Why Did The Confederacy Drink This?

[@buckgulick3968]

Oddly enough "Instant coffee" came out during the Civil War too. Back in my long past reenacting/Park Ranger days we learned this and after much researching (pre internet, so it was a crapload of archive searching, Camp Chase Gazette, journal, library reading, museum visits) we actually made some. It was kind of a sticky paste basically made with dried powdered coffee & condensed milk and looked (and smelled) closer to thick asphalt tar than coffee, BUT when mixed with hot water was really very tasty. Plus quite a conversation starter around the campfire. Great video! I love when you visit the myriad of other topics of the old west. Brings the past to life.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Thank you, sir! I honestly would try something like that!

[@Tony-c9b]

@@buckgulick3968 Fascinating. Thank you for sharing that 😮! As a kid growing up in the UK (I’m 66 yo now) I remember a commercial product called “Camp Coffee”. It came in a small glass bottle and had a picture of a soldier on the label. It was a black liquid and if I remember correctly it was made from chicory, not any sort of coffee bean. Kindest regards and merry Christmas 😉!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Love the faces you made. So badly wanted that to be good, I could tell.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

I really did! I wanted it to be good. Unfortunately, it was the complete opposite! It was rough!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

@@SaintAndrewTV Yeah. If there was a time machine, and we could go back....I'm a bit afraid of how food and drinks might taste!

[@SaintAndrewTV]

The latest video you did on a Miner’s Christmas made my skin crawl hearing about bear steaks. I’m no culinary expert, but I do know that beat meat is essentially inedible. You have to know your stuff, if not, you’ll BEAR the consequences… … like parasites in your system.

[@anangryranger]

The look on your face when you took a sip of that concoction was priceless!🤢🤮 Wasn't sure if you'd live to tell the tale!😂 Back in the 1970s I was 1STSGT of a Texas reenactment Infantry unit out of Waco. We'd try to remain "authentic" as possible. On a bivouac in the woods, we made a coffee substitute one morning. It consisted of burnt bread and burnt hardtack, with a little chicory mixed in. Well, it wasn't Folgers, but it wasn't awful either. ☕️ Hope Santa brings you lots of loot!😊

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Well, I hope you don’t mind, but think I’m going to screenshot that recipe! Thank you, Wade! Hopefully you’re a on Santa’s good side! I don’t think I am!

[@anangryranger]

@SaintAndrewTV Yes sir, that was something that my father told me about his grandfather's stories he would relate to him of his days in the mid and late 19th century. And when we tried it with the reenactment unit, we found that it wasn't half bad.😉

[@SaintAndrewTV]

@ don’t be surprised if I steal this idea too! Maybe I’ll create a new series! “Coffee Recipes of the Civil War”

[@anangryranger]

@SaintAndrewTV I have a book that's called The Civil War Cook Book from Pioneer Press from 1970 or so. If I can locate it, I'll send it to you. It's not doing me .uch good in storage in my barn among hundreds of books.😉

[@SaintAndrewTV]

@ I’ll be a bit cliché here, but it sounds like the gift that keeps on giving!

[@gerhardzeilinger7010]

Great Show. Watching your clips let me feel the spirit of the good ol' times. Please more. Merry christmas and a happy New year from Austria/Europe

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Thank you so much, friend! Hope all is well to you and yours!

[@raiiny_day42]

A quick search told me that confederate soldiers did have a easier access to tea which does contain caffeine. Also, they drank dandelion root, which has an earthy and similar taste to coffee. No caffeine though.

[@almirria6753]

Chociey grows wild just about everywhere as well

[@TSG042]

Yeehaw! Time to drink western bean water! Good video, Saint Andrew.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Thank you, friend! I appreciate it!

[@dwarden7829]

I love this, man! Your face told everyone exactly what that tasted like. Not to mention the f*cking bad. Lmao..Merry Christmas, sir!

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Thank you! And the same to you and yours! Be safe!

[@alexlanstrum4107]

Thanx for takin' one for the team Andrew! Last comment was hilarious!

[@SaintAndrewTV]

And thank you for watching, Alex!

[@Tony-c9b]

Merry Christmas St Andrew! Thank you for sharing your fascinating research regarding what Johnny Reb did to stay sustained when supplies were short and times were hard 😳!

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Of course, Tony! Thank you!

[@scottpeterson2692]

I may be mistaken, but I saw something very similar to what you had made but the admixture of rye berries and granular sweet potatoes was pan roasted over low coals until a medium brown. Then it was made as a coffee.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

That sounds right. Probably would’ve tasted better too.

