Page "Cuisine of the United States" Paragraph 19

Prior to the Revolution, New Englanders consumed large quantities of rum and beer, as maritime trade provided them relatively easy access to the goods needed to produce these items: Rum was the distilled spirit of choice, as the main ingredient, molasses, was readily available from trade with the West Indies.

Further into the interior, however, one would often find colonists consuming whiskey, as they did not have similar access to sugar cane.

They did have ready access to corn and rye, which they used to produce their whiskey.

However, until the Revolution, many considered whiskey to be a coarse alcohol unfit for human consumption, as many believed that it caused the poor to become raucous and unkempt drunkards.

In addition to these alcohol-based products produced in America, imports were seen on merchant shelves, including wine and brandy.