Homemade Allspice Dram is an essential ingredient in the best Fall co*cktails, and now you can make this spiced liqueur yourself, right at home using rum and whole spices.
Have you heard of Allspice Dram? If you’re hitting the co*cktail scene this month chances are you’ll run into this allspice liqueur.
I had no idea it existed until I was talking with my daughter’s boyfriend about fall drinks for this series of posts. They’re now settled in Madison Wisconsin and he’s working at a very cool farm-to-table restaurant and craft bar. I figure if anyone has their finger on the pulse of current fall spirits, he does. The minute he mentioned Allspice Dram, and told me that it was an allspice infused rum liqueur, I knew I had to try it.
Allspice is a Jamaican spice— the dried fruit, or berries, of the Pimenta dioica tree.
It’s widely used in Caribbean cooking, and the name comes from the fact that the English, who first tasted it back in the 16th century, found the flavor to be a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I think to this day a lot of people avoid buying it because in the back of their mind they think it’s just a mix of common spices.
After looking in my local stores, I hit the mega liquor store BevMo. They didn’t have any either, and it’s out of stock on their website. Turns out this is somewhat of an elusive liqueur, sometimes available, sometimes not, so many bars make their own. If you like the flavor of spiced rum, you will love this.
This recipe is slightly adapted from Serious Eats. It’s simple to put together, and the hardest part is going to be waiting for it to ‘stew’. In the meantime I put together a fun list of fall co*cktails and drinks that use Allspice Dram, below. If you love the idea of making your own liqueur, try my Homemade Pumpkin Liqueur, my Homemade Irish Cream. or my Instant Pot Limoncello!
Homemade Allspice Dram
Homemade Allspice Dram is an essential ingredient in the best Fall co*cktails, and now you can make it yourself, right at home!
Prep Time:3 days days
Cook Time:10 minutes minutes
Total Time:3 days days 10 minutes minutes
Ingredients
- 1/8 cup whole allspice berries
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup rum, you can use light or dark, I used dark
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
Instructions
Crush the allspice berries in a spice grinder, or with a mortar and pestle. You want them roughly cracked and crushed, don't grind them into a powder.
Put the allspice in a sealable glass jar, a mason jar is perfect.
Pour the rum in the jar, put the lid on, and give it a shake.
Let the rum sit for a day, then break up the the cinnamon stick and add it to the jar.
After 2 days, strain out the rum with a fine mesh strainer. Then put it through a coffee filter to filter out the smaller particles.
Meanwhile, bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes. Let cool, then mix into the infused rum. Pour into your final bottle and let rest for 2 days before using.
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Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: allspice, co*cktail mixer, co*cktails, dram, rum
Nutrition
Serving: 1 · Calories: 1198 kcal · Carbohydrates: 168 g · Protein: 2 g · Fat: 3 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2 g · Sodium: 84 mg · Potassium: 524 mg · Fiber: 8 g · Sugar: 142 g · Vitamin A: 170 IU · Vitamin C: 12 mg · Calcium: 363 mg · Iron: 4 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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notes:
- This is a potent liqueur, and a little goes a long way. You won’t be guzzling this down on its own. The allspice gives it a powerful spicy kick, and the holiday-like flavors linger on your tongue.
- Recycle bottles in your kitchen, (my ‘infusing jar’ is a Classico spaghetti sauce jar) or find lots of interesting bottles here.
Fall co*cktails made with Allspice Dram:
The Boozy Mulled Cider
Northern Spy
The Soothsayer
The Pumpkin Flip
Black Wednesday
Fall Ginger Smash
Winter Waltz
The Lion’s Tail
Jalisco Pear
The Tackler
Hot Buttered Rum
Lizzie’s Pippin
Solstice
Cheers!
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FAQs
Combine the rum and crushed allspice berries in a quart-sized glass jar, seal the lid tightly and give it a good shake. Steep for 10 days. Strain the allspice-infused rum through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan and add the sugar.
