The Blasted Heath

Blow My Skull Off

During the Australian goldrush of the 1850s, Melbourne gave birth to a number of what could be called cocktails. The most savage of these was The Blow My Skull Off. It consisted of the following:  opium, cayenne pepper, spirits of wine (which would be something like grappa or marc), rum, and sugar to taste.

Here’s a recipe for it, which oddly leaves out the opium and cayenne and substitutes brandy for “spirits of wine”.

Blow my Skull Off
Two pints Boiling water
Quantum Sufficient loaf sugar
Lime or lemon juice
Pint of Ale or Porter
Pint of Rum
Half a Pint of Brandy
The English and Australian Cookery Book, 1864, Edward Abbott.

Another ingredient left out that appears to have been originally included was cocculus indicus. This is the fruit of the Anamirta climbing plant, found in South East Asia and India. The fruit contains the picrotoxin  used to stun fish but also used by 19^th century brewers to impart “giddiness” to their beers.  Charles Dickens fumed against  those "brewers and beer-sellers of low degree,... who do not understand the wholesome policy of selling wholesome beverage." It was outlawed in England in the 1850s with fines of £500 for its sale and £200 pounds for its use.

Landlord, a pint of your finest Blow My Skull Off!!!