In the early days of cocktails – before they were codified by the legendary Jerry Thomas – the Black Strap, also known as the Black Stripe, was all the rage. It’s a swashbuckling mix (it requires a “pirate” rum) with a history that’s virtually impossible to piece together.
The Mysterious History of the Black Stripe (or Black Strap)
In the prehistory of cocktails, nobody bothered to record how drinks were prepared. All that mattered was that they were served and that their taste was vaguely consistent with that of other bars. Everything else was considered superfluous. Bartenders probably passed on their recipes by word of mouth, with all the inaccuracies that can crop up as a result.
The Black Strap or Black Stripe originated in this historical period. Which explains the existence of two different names, because a lack of concern for the ingredients’ exact proportions was often accompanied by little interest in the uniformity of a drink’s designation.
Then Jerry Thomas (1830-1885) changed mixology when he had the idea to create a written record of cocktails’ recipes and methods. In 1862 he published the book Bar-Tender’s Guide and told us a few things about the Black Stripe (of the two names in vogue, he opted for this one).
The Fundamental Contribution of Jerry Thomas
Jerry Thomas said a lot, but he didn’t say everything. Probably because some details were simply unknowable. For example, if no one bothered to pass on who created the Black Stripe, there’s no way Thomas could tell us. Today, this remains an impossible piece of information to unearth.
There’s no clarity about the drink’s year of invention either. Historian David Wondrich suggests that it has existed since at least 1833, but other sources indicate as much as 30 years later. However, going by what we know today, Wondrich’s version is the most widely accepted, and many deduce that his “at least since 1833” implies an even earlier origin.
In any case, Thomas states that there are two versions of the same cocktail: one cold and one hot. Although the ingredients and proportions are basically identical.
The Black Stripe Cocktail Recipe
Bar-Tender’s Guide uses a glass of wine as a measuring cup. To turn it into millilitres, we relied on what David Wondrich wrote in Imbibe! (which lists both drink names, Black Strap and Black Stripe). We also note that Wondrich recommends using a Caribbean molasses, preferably from Barbados, and a “pirate” rum, i.e. one with an intense, rugged flavour. On a final note, Wondrich openly says that Black Strap served cold isn’t worth the trouble.
Ingredients
- 60 ml rum
- 15 ml molasses
- water as required
Procedure
Whether you want to serve it cold or hot, the first thing to do is to take a tumbler glass and dilute the molasses with a little water: 60 millilitres for the hot version, 30 millilitres and ice cubes for the cold one. Then add the rum and drink to the golden days of piracy.
Garnish
None.
