History of Mixology

The Early Years

The history of cocktails is full of colorful characters, even from the very beginning. During the mid-19th century, the popularization of cocktails was pioneered by bartender and saloon owner Jerry Thomas, often considered to be the founder of mixology. Known in his heyday as “The Professor” due to his thoughtful and creative approach to crafting cocktails, Thomas authored the first cocktail book ever published in America, the groundbreaking Bar-Tender’s Guide, or alternatively titled How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivant’s Companion, guides that elevated mixology into the art form we practice today. It is Thomas’s early research and practice–trial and error with supportive taste testers at the saloon, we’re sure–that established many of the rules and conventions of creating cocktails that are still being used today. By codifying measurements and experimenting with mixing strategies for combining ingredients, as well as discovering which tastes complement each other, Thomas laid the groundwork for bartending and mixology in the century to follow. 

Thomas’s signature cocktail was the Blue Blazer, first mixed in San Francisco’s El Dorado saloon and gambling hall. The drink is a showstopper, and not for the faint of heart. To create a Blue Blazer, Thomas would combine sugar, scotch, and boiling water, light it on fire, and then transfer it back and forth between two mixing glasses, creating an incandescent rainbow of flame. Carefully, we hope. While the Blue Blazer was Thomas’s most famous cocktail, he is also sometimes credited with creating an early version of the martini, called the Martinez. Thomas was a trailblazer for sure, but he was merely the first in a long line of mixologists who used their creativity and passion–and sometimes an open flame–in their quest to create the perfect cocktail.

Prohibition Put an End to Cocktail Consumption…Or Did It?

America’s love affair with cocktails was just heating up when Prohibition laws threw down the ultimate gauntlet: back away from the booze, or else. Challenge accepted, in the rebellious spirit of the cocktail, millions of people went underground in their quest to keep the party going when the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect on January 17, 1920. It was the untamed spirit of the Roaring Twenties that defined the decade as the golden age of cocktails as liquor became a verboten luxury, the forbidden fruit that cocktail enthusiasts went to great lengths to acquire and imbibe. Those who wanted to purchase liquor had to seek out illegal sellers known as bootleggers, or be invited to exclusive unlicensed bars called speakeasies because patrons had to whisper passwords to gain entrance so as to not be overheard and arrested.

Many of today’s classic cocktail recipes can be traced back to the era of bootlegging and speakeasies, and with good reason. With legal distilleries shut down, the few options available were of poor quality, such as mountain stills (home distillation of moonshine) and bathtub gin (liquor made in amateur conditions, often in the home bathtub as the name suggests). You can see how it paid to be creative when masking the bitter kick of home-brew.

But necessity is the mother of invention and Prohibition inspired mixologists to do some of their best work as they devised recipes to make alcohol more palatable. Heavy, sweet flavors like honey were employed in cocktails like the Bee’s Knees, a delectable combination of honey, gin, and lemon juice. Citrus became another key player in the composition of many cocktails, including classics like the Gin Rickey, a tart mix of gin and lime juice, and the Sidecar, which incorporates orange liqueur and lemon for a bright and refreshing flavor. Sugar cubes and simple syrup also gained popularity during the ’20s, when added sweetness was needed to smooth over any rough edges. Bootlegging kingpin Al Capone was said to have a particular affection for the South Side Fizz, a delectable concoction composed of gin, lemon juice, club soda, mint, and simple syrup. Even mobsters liked a touch of sweetness in their prohibited potables, and who can blame them? 

Cocktails became a defining feature of the Jazz Age, when the new era came crashing into the old one. For instance, the French 75, named for the artillery used in World War I and featuring a heady mix of gin and lemon juice topped with sugar and champagne, captured the mood of the time period better than any photograph. Frozen in time in novels like F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece The Great Gatsby, the 1920s marked a culture balanced on the sharp edge of opulence. The era was also known for its post-war exuberance and untenable economic growth, which was fun while it lasted. The expansion of the automobile industry had the population clamoring to hit the road, and this newfound freedom added to the fervor of the decade. Drinking cocktails and going to speakeasies added to the excitement of rebellion as people celebrated a new modern age in which the world began to look very different.

post-Prohibition

Though the country’s passion for cocktails subsided when the prohibition law was repealed in 1933 by virtue of the 21st Amendment, it never went faded completely. Cocktails were a vital part of the post-war celebration in the 1940s and 1950s as the population emerged from years of privation and could now toast to a booming economy and surging middle class. This optimistic energy ushered in the era of cocktail hour and entertaining at home. After waning in popularity during the 1960s and 1970s, cocktails were back in vogue during the opulent excesses of the 1980s. From three-martini power lunches to bright pink cosmopolitans, cocktails were once again a fixture of American culture.

The Cocktail Renaissance

The new millennium saw a resurgence of cocktail culture that had only started to regain momentum over the past two decades. In recent years, innovative bars and modern speakeasies have led to a mixology revival, and America has fallen in love all over again. Secret cocktail lounges like Please Don’t Tell, hidden in plain sight in Manhattan’s lower east side, was an early trendsetter that thrilled visitors with its throwback style and creative twists on classic cocktails. Accessed through a vintage phone book in Crif Dogs hot dog hot spot, Please Don’t Tell is a must-visit destination to experience America’s cocktail renaissance. 

Another landmark for contemporary cocktail culture is Death & Company, an East Village speakeasy that draws legions of fans from around the world. As the epicenter of the craft cocktail revolution, Death & Co’s dark ambiance and timeless style reflects the aesthetic of the brand as well as the owners’ approach to contemporary mixology. As an institution in the cocktail world, Death & Co set the tone for the modern era of cocktail culture by publishing all of the bar’s secrets and tips in their cocktail book titled Death and Co., which influenced and assisted mixologists and home enthusiasts around the world as they learned the tricks of the trade. While many establishments have sought to replicate the company’s unique essence since their opening in 2006, none have quite managed to capture the joie de vivre that leaves so many cocktail enthusiasts spellbound.

Today’s Cocktails

One of the main characteristics of today’s cocktail scene is the attention paid to ingredients. The dramatic rise of craft cocktails has led to a deepening interest in product sourcing and an emphasis on handcrafted and artisan ingredients. Many modern mixologists have looked to the past and found inspiration in bitters and shrubs, which use botanicals and barks to add depth and balance to cocktails. Other practices that have been resurrected include the creation of small batch brands known for imbuing their products with unique regional flavors that reflect great attention to detail and an eagerness to revitalize long-lost practices for a new generation. 

Cocktails have endured and found new life because they are ultimately about bringing people together. Classic cocktails are living history, and a strong connection to the past. From the bold experiments carried out by Jerry Thomas to the lively nights at hidden speakeasies to the convivial atmosphere enjoyed by today’s enthusiasts, cocktails are a lifeforce that celebrate the human spirit, among other spirits, and they serve as a testament to both tradition and innovation. No one yet knows what the cocktails of the future will look like, but it’s a safe bet that the mixologists of tomorrow will have an excellent time shaking things up.