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Prohibition repeal turns 75
December 5 marks the 75th anniversary of Prohibition repeal. Also turning 75 this week: the Bloody Mary, but that’s another story for another time (click on the link for more on that if you’re a fan).
Prohibition, which outlawed alcohol in the U.S. from 1920-1933, helped usher in an era of speakeasies and black market alcohol sales. A bit of trivia: the term “speakeasy” comes from a patron’s manner of ordering alcohol without raising suspicion … a bartender would tell a patron to be quiet and “speak easy.”
Several speakeasy establishments open during the Prohibition Era remain in business today, while other newer bars have worked to maintain an atmosphere reminiscent of the original speakeasies. Some famous former speakeasies include The Seelbach in Louisville, John Barleycorn in Chicago, Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco, and The Back Room in New York City. Log on to www.ProhibitionRepeal.com to see a list of Prohibition-era Speakeasies from across the country.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has put together a guide for those looking to host a Repeal Day party at home:
Ask guests to dress in 1930’s attire.
Make sure your guests “speak easy” in order to gain admittance to the event. Suggest a password for admittance to the event.
Hire a band or singer that specializes in music from the “Roaring 20’s” or download period-specific jazz.
Provide a Great Gatsby dining experience by recreating specialized dishes from archived menus of the Waldorf-Astoria and the 21 Club in New York City.
Offer cocktails of the era, like the ones below. For additional information and recipes, visit www.ProhibitionRepeal.com
Colony Cocktail: New York’s Colony was no ordinary speakeasy; it was where Vanderbilts and Windsors went to dine in a civilized manner. This was one of the most popular cocktails. Instructions: Shake well with cracked ice. Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz gin, 3/4 oz grapefruit juice, 2 tsp maraschino. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Sidecar: This French creation became the defining cocktail of the era. Instructions: Shake well with cracked ice. Ingredients: 1 1/4 oz cognac, 1/2 oz Cointreau, 3/4 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Strain into chilled, sugar-rimmed cocktail glass.
Whiskey Old-Fashioned: The Old-Fashioned was around before Prohibition and it was around after Prohibition. Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz whiskey, 1 teaspoon of water, 1 sugar cube, 1 lemon peel. Instructions: Muddle 1 sugar cube with a teaspoon of water and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters in the bottom of an Old-Fashioned glass until the sugar dissolves. Add 1 1/2 oz whisk(e)y straight rye (or “rye”), bourbon, Canadian or blended Scotchand stir briefly. Then add 2-3 ice cubes, stir some more, squeeze a large swatch of thin-cut lemon peel over the top and drop it in. Let sit for a minute or two before sipping.
SOURCE: Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
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