Every Home a Distillery: Alcohol, Gender, and Technology in the Colonial Chesapeake

Early America: History, Context, Culture

by Sarah Hand Meacham

In this original examination of alcohol production in early America, Sarah Hand Meacham uncovers the crucial role women played in cidering and distilling in the colonial Chesapeake. Her fascinating story is one defined by gender, class, technology, and changing patterns of production. Alcohol was essential to colonial life; the region’s water was foul, milk was generally unavailable, and tea and coffee were far too expensive for all but the very wealthy. Colonists used alcohol to drink, in cooking, as a cleaning agent, in beauty products, and as medicine. Meacham finds that the distillation and brewing of alcohol for these purposes traditionally fell to women. Advice and recipes in such guidebooks as The Accomplisht Ladys Delight demonstrate that women were the main producers of alcohol until the middle of the 18th century. Men, mostly small planters, then supplanted women, using new and cheaper technologies to make the region’s cider, ale, and whiskey. Meacham compares alcohol production in the Chesapeake with that in New England, the middle colonies, and Europe, finding the Chesapeake to be far more isolated than even the other American colonies. She explains how home brewers used new technologies, such as small alembic stills and inexpensive cider pressing machines, in their alcoholic enterprises. She links the importation of coffee and tea in America to the temperance movement, showing how the wealthy became concerned with alcohol consumption only after they found something less inebriating to drink. Taking a few pages from contemporary guidebooks, Every Home a Distillery includes samples of historic recipes and instructions on how to make alcoholic beverages. American historians will find this study both enlightening and surprising.

Genres: History, School, American History

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2009

About the author

A specialist in colonial American history, Sarah Hand Meacham is associate professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for research purposes. It contains vast amounts of pertinent information, many examples and sources. Given the topic, I was hoping it would exciting and a little fun. But it was all business. As a historian I do not mind this. I will use the information I learned in this book for many years. She really unearthed a great amount of information on a topic we think we know about, but we really don't understand the subtle changes throughout time. But as a reader I was bored. It needed a better pace and tone.

[Cordellya Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! It is interesting to consider that the production of alcohol was once part of women's cookery and the field was not usurped by men until chemistry and technology were involved. This book also provided an enlightening perspective on daily life and the many uses of alcohol as beverage, medicine, bathing agent, beautify agent, hair dye component, etc. in early America.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting monograph about alcohol production and consumption. Meacham explains the role of alcohol in the lives of colonists and how it changed from the 17th century through the American Revolution. Well researched, but the book feels like she tried to focus more narrowly and just couldn't manage it. She also draws some conclusions that are a little strange. Lots of information in a little book.

[Emily Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

very much shows how alcohol was prominent in the colonies, something unexpected because most see them as teetotalers. especially interesting for the actual recipes for making your own cider or mead.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review will be published in Alexander Street Press, "Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600 to 2000," in the fall

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucid, lovely book. Women were at the center of colonial cider production. Explores aspects before and after.