Rum Eggnog

I didn't consider myself an eggnog fan for most of my life. My main issues with commercial eggnog is that they are too thick and too sweet. Last year, I started experimenting with mixing rum into store-bought eggnog, which I found to be a real improvement. The next step, of course, was to make my own from scratch. My first batch had a few issues, which I solved for this year's attempt. It came out well, and I made four jars to give as Christmas presents. This strong and spicy eggnog is very different from your average supermarket carton. It's also easy to make and adjust to your own tastes.

Eggnog is a very old drink (George Washington was reportedly a fan) and there are already a lot of recipes out there. As I typically do, I researched quite a few and created my own tailored to my own taste. I find the toasted brown sugar notes in Demerara rum work well in dessert-oriented cocktails. I like El Dorado, but Pusser's is similar and comes from the same distillery. A funky Jamaican rum and spicy allspice dram round it out. The end result has a similar alcohol content to a typical wine. Freshly grated nutmeg is a huge upgrade (for your painkillers as well), and I will never go back to ground nutmeg for cocktails. The sugar is easily adjustable. I originally started at 3 oz. but brought it up to 4 oz. for the final version.

As with anything else, there is some small risk in using raw eggs, which can be mitigated by letting the eggs sit with just the liquor before adding the dairy and sugar. According to some articles I found, the alcohol is sufficient to kill any bacteria within two weeks. That said, the risk is minor and I consume raw eggs in other things somewhat regularly. Don't be tempted to skip the blender here. As I learned in my first attempt, stringy egg white is not a pleasant texture to encounter in eggnog. 

Ingredients (makes one large jar)

• 4 oz. aged Demerara rum (El Dorado 5 Year or Pusser's)
• 2 oz. Jamaican rum (Smith & Cross)
• 2 oz. allspice dram (St. Elizabeth)
• 6 oz. cream
• 6 oz. whole milk
• 4 oz. Demerara simple syrup (1:1 Demerara sugar and water)
• 4 large eggs
• Garnish: grated nutmeg

Equipment

• Blender
• 32 oz. mason jar

Instructions

Combine liquor and eggs in a blender. Blend until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a mason jar or other airtight container. Let the jar sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Shake it up occasionally. Add cream, milk, and syrup in the mason jar and stir to combine. Refrigerate for several more days. To serve, portion out into glasses and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Eggnog will keep well in the refrigerator.