[@scottpeterson2692]

@@SaintAndrewTV brother the face you were making on that screen had the look of somebody that was forced to lick a cow's hoof at gunpoint. It was worth watching the video just to see your expression!

[@Arizona_Kid]

Actually when the notification popped up I figured it was Confederate coffee.. 😂 Glad the cigar butts got an honorable mention anyway! Think I'll stick to good old coffee beans tho!

[@SaintAndrewTV]

To be a honest as possible friend, I gave it legitimate thought!

[@Arizona_Kid]

@SaintAndrewTV I wonder if the tobacco from the cigar butts would give the coffee a similar "buzz" to caffeine. Still not gonna try it! Thanks for sacrificing your taste buds for science!

[@SaintAndrewTV]

@ we are a scientifically driven community! I’d do it again!

[@harvey_carson]

"damn it picket I told you not to do it"

[@LizzyTexBorden]

Yep. Looks rank.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Very rank!

[@richardphillips8475]

Don't know but you have two of my favorite things. I prefer sweet potato pie over pumpkin and rye toast or bread for sandwiches.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

As individuals, both are very good. Combined and prepared like this? Absolutely not!

[@feroshuskitsu]

It's interesting to me that I've heard both "don't boil the coffee" and "boil the coffee" (Kent rollins) for cowboy coffee. So I tried actually boiling the coffee (in heated water so it didn't start cold) and it seemed fine to me. None of the claimed bitterness, dunno.

[@MilagroMadMan]

Well I will be honest, that is a hard pass for me. I’m glad you tasted it so I don’t have to! Merry Christmas my friend.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

No worries, Reed! Anything for you guys! Merry Christmas to you as well!

[@fredallen7493]

Did your face hurt, drinking that nasty brew? I mean, I didn't know a human face could contort into those shapes! Lol. Coffee, and coffee only.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

lol right? I agree! Coffee!

[@tylertapp131]

Lol hmm pretty interesting ill admit, somethin else I heard was used if im not mistaken, was dandelion root. I'm sure they were roasting and grindin up just about anything to have something.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

That is something they did! I’m not even familiar with what dandelion root tastes like! I’d venture to guess nothing like coffee!

[@tylertapp131]

@@SaintAndrewTV lol probably not 😆

[@CORYJOHNM]

I was choking and laughing in tears watching this. Real curious why they didn't roast the sweet potato crunchies. What you drank just then probably needed a cigar butt to add that deep aroma.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Your guess is as good as mine! I’m glad you had some enjoyable moments throughout this video!

[@CORYJOHNM]

@SaintAndrewTV my absolute favorite guy

[@SaintAndrewTV]

@@CORYJOHNM that warms my heart, friend! Thank you!

[@chazcarson8916]

any civil war book says the south had tobacco and peanuts the yankees usually had coffee and flour good trade ah

[@trentroth6717]

Thank you for braving this for us haha

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Haha! You’re welcome!

[@tba113]

Hmm... Foul, gets your attention, and full of fiber. A warrior's drink! The title of this episode is brilliant, it takes on an entirely different tone after the taste test. On the subject of caffeine, perhaps its "what did I do to deserve this" flavor is what helped groggy troops on the march wake up.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

I stand by my statement “nobody deserves to drink this”! Fiber and warmth were the only two similarities to coffee.

[@donl1410]

YUM! Just hits the spot 🤣

[@SeanPat1001]

The only thing I can think of is that sweet potatoes have a lot of calories to the beverage. For soldiers who are living in tents during cold weather, this might have some benefit. I appreciate your bravery. I don’t think I will try this one.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Thank you! And I wouldn’t!

[@garysorrells8133]

Sounds like you made some sweet potato and rye soup 🍲

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Regardless of what you call it, it’s still abhorrent.

[@deniskozlowski9370]

You can be sure that some confederate veterans probably drank this till the day they died. Just like the guy who has a gourmet burger then complains that it doesn't taste like Burger King.

[@SaintAndrewTV]

That’s a good way to put it! Thank you!

[@jackdorsey4850]

My hero your brave

[@SaintAndrewTV]

Thank you! I’d do anything for my beautiful community!

[@jackdorsey4850]

@@SaintAndrewTV You Did

[@anangryranger]

@@jackdorsey4850 Like sacrificing your stomach lining for us all!😳😅

[@ShrimpyOutdoors]

You need a Mic brother, audio is lacking heavily

[@travisreed1730]

Your face says it tastes like SADNESS.