ago. 

It is also one of the first American cocktails to go from East to West in the United States.

It is a bit time-consuming to make it in a batch as they did 100 years ago. 

You will need: 

10 to 11 pounds fresh sour cherries, preferably Morello, or 3 (1-pound, 9-ounce) jars preserved Morello cherries; 4 cups of bourbon, rum or brandy; 3 cups sugar, plus more as needed; 2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces; 2 to 3 whole cloves;  1 (1/4-inch) piece fresh whole nutmeg.

Pit the cherries, cut them in half and put them in a bowl that is large enough for you to mash the cherries. Mash them, a potato masher will work fine, and strain the juice in a fine mesh strainer. You should get about 8 cups of cherry juice. In a gallon jar with a cover, combine the juice with the alcohol and sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cover the jar and set it in a fridge for 24 hours, stirring it occasionally.

Then slowly heat the juice and add sugar, if you desire. Add the spices and let it simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes. Strain out the spices, put it back into the jar and let it sit in a fridge for about two weeks. The jar can be shaken on occasion during this time.

It can be drank at room temperature for authentic taste because back in the day when this was first made, there was no ice. But it can be drank on the rocks.

A great treat to bottle and give over the holidays.

However, suppose you don’t want to wait several weeks and want to drink it one night. There are modern recipes that allow this.

Take 2 ounces of Bourbon; 3/4 ounce of lemon juice; 1/4 ounce of simple syrup; 3/4 ounce of juice from Luxardo Maraschino Cherries or Woodford Reserve Cherries; and a dash of Angostura bitters. Put all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Vigorously shake. Strain into a martini glass. There is a recipe that optionally recommends a topping of champagne and garnish with a cherry (of course). I am a purist, so I skip the champagne.

So if you are looking for an old-time cocktail recipe to make for friends as the holidays start to come on the horizon, the Cherry Bounce might be a libation to consider. Because it takes some time to make a batch, if you want it by Thanksgiving, make it no later than mid-October. Whether you give it as a gift in a bottle or bring the drink out for holiday cheer, it going to bounce into a lot of friends’ hearts. In a bottle, if kept cool, the Cherry Bounce will last for several months to drink over time.