Well, I will need to try this during the summer….
A few years back, I was instructing at a summer school on the culinary history of the Caribbean. During the interactive workshop, students devised food rituals, summoned significant food memories, and crafted a Caribbean cocktail. They chose to make a Guinness Punch—a favorite on several British-colonized islands. This mixture of strong stout beer, creamy, sweet condensed milk, and a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg is a delightful fusion of flavors.
Guinness was known to me through both sides of my family. The Irish connection was apparent since Guinness was founded in Dublin, but why was it also known from the Caribbean side? As it turns out, in the seventeenth century, the Irish were engaged as contract laborers on plantations in the Caribbean. Due to their substantial presence in the area, Guinness decided to export beer there—with more alcohol and hops, ensuring it stayed good during the transatlantic journey. When I learned this, I felt a strong sense of connection: the unlikely merging of two clashing cultures had given rise to something beautiful and tasty and no, I’m not referring to myself!
Ingredients
- 1 bottle (500 ml or roughly 2 cups) of Guinness West Indies Porter
- 1 cup (250 ml) (oat) milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) of condensed milk
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus extra
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons overproof rum (high-alcohol rum; optional)
- ice cubes, to serve
Instructions
- Place all ingredients, except the ice cubes, into a blender and pulse several times. Serve in glasses with ice cubes and a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg on top.
Heard this on the Good Food podcast. Which I highly suggest listening to.