July 12, 1861: A little refreshment from the Daily Dispatch

Sometimes it's good just to stop and enjoy a little refreshment. On this day 150 years ago, Richmond's Daily Dispatch shared some ideas for Richmonders looking to cool their thirst without ice from Yankee icehouses, as well as some ideas for stronger refreshments.

Substitute for Ice water.

--We publish the following for the benefit of those who are so fortunate as to own wells or cisterns:
Take an ordinary stone jug, fill it with the drinking water you use, cork tightly and sink the jug in the well or cistern pretty deep. The water in an hour or so becomes very cold, and is much more wholesome than iced water to drink. By having two jugs, a constant supply of cool water for drinking purposes could be kept up at no expense whatever. And this releases us in a great measure from another dependence upon the North.

Corn beer.

--Soak one pint of corn, and boil it until it is soft; add to it a pint of molasses and one gallon of water; shake them well together, and set it by the fire, and in twenty-four hours the beer will be excellent. When all the beer in the jug is need, just add more molasses and water. The same corn will answer for six months, and the beer will be fit for use in twelve hours by keeping the jug where it is warm. In this way the ingredients used in making a gallon of beer will not cost over four cents, and it is better and more wholesome than cider. A little yeast greatly forwards the working of the beer.

Blackberry Cordial.

--To half a bushel of blackberries well mashed, add a quarter of a pound of allspice, two ounces of cinnamon and two of cloves, pulverize well, mix and boil till property done, then strain or squeeze through flannel or homespun, and add to each pint of juice one pound of sugar; boil again for ten or fifteen minutes, take it off and while hot add half a gallon of best Cognac or old apple brandy.