AHC: Rum still the most popular liquor in the United States

[VidaLaVida]

Before the American Revolution, rum was very widely produced, traded, and consumed in the American colonies. Rum manufacturing was one of the most profitable industries in New England, and estimates of its comsumption say that people in the colonies drank an average of 14 liters of rum each year. Even after the Revolution, George Washington ordered a big barrel of Barbados rum to be served at his inauguration.

But soon enough, rum declined in the U.S., and whiskey replaced it as the more commonly produced and consumed liquor (note that this is looking at hard liquor, not drinks like beer or wine). Trade with rum-producing British colonies in the Caribbean was restricted, and over time, whiskey simply became cheaper to make.

So, with a POD set after the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783, prevent this decline somehow. Make it so that rum is not overtaken by whiskey in terms of how widely manufactured and consumed it is, and have it remain America's main liquor of choice.

 

[Maniakes]

It's be much easier with a slightly early POD. My guess is that the two main reasons for the rise of whiskey over rum were:

1. Western expansion, especially into the Northwest Territory. Lots of land that's great for growing wheat and corn, and until the internal improvements network gets up and running, it's a lot cheaper to ship whiskey to market back East than grain.
2. Political separation from the British Empire. Rum's harder to get if the British West Indies are now part of a different country.

It's too late to avert #1, but #2 could be mitigated by avoiding the Embargo Acts and the War of 1812. Maybe a stronger Federalist party (especially the High Federalist faction) leads to better relations with Britain, as well as a higher excise on domestic whiskey.

 

[St. Just]

American Cuba. Gives us a clear market to make rum, and the quality is great enough to have Cuban rum be co-equal with whiskey.