Brian Whelan depicted an angel and a devil drinking poteen. |
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| Type | Distilled beverage |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Alcohol by volume | 60%–95% |
| Colour | Clear |
Poitín [ˈpˠotʲiːn], anglicised as poteen, is a traditional Irish distilled, highly alcoholic beverage (60%-95% ABV).[1] Poitín was traditionally distilled in a small pot still and the term is a diminutive[2] of the Irish word pota, meaning "pot". Traditionally distilled from malted barley grain or potatoes, it is one of the strongest alcoholic beverages in the world, and for centuries was illegal in Ireland.[3]
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Irish moonshine, along with all other private distillation not specifically licensed by the state, was outlawed in 1661.[1] On 7 March 1997, the Irish Revenue Commissioners withdrew their opposition to poitín being sold under license in the Republic of Ireland. Production for export has been allowed since 1989.[4] Poitín remains illegal in Northern Ireland however.[5][6] In 2008, Irish Poitín was accorded (GI) Geographical Indicative Status by the EU Council and Parliament.[7]
Today, two distilleries in Ireland are officially licensed to produce poitín: Bunratty Mead and Liqueuer, and Knockeen Hills Poteen.[3] Their products are, however, far removed from the coarse illegal poitín produced in the past. Indeed, Bunratty is single distilled and only 40% or 45% ABV,[8] far weaker than illegally distilled poitín, and comparable to vodka. Knockeen Hills however, is available in various strengths from 60% to 90% ABV, varying from triple-distilled to quadruple-distilled.[9]
Poitín was generally produced in remote rural areas, away from the interference of the law. A wash was created and fermented before the distillation began. A wash for 100 gallons of fresh water contained six stone (84 lb) of potatoes, six stone of sugar and some yeast. Stills were often set up on land boundaries so the issue of ownership could be disputed. Prior to the introduction of bottled gas, the fire to heat the wash was provided by turf. In the Republic, smoke was a giveaway for the Gardaí (Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in the North), so windy, broken weather was chosen to disperse the smoke. The still was heated and attended to for several days to allow the runs to go through. In later years, the heat was provided by gas and this reduced discovery by police while distilling.
The quality of poitín was highly variable, depending on the skill of the distiller and the quality of his equipment. If poorly produced, it can contain dangerous amounts of methanol and can blind or kill. In 2007, samples were found to contain chicken droppings.[10]
Poitín is currently made in Wales by the Celtic Spirit Company, which claims that it was produced throughout the Celtic lands.
Producing poitín was a source of income for some, while for others it was produced for cheap alcoholic drinking. Poitín was popular at weddings and wakes and a large supply was at hand. Farmers often used it (and still do) as a cure for sick calves and other farm animals as well as a method of curing muscle cramp/problems. While not as widely used now, poitín is still available. It was common for communities to leave poitín distilling to widows to grant them a source of income. Poitín is also used in the Irish midlands as an alternative to deep heat; it is commonly rubbed onto muscles to warm them.
Poitín is a trope in Irish poetry and prose of the nineteenth century. The Irish critic Sinéad Sturgeon has demonstrated how the illegality of the substance became a crucial theme running through the works of Maria Edgeworth and William Carlton.[11] Many characters in the work of contemporary Irish playwright Martin McDonagh consume or refer to poitín, most notably the brothers in The Lonesome West. In the Saga of Darren Shan book The Lake Of Souls the character Spits Abrams brews his own poitín. In Frank McCourt's book 'Tis, he recalls his mother Angela telling him that when his brother Malachy visited her in Limerick, he obtained poitín in the countryside and drank it with her. She said they were lucky the Gardaí did not arrest them all.
Many traditional Irish folk songs, such as The Hills of Connemara and The Rare Old Mountain Dew, deal with the subject of poitín. The persecution of the Poitín-maker by the R.I.C. in 1880s Cavan is treated in The Hackler from Grouse Hall and it's reply The Sergent's Lamentation. Poitín is mentioned in the song Snake With Eyes of Garnet by Shane MacGowan and The Popes on their album The Snake. The song McIlhatton written by Bobby Sands and performed by Christy Moore is about a famous distiller of illegally-made poitín. Gaelic Storm's song, Darcey's Donkey on the album What's the Rumpus? deals in a humorous way with the consequences of being caught distilling poitín by the Garda.
The film Darby O'Gill and the Little People features a drinking and limerick contest between two characters (Darby, and King Brian of the Leprechauns). They drink a huge amount of poitín.
The first feature film to be made entirely in Irish was called Poitín (1979). The story involves an illegal distiller played by Cyril Cusack, his two agents, and his daughter in Connemara, in the remote west of Ireland.
In the BBC television show, Ballykissangel, Paul Dooley is sentenced to 50 hours of community service for serving poitin made by Uncle Minto, Donal, and Liam.
In the 1996 film, The Last of the High Kings, Frankie Griffin (Jared Leto) secretly spikes the punch offered up by his mother (Catherine O'Hara) at a political gathering at their home.
Déantús an Phoitín (Poteen Making), by Mac Dara Ó Curraidhín, is a one-hour documentary film on the subject.