tions (as of January 2015) require eggnog to contain at least 1% egg yolk solids and at least 8.25% milk solids. Some recipes for homemade eggnog call for egg yolks to be cooked with milk into a custard to avoid potential hazards from raw eggs.
TIME magazine states that individuals should be aware of the alcohol content of eggnog, from a responsible drinking perspective. CNN states that some 19th century American eggnog recipes called for significant amounts of alcohol; one recipe "calls for three dozen eggs, half a gallon of domestic brandy, and another half-pint of French brandy." The high alcohol content of "...colonial eggnog inevitably led to problems. In 19th-century Baltimore, it was a custom for young men of the town to go from house to house on New Year’s Day, toasting their hosts in eggnog along the way. The challenge: to finish one’s rounds still standing."
The most notable case of alcohol problems associated with the drink was the Eggnog Riot at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, on 23–25 December 1826. Alcohol possession at the academy was prohibited, along with drunkenness and intoxication, both of which could lead to expulsion. By 1826, concern had been raised that drinking was starting to get out of hand among the 260 cadets at the academy. The cadets were informed that, due to the alcohol prohibition on the site, their Christmas eggnog would be alcohol-free, prompting the decision by cadets to smuggle liquor into the academy. Gallons of whiskey were smuggled into the barracks to make eggnog for a Christmas Day party. This led to "...a drunken free-for-all. Windows, furniture, and crockery were smashed; banisters were torn from walls, fights broke out. One eggnog-addled cadet tried, but failed, to shoot his commanding officer." The incident resulted in the court-martialing of twenty cadets and one enlisted soldier. Neither the young Jefferson Davis nor Robert E. Lee, who were in attendance, was found guilty of any offences or expelled.
TIME magazine also states that with its cream, eggs and sugar ingredients, "...eggnog can pack in upwards of 400 [calories] per cup." CNN states that a "...relatively small four-ounce cup of store-bought eggnog boasts a whopping 170 calories (half of them from fat), nearly 10 grams of fat, and over 70 mg of cholesterol...[, which is] around a quarter of your recommended daily intake of cholesterol." National Geographic writer Rebecca Rupp states that with eggnog's saturated fat, cholesterol, liquor and high calorie count, "...[t]here’s no way this stuff is good for us."
- The Modern Bartender's Guide (1878), however, distinguishes "plain egg nog", "egg milk punch", and "milk punch" from one another, and also includes "Baltimore egg nog", "General Jackson egg nog", "imperial egg nog", and two types of "sherry cobbler egg nog", as well as "sherry cobbler with egg", "mulled claret with egg", "egg sour", and "Saratoga egg lemonade" (also called "sea breeze"). The Modern Bartender's Guide. New York: Excelsior Publishing House. 1878.
- Woodrich, David (2007). "Milk Punch". Imbibe! From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar. Penguin. p. 82. ISBN 0399532870.
- Johnson, Harry (1882). "Egg Milk Punch". New and Improved Illustrated Bartender's Manual; or, How to Mix Drinks of the Present Style. New York City: Harry Johnson. p. 65.
- "nog - definition of nog in English from the Oxford dictionary". www.oxforddictionaries.com. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
- Rögnvaldardóttir, Nanna; Linda Stradley. "History of Eggnog". What's Cooking America. Retrieved 2015-12-22.
- "the definition of eggnog". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
- Block, Stephen. "The History of Egg Nog". Food History. The Kitchen Project.
- "Low Fat Eggnog". Lowfatcooking.about.com. 2009-10-30. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
- "Welcome to Dairy Ingredients Inc. | Beverages & Fluid Dairy Products". Dairyingredientsinc.com. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
- "Ohio Authority / Food & Drink / Cocktails 101: Ruminations on Eggnog". Ohioautho