Golden Era tipples?

[matei]

Hello all,

Can anyone tell me what brands were commonly consumed during the Golden Era? Also - what mixed drinks were popular?

Thanks!

[Quigley Brown]

I guess this could be considered a mixed drink, but I alway like the story of the home wine brew kits available during the Prohibition. Grape producers in California would ship bricks of dehydrated Zinfandel grapes east, to Chicago and New York in railcars. These concentrated bricks of sugary grapes came with a strong warning label: CAUTION! Do not add these grapes to 5 gallons of water and five pounds of sugar with yeast, or it will ferment into wine.

["Doc" Devereux]

Then let me recommend to you the finest drink in human existence, the absolute pinnacle of our civilisation, the pure quintessence of joy shaken over ice and decanted into glass: the White Lady.

Said to be created by Harry McElone in 1919/1920 at Ciro?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Club in London, it's subtlety and elegance is beyond mere words. Light glitters on the opaque liquid and makes it shimmer like a fine ballgown. The first shock of lemon juice as it touches the lips brings ones mouth to life, and each mouthful sends a shock of sinfully deep pleasure down the spine. Each glass is a new delight, and a testament to the skill of the bartender who prepares it.

All this comes as simply as:

2 parts dry gin
1 Cointreau
1 Lemon juice

Mix in a shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Kids, try this at home!

[matei]

Doc, after such a superb description how could I not try this one?

Cheers!

["Doc" Devereux]

Doc, after such a superb description how could I not try this one?

Cheers!

The American Bar at the Savoy makes the best I've found in London. Enjoy!

[Senator Jack]

Sidecar

This drink dates back to WWI, created at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. It's gone through a lot of change over the years, but here's my favorite version.

3 oz. Cognac (I prefer Courvoisier - you may like something else)
.75 oz Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed and strained)
.375 oz Cointreau

Make sure the glass is completely chilled. Follow amounts as close as possible - proportioning is key for a good cocktail. Triple Sec is no substitute for Cointreau. Spend the money and buy Cointreau. If you see Sugar Rim and Maraschino Cherry in other recipes, throw that recipe away. The guys over at Drinkboy.com have just opened up The Museum of the Cocktail in New Orleans and I think they have settled on the official recipe as equal parts Cognac, Lemon, and Cointreau, but I have to dissent. I don't think you should ever have as much liqueur as you do spirit or agent.


Regards,

Senator Jack

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Then let me recommend to you the finest drink in human existence, the absolute pinnacle of our civilisation, the pure quintessence of joy shaken over ice and decanted into glass: the White Lady.

Said to be created by Harry McElone in 1919/1920 at Ciro?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Club in London, it's subtlety and elegance is beyond mere words. Light glitters on the opaque liquid and makes it shimmer like a fine ballgown. The first shock of lemon juice as it touches the lips brings ones mouth to life, and each mouthful sends a shock of sinfully deep pleasure down the spine. Each glass is a new delight, and a testament to the skill of the bartender who prepares it.

All this comes as simply as:

2 parts dry gin
1 Cointreau
1 Lemon juice

Mix in a shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Kids, try this at home!

I don't even like gin, but this does sound good!

[Katt in Hat]

50 parts White Lightnin' and 1 part embalming fluid with a splash of kerosene or lighter fluid was a smashing and sophisticated libation during the Jass Age.

I erred before, should have been only 2% embalming fluid, NOT 20%. I hope noone sickened and/or died. My bad...

[John in Covina]

The loss of local and regional brewing along with the regional specialties or interpetation of specific styles of beer / ale really took a decline that we are only now beginning to rebound from. With the advent of brewpubs and microbrewers Americans have over the last 15 years begun to replace what was destroyed in the dark days of Prohibition. Likewise the wine industry and the distilling industry are in a climb. Although as Americans looking for style I think there is a recent raising consciousness as the quality and the variety of style beyond the Majors and the national brands in beer. Wine continues to be trendy hence "white zinfandel" and merlot. Although the exploration of blending grapes as a stand alone wine does allow a better understanding of the blended wines.

Anyway, as the Prohibition lengthened for many the old stock disappeared and it was difficult to get replacements. So bathtub gin, illicit brews and stills were not noted for quality. It has been said the mixed drink comes to the rescue during this time as a cover for the poor quality of the spirits which was most apparent.

January 16th, 1920 the 18th Amendment (The Volstead Act) goes into affect and for some 14 years there was a great struggle in the country. We should all celebrate December 5th, 1933, the day the 21st amendment was ratified and Prohibition was nullified. Although still in the Depression beer, wine and liquor began to flow. The re-start of these industries were tough and the beer was awful for a while according to the reviews I have seen, but it was no longer illegal.

Many places actually opted out. McSorleys in NYC supposedly never had an interuption of the flow from its taps. I think Hot Springs in Arkansas never shut down any of the bars. Strange times indeed.

[Marc Chevalier]

Absinthe smuggled in from Cuba.