What is a substitute for allspice dram? ›
Allspice dram substitute
You can make a quick substitute for allspice dram with rum, Angostura bitters, and simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water). Combine 1 oz of white rum, 3/4 oz of simple syrup and 5 dashes of Angostura bitters. Use this in place of the allspice dram in your drink recipe.
Does allspice dram go bad? ›
It isn't going to spoil, but the flavor will change over time if you keep it too long.
What seasonings does allspice have in it? ›
Often mistaken for a blend of spices, allspice is a single-ingredient seasoning with loads of unique flavor. Its name is derived from the flavor profile — a mixture of nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon and clove. Not all spices, but many of the most impactful.
Should you refrigerate allspice dram? ›
Today, allspice dram is made in relatively the same manner. The flavor is best described as a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. The amber-colored liqueur can be stored like other liqueurs (no need to refrigerate open bottles).
What is St. Elizabeth's allspice dram? ›
St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram is a traditional preparation made with smoky Jamaican pot-still rum. Famous with bourbon in the Lion's Tail. Use Allspice Dram in rum punches, as the base note of numerous tropical drinks, in mulled wine or the seasoning for sangria.
What is the closest spice to allspice? ›
While allspice is a spice on its own, not a blend, it's very easy to create a similar-tasting mixture with spices you already have in your kitchen. Whisk 3½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves, then use as a 1:1 replacement for ground allspice in a recipe.
What pairs well with allspice dram? ›
The classic pairing for allspice dram is rum—rum is the liqueur's base, after all. Here, we're presenting that pairing in a classic sour—citrus, sugar and egg white.
What can I substitute for 1 teaspoon of allspice? ›
The brand also recommends using a trio of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to make a substitute but prefers these ratios: ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves. Use as a 1:1 substitute in a recipe that calls for one teaspoon of allspice.
Are 10 year old spices safe? ›
The bottom line
Generally, spices that are past their prime aren't dangerous to consume, but they will lose their aroma and flavor potency over time.
Once opened, drink the liqueur within six months to a year and keep the bottle sealed. If exposed to too much air, Chambord will oxidize and get an orangish-brown color.
What's the difference between Grand Marnier and Cointreau? ›
Cointreau is a type of triple sec, whereas Grand Marnier is triple sec combined with cognac. Both are classified as orange liqueurs in the United States. Both have 40% alcohol by volume. Cointreau is unaged, while Grand Marnier contains barrel-aged cognac.
Can I substitute 5 spices for allspice? ›
It has a warm, earthy flavor with hints of sweetness. Its specific taste resembles a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, and cloves. With this flavor profile, you can swap Chinese 5 spice with the same amount of ground allspice in your recipe. However, you can also use dried whole allspice berries.
What does allspice do for your body? ›
Allspice is used for indigestion (dyspepsia), intestinal gas, abdominal pain, heavy menstrual periods, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, colds, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. It is also used for emptying the bowels.
What spices are in McCormick allspice? ›
McCormick Culinary Ground Allspice features a woody flavor combination reminiscent of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sourced especially for chefs, McCormick Culinary Ground Allspice is carefully ground for authentic flavor and soft, consistent texture in any chef-inspired recipe.
What is allspice derived from? ›
Allspice, also known as Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, or pimento, is the dried unripe berry of Pimenta dioica, a midcanopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, now cultivated in many warm parts of the world.
What is the breakdown of allspice? ›
Allspice is a spice made from the dried berries of a plant known as Pimenta dioica, which is a member of the myrtle family. The flavor of allspice brings to mind cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper. Allspice is used in Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and Latin American cuisines, among others.
What are the compounds in allspice? ›
Allspice contains a large amount of phenols, or aromatic compounds. Many phenols are being studied as cancer-fighting treatments. Quercetin, ericifolin, eugenol, and gallic acid are being studied for their ability to slow the growth of cancer cells.
Is allspice and 7 spice the same? ›
The short answer is no. Allspice is a combination of flavors similar to cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. It's just one of the spices that make up the Lebanese seven spices. However, some recipes will state to use ground allspice instead of this blend if you can't get your hands on it.
