Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Long before sports drinks and energy drinks were invented, hardworking people had their own go-to recovery drink. It was called switchel, and it earned its reputation as an 18th century energy drink for good reason.
The molasses deliver quick energy in the form of sugar while also being high in potassium to replace electrolytes lost through sweat. And the ginger helps settle the stomach so your body can absorb it all. It's simple, effective, and has been used by sailors, soldiers, and field hands across multiple cultures for over a thousand years.
This particular recipe comes from a mid-19th century cookbook called “The Skillful Housewife,” and was featured on the YouTube channel, Townsends, which specializes in 18th century cooking and living history. You can watch the video and read the recipe below.
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What You'll Need
Ingredients:
- 1/2 gallon of clean drinking water
- 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses (Barbados or light molasses — not blackstrap)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 heaping tablespoon powdered ginger
How to Make Switchel
Step 1: Add the molasses to the water
Pour half a gallon of clean drinking water into a large pitcher or jug.
Measure out half a cup of unsulfured molasses and add it to the water. Make sure you're using Barbados molasses or a light molasses. Blackstrap molasses is much too bitter and will throw off the flavor.
Step 2: Add the apple cider vinegar
Pour in a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar. It may smell strong on its own, but once everything is mixed together the flavor mellows out considerably and takes on more of a pleasant apple cider quality.
Step 3: Add the ginger
Add a heaping tablespoon of powdered ginger. Powdered ginger was the common form in the 18th century since it was one of the most affordable and widely available spices at the time.
Step 4: Stir well and serve
Give everything a thorough stir. You want the molasses fully dissolved and all the ingredients well combined before serving.
Switchel is best enjoyed cool. Traditionally, people would place the jug down in a well or suspend it in a running stream to chill it. A bowl of ice water or the refrigerator works just as well today.
Variations Worth Trying
One of the great things about switchel is how flexible the recipe is. Here are a few variations that have historical roots or just taste great:
Swap the sweetener
Some historical recipes call for maple sugar or maple syrup instead of molasses, and in some older sources the word “molasses” actually referred to maple syrup. Honey is another excellent option and is historically accurate. In fact, it's what the ancient Romans used in their version of the drink.
Swap the vinegar
Instead of or in addition to apple cider vinegar, you can use fresh lemon juice or lime juice. It creates a noticeably different but equally refreshing drink.
Use fresh ginger
If you have it on hand, finely minced fresh ginger can be used in place of the powdered version. The flavor will be a bit brighter and more pronounced.
Add rum
If you want to go full 18th century sailor, add your daily rum ration right to the mix. It makes for a great variation that was definitely popular at the time.
Try shrub
A closely related drink called shrub follows a similar idea but uses fruit juice. Raspberries and blackberries were popular choices, sweetened to taste and mixed with vinegar. Here's how to make it.
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