by Leo Suarez

Drink Cherry Bounce at Deep South

Deep South is serving up some Cherry Bounce. You may remember them from this BeerCon Post. If you are not familiar with the Raleigh history around the drink, read:

In the late 1700s, North Carolina legislators traveled to rotating capital cities to meet and conduct the state’s official business. So how did an oak-shaded area in Wake County become the permanent state capital?

The official story goes that the Constitutional Convention met in 1788 and decided the capital must be established within 10 miles of Isaac Hunter’s tavern and plantation in Wake County. After exploring the area, the commissioners agreed to purchase a parcel of land from Joel Lane, a local Revolutionary War colonel who had hosted General Assembly sessions at his home during the war. In 1792 Lane sold one thousand acres of his Wake County property for 1,378 pounds ($2,756) to provide a site for North
Carolina’s permanent capital, Raleigh.

But according to local legend, Lane, who–like Isaac Hunter–operated a tavern and inn out of his house, relied upon a potent fruit and alcohol drink called Cherry Bounce to sway the legislators in favor of buying property from him, rather than Hunter. Cherry Bounce is a concoction made up of mashed cherries, sugar and whiskey or brandy, aged for several weeks. Visitors today are not likely to find Cherry Bounce in Raleigh, but they will find that the tradition of Southern hospitality–inspired by the city’s “founding father”–continues.

– Via [Visit Raleigh]

Talk to your local bartenders and get them to serve Cherry Bounce too.

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2 Comments

  2. My gggf was William DePriest, whom his ggf brought Cherry Trees over from France in 1685 to New Kent Co, VA. and planted next to Martha Washington plantation. In 1783, President Washington gave the DePriest 10,000 acres in Rutherford NC, where they planted and distilled Cherry Bounce on what is now called Cherry Mountain. The land grant was because William’s father and Washington were friends and neighbors, and during the Revolutionary War William Sr. died in a British jail waiting trail for counterfeiting British pounds on behalf of Patrick Henry under Washington’s orders.

    My families legend is that William DePriest shared the family recipe brought over from France dating back to 1577 to make Cherry Bounce with Uncle Amos, who really made it famous.. A former employee took Uncle Amos recipe and sold it for 3 shillings to Isaac Lane who were always at odds with each other on who’s Cherry Bounce was better. DePriest Tavern is on the Tax Rolls in 1785.
    Someday, I hope to get a cherry tree from Cherry Mountain and distill my families recipe. Anybody know of a local nursery in the area? I live in New Mexico now.

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