Sandra This warming, spicy Alton Brown Allspice Dram is made with toasted allspice berries, navy-strength rum, and sugar, ready after a 10-day steep. The resulting liqueur transforms simple cocktails into complex, aromatic masterpieces with a deep, clove-like kick. I love having a bottle of this on my bar cart because it adds an instant layer of professional-quality flavor to everything from tiki drinks to holiday punches.
The Secret To Getting It Right
I learned quickly that the specific type of rum you use here matters more than you might think. Alton Brown specifically calls for navy-strength rum, which sits around 57% ABV, significantly higher than your standard liquor store bottle. This high alcohol content isn’t just about the buzz; it acts as a more powerful solvent, extracting essential oils from the hard allspice berries much more efficiently than a standard 40% spirit ever could.
The other crucial lesson is the toasting step. Skipping the toast results in a flat, one-dimensional spice flavor that gets lost behind the burn of the alcohol. By heating the berries until they release their oils before crushing them, you wake up those dormant aromatics—creating a liqueur that tastes vibrant and alive rather than just dusty and strong.
Alton Brown Allspice Dram Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole allspice berries
- 2 1/2 cups navy-strength rum (57% ABV or higher)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
How To Make Alton Brown Allspice Dram
- Toast the Berries: Place a heavy skillet over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the whole allspice berries and toast them, shaking the pan occasionally, until they become fragrant (about 1 minute). Remove from heat immediately so they don’t burn.
- Crush and Combine: Roughly crush the toasted berries using a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a heavy pan; you want chunks, not powder. Transfer the crushed berries to a quart-sized glass jar (like a Mason jar).
- Steep: Pour the navy-strength rum over the berries. Seal the lid tightly and give the jar a vigorous shake. Store the jar in a cool, dark place for exactly 10 days to let the flavors extract.
- Strain and Sweeten: After 10 days, strain the infused rum through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan to remove the solids. Add the granulated sugar directly to the liquid.
- Dissolve and Finish: Place the saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved, which should take about 15 minutes. Do not let it boil. Allow the mixture to cool completely to room temperature before bottling.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the strain: Use a fine-mesh sieve or even a coffee filter for the final strain if you want a crystal-clear liqueur. Sediment can make the final product taste muddy or gritty over time.
- Watch the heat: When dissolving the sugar, keep the heat very low. You want to dissolve the crystals, not cook off the alcohol you just spent 10 days infusing.
- Check the ABV: If you can’t find specific “navy strength” rum, look for any rum labeled “overproof” or 151 proof. Just remember that the higher the alcohol percentage you start with, the stronger your final dram will be.
- Glass is best: Always steep and store in glass. Plastic containers can absorb the potent allspice oils and leech flavors into your precious liqueur.
What To Serve With Allspice Dram
This liqueur is a staple in classic Tiki cocktails, adding a necessary spice backbone to drinks like the Ancient Mariner or a Three Dots and a Dash. It also pairs beautifully with bourbon in a Lion’s Tail cocktail, where the clove notes complement the whiskey’s natural vanilla flavors. For a simple winter warmer, try adding a splash to hot apple cider or mulled wine.
How To Store
Store your finished Allspice Dram in a sealed glass bottle or jar at room temperature. Because of the high alcohol content and sugar, it is shelf-stable and will last indefinitely, though the flavors may mellow slightly after the first year. There is no need to refrigerate it.
FAQs
- Can I use brown sugar instead of granulated?
Yes, you can use light brown sugar for a deeper, molasses-like flavor, though Alton’s specific recipe calls for granulated to keep the allspice flavor pure. - Why is my dram cloudy?
Cloudiness usually comes from fine allspice dust making it through the strainer. It’s purely cosmetic, but you can run it through a coffee filter if you prefer a clear look. - Is this the same as Pimento Dram?
Yes, Allspice Dram and Pimento Dram are the same thing. In Jamaica, the allspice tree is often referred to as the Pimento tree. - Can I drink this straight?
Technically yes, but it is extremely potent in both flavor and alcohol. It is designed to be used as a modifier in cocktails rather than a sipping liqueur.
Nutrition
- Calories: 85
- Total Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 1mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 7g
- Protein: 0g
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Alton Brown Allspice Dram Recipe
Description
A homemade, deeply spiced Caribbean liqueur essential for classic Tiki cocktails and holiday drinks, made by steeping toasted allspice berries in high-proof rum.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Toast whole allspice berries in a heavy skillet over low heat for about 1 minute until fragrant; remove immediately.
- Roughly crush the toasted berries (leave in chunks, do not powder).
- Transfer crushed berries to a quart-sized glass jar.
- Pour navy-strength rum over the berries, seal tightly, and shake vigorously.
- Store in a cool, dark place for exactly 10 days to steep.
- After 10 days, strain the infused rum through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan.
- Add granulated sugar directly to the liquid.
- Heat over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved (do not boil).
- Cool completely to room temperature before bottling.
Notes
- Toasting the whole spices before crushing them awakens their volatile oils, resulting in a much more pungent, complex flavor than using raw or pre-ground spices.
- Using “navy-strength” (high-proof) rum is scientifically necessary because the higher alcohol concentration acts as a powerful solvent, extracting flavor compounds from the woody berries much more efficiently than standard 80-proof liquor.
- Dissolving the sugar directly into the infused rum over low heat, rather than making a separate water-based simple syrup, prevents diluting the final dram and maintains its robust, shelf-stable proof.
