The Wedding Cogs

The contents of an Orcadian Bride's Cog varies, depending on the preferences of the party making it. As such there are no real exact measures. The creation of a good cog usually involves a "self-appointed committee" of men, standing around the pot, tasting, arguing, and finally deciding when there's enough alcohol, sugar and spices in the mixture.

After much debate with my father - over the pot at a wedding - the contents of our cog are:

• 2 bottles whisky.
• 2 bottles rum.
• 1 bottle brandy.
• 1 bottle port.
• 1 bottle gin.
• 12 pints of ale (preferably home brewed but bought ale will suffice).
• 2-4 pints of Stout.
• Sugar.
• Mixed Spices.


• Empty the ale into a large pot and begin to heat.
• Once the ale is warm, add some sugar to taste and begin to add the spirits, taking care not to boil the mixture - this destroys the alcohol.
• Add mixed spice to taste.
• Ladle the mixture into the awaiting cog to be passed around the guests.