Sundowner...

[BoldHighlander]

So, recently I've been home sick and have been catching up on my reading, in this case a series of books about big game hunting in Africa (Capstick, Ruark, etc).

Currently I'm reading White Hunters; the golden age of the African safaris (by Brian Herne). One theme I keep running across was the popular evening drink called a Sundowner. I've heard of this drink before, but never had one, so out of curiousity I googled it to see what made a Sundowner. WOW! Big surprise!
What I've run into is a number of recipes for a drink called a Sundowner. Some have rum amongst its ingredients, others have brandy. Some have niether and are made entirely of various liqueurs. And yet still, I've ran across a non-alcoholic version!?

Okay, my question:
Does anybody know what the late 19th century/very early 20th century (pre-1920) version of the Sundowner recipe would be?

[Diles46]

hmmm, maybe just a name for drinking at a given time, like a night cap?ith:

[Downunder Kilt]

Terry, from readings, a Sundowner, appears to be any drink taken after finishing work at sundown. As it is of british origin of the 1870/80's I would assume that whatever ingredients were at hand would be consumed and become the Sundowner of the day

I think all the recipes that are on the web would be of a relatively modern nature

I know that in country Australia a cold beer was often refered to a a sundowner in the early 20th century

[Duke of Delrio]

I remember reading one of Sir Winston Churchill's historical accounts, and he mentions the term of "Sundowner" as having developed during the time of the British East India Company when it was thought that gin was an antedote for malaria. Others have said it was only the gin which made the daily administration of quinine (in tonic water) bearable.

In either case, gin and tonic was the "sundowner" of choice in India and in those parts of Africa under British influence for many years.

[Downunder Kilt]

I think GnT was the drink at any time of the day or night for those in the service during those years

[BoldHighlander]

All makes sense to me.
Thank you gentlemen.

[DougC]

Poked arond and found this link:

http://books.google.com/books?id=J4_...0drink&f=false

Seems like a sundowner is a tody at sunset.

[BoldHighlander]

Poked arond and found this link:

http://books.google.com/books?id=J4_...0drink&f=false

Seems like a sundowner is a tody at sunset.

And I notice in the example given that the gentleman "kept to his 3 whiskies at sundown."

Thanks for the link!

[BoldHighlander]

Came across an interesting tid-bit while reading White Hunters; the golden age of the African safaris, though I don't know if it applies to Sundowners or not.

pg 61:
"All manner of luxuries, including champagne (in preference to wine, which did not travel well on the heads of porters) and caviar, were transported into the wilderness at great cost."

This was around 1904.

Cheers!

[artificer]

pg 61:[/B]
"All manner of luxuries, including champagne (in preference to wine, which did not travel well on the heads of porters) and caviar, were transported into the wilderness at great cost."

This was around 1904.

Cheers!

THAT is how I prefer my camping! Talk about 'roughing it'