Rumfustian was to 19th-century university students what jungle juice is to 21st-century college kids. This mix of gin, egg yolks, beer, white wine, nutmeg and lemon juice was one of a number of cocktails included in Oxford Night Caps: Being a Collection of Receipts for Making Various Beverages Used in the University (1835-1931) by Robert Cook according to The Economist. Perhaps more artful than today’s garbage can concoctions, Oxford Night Caps‘ recipes instructed students in the art of punch, Mint Juleps and Champagne Cups until the dawn of processed ingredients following WWII.
And though university-goers’ taste for cocktails has ebbed and flowed over the years, they’ve always had a taste for good ale. At Oxford “When a Rector of Exeter College watered down the college’s supply in the 17th century, students threatened to leave unless the requisite strength was reinstated.” Thankfully, the Rector lost that battle. [The Economist] [Photo: Flickr/Tejvan Pettinger]