Negus

A Negus is a hot drink, similar to a Mull except that it is heated through the addition of hot water instead of heating up the wine as well. As such, it is also similar to the Toddy, Sling, and Skin except that the Negus appears to be always heated (?), while the others can be served cold as well.

Base Recipe

Negus

• 2 ounces Port (or sherry or other sweet wine)
• 1 Sugar cube
• 1/2 ounce Lemon juice
• 4 ounces water (boiling)

Before juicing the lemon, over your pre-heated mug, rub the sugar cube over the skin to scrape off the yellow and absorb the oils. Add the port, sugar, and lemon juice to the mug, then pour over it the boiling water. Stir to combine and dissolve the sugar. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Origin

This drink was apparently named after a Colonel Francis Negus, who is said to have invented it. Here is the relevant portion of an entry about Col. Francis Negus as it appeared in the "Dictionary Of National Biography" (Volume XL : Myllar – Nicholls) from 1894:

NEGUS, FRANCIS (d. 1732), reputed inventor of negus, ... It is related that on one occasion, when the bottle was passing rather more rapidly than good fellowship seemed to warrant over a hot political discussion, in which a number of prominent whigs and tories were taking part, Negus recommended the dilution of the wine with hot water and sugar. Attention was diverted from the point at issue to a discussion of the merits of wine and water, which ended in the compound being nicknamed ‘negus.’ A correspondent of the 'Gentleman's Magazine' (1799, i. 119) states that the term first obtained currency in Negus's regiment. A contemporary, Thomas Vernon of Ashton (1704-1753), thus recommends the mixture: ' After a morning's walk, half a pint of white wine, made hot and sweetened a little, is recond very good. Col. Negus, a gent of taste, advises it, I have heard say ' (Notes and Queries, 1st ser. x. 10). Malone in his ' Life of Dryden ' (prefixed to ' Prose Works,' 1800, i. 484) definitely states that the mixture called negus was invented by Colonel Negus in Queen Anne's time. The term was at first applied exclusively to a concoction made with port wine, and hence the ingenious but improbable suggestion made by Dr. Fennell, that the name may have a punning connection with the line in 'Paradise Lost,' xi. 397, ' Th' empire of Negus to his utmost port ' (Stanford Dictionary, p. 569). The word appears in French as négus, and is defined by Littre as a kind of ' lemonade au vin.'

External Links

• The Negus (Esquire Drinks)
• Negus (Difford's Guide)
• Negus (Wikipedia)