Cocktail History

Cocktail is a mixed drink usually containing a combination of alcohol or liqueur and fruit juices, soda or other flavors. It comes with an edible garnish or swizzle stick or even a fancy umbrella.

Cocktails have been a part of our pop culture for centuries. From James Bond ordering the martini shaken, not stirred to Carrie Bradshaw and her gal pals drinking the infamous Cosmopolitan, to The Dude constantly consuming the very popular White Russian.

But when was the "cocktail" actually invented you ask? That all started about the beginning of the 19th century. It is said that the very first bar manual was written in 1862 called "Bar-tender's Guide or How to Mix Drinks" by Jerry Thomas. Prohibition had a large influence in the making of cocktails because of the illegal spirits that were being produced had a horrible taste, so the "speakeasy" bartenders would include juices or creams to hide the taste and also to disguise it. After prohibition ended and into the 70's and early 80's cocktails became very popular and a wide variety of flavored liquors was available.

These days mixology is very popular and you can even take classes on bartending flair and mixology. Most restaurant and bars even feature their own signature drinks. Next time you're out on the town with friends, ask what the restaurant or bar's signature drink is!