Culture

Cocktails through the ages

It slightly worries me that I can talk from experience about cocktails in three decades and yet I am only 31. A personal history of the cocktail — from Prohibition to Mixology.

1 January 2000

It slightly worries me that I can talk from experience about cocktails in three decades now and yet I am only 31. I say this because it seems like only yesterday that Simon Young, ex head bartender of the seminal Coconut Grove in London was teaching me the basic skills to make cocktails and the recipes thereof. I was entranced by the subtle mixing of these many coloured and varied tasting liquids into creative concoctions. I did not realise it but these were my first steps down the road to the Cocktail Nation: an imaginary place where mixed drinks were de rigeur and the cocktail was king. 14 Years later my journey still continues but I am an experienced traveller now.

Historically cocktails move in and out of fashion and can be seen to change as often as Paris changes hemlines. The first such change was in the USA during Prohibition when the move to outlaw spirits made them more attractive to all and yet the low quality made mixing and disguising a must. Over time the drinks became more and more decorative and obscure with effect gaining superiority. When the pressure cooker of prohibition ended so, temporarily, did America's fascination with the cocktail. The rise in the use of psychedelics in the 60s spawned the Fern bar in places like San Francisco which in turn spawned creamy intoxicants aimed at tempting the hippy crowd back, whilst their elders developed a taste for the austere Martini. Today in the US the Martini revival and the general trend towards Classic Cocktails has inspired another generation of both bartenders and drinkers to everyone's benefit.

The trends of cocktails in the UK can be seen to reflect the history of cocktails themselves. The last great age of the cocktail in the UK was in the 1930s when the diaspora of American bartenders gave rise to the American Bar around Europe. In such bars the Bright Young Things — a tiny privileged and sophisticated minority — would consume the efforts of these expat Americans whilst the Cocktail party became the byword for elegance. The seriousness of War was the factor necessary to put this scene on hold, though talk of flippancy of recipe shows the start of a repeating trend: drinks everywhere get more and more complex and fancy, leading to a move to simplicity again.

The cocktail started its rise to current popularity during the 1980s and was led by that most reviled and ridiculed beast, the Yuppie. Their endless thirst for the new and the fashionable — especially with alcohol, thank them for the Single malt too — led to a rebirth of the cocktail. In small bars such as Henry J Beans, Coconut Grove, Peppermint Park and their ilk a new generation of bartender was born to rival the old haunts such as the Ritz. These drinkers and bartenders distinguished themselves from their predecessors by their use of modern, global ingredients: cranberry juice and high quality spirits being most obvious.

But the recipes, bartenders and drinkers were all rather simple. These were early days and the drinks reflected that. Seabreezes and woo woos were definitely avant garde and I still have to fight the urge not to use tequila in my Mai Tai as I was incorrectly taught 13 years ago. Martinis were gin and gin alone and products like Makers Mark and Pisco were the road signs of a great bar where the staff cared. For the truly bold there was a trend towards flavouring Absolut with anything and everything — but more often than not the results were best forgotten.

Today the scene in the UK is much changed. Far from aping the US, we have developed a style of bartending loosely entitled Mixology which is taking cocktails to new levels. Roughly speaking this is the appropriation of the chef's skills with drinks. Terms and techniques like Muddling — crushing to extract flavour — infusion with vanilla, fennel and many others, and lacing now abound. The Mars bar flavoured shot of vodka is now a strawberry and basil one and the brand can be one of hundreds. Cranberry juice now has a Carol Vorderman-esque ubiquity and only the boring drink it.

As the drinks have changed so have the bars and their staff. Bartending is now becoming a more recognised career and the bars in which they work have become shorthand for fame, taste and elitism: you have not made it till you have bartended at or been photographed stumbling out of the Met bar, Attica or the Atlantic. With the increase in the number of bars, brands and bartenders the increase in the range of cocktails is only to be expected — but we all should be aware that however healthy our scene may appear, history dictates that as we search for increased creativity the urge for customers to drink more simply may once more re-appear.

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History

Prohibition: The Great Noble Experiment

For many people the Speakeasy sums up Prohibition — luxury, excess, refinement. Yet the reality is somewhat different. A look at the paradigm shift that shaped drinking culture as we know it.

22 July 2026

"Dark and guarded doors opened into a spreading world of enchantment; a world of soft-lights, seductive scents, silken music, adroit entertainment, smoke and laughter, of perfection of food and service, of wines and liquors of the first quality, all in a setting of gold and silver and brocade, velvet, iron, glass and exotic woods"

For many people Joseph Sobol's description of a 1920s "Speakeasy" sums up Prohibition and its effects on the drinking public in the US. It was a time of luxury, excess and refinement; it was the golden era of the bartender and the cradle for Cocktail Culture as we know it today. Everyone was either drinking, had just finished a drink or was just about to have one. It was populated by larger than life figures such as "Lucky" Luciano and of course "Scarface" Capone and every socially conscious young man carried a hip flask (or Hip flask!).

Yet the reality is somewhat different. Yes, 'Prohibition' was a paradigm shift in the alcohol industry, the drinking habits of a nation (and by extension the world) and the world of bartending. But it was only a silver age, following a golden period at the turn of the century and preceding a bronze age that is only now fading away. It was an excessive reaction to an excessive law and the hyper accelerated metabolism of Prohibition changed the social landscape in ways that the Drys (as the anti-alcohol movement was called) could never have imagined and would never have wanted.

The 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act which preceded it have long been misinterpreted and abused. It was conceived as a necessary measure to save America from the drunkenness and moral corruption that many saw as ever increasing. After the US effort in the Great War which saw a successful dry run for Prohibition the Drys saw an opportunity to return to a more Victorian Era. Through a powerful lobby group the Temperance Society convinced many politicians to support their Bill to ban the making or distribution of alcohol except for medicinal purposes. With hindsight we can see that this was as naïve as a belief in the Tooth Fairy and the discovery of a still producing 130 gallons of Whiskey a day on the farm of one of the authors of the Amendment two years into it shows the 'political' nature of the decision. But on 16th Jan 1920 America awoke to life under Prohibition – "a great social and economic experiment" as President Hoover called it.

Loopholes in the law were quickly exploited – it was only illegal to make, transport, buy or sell alcohol – if you had purchased it before Prohibition then you could still drink. Thus private clubs would claim pre-1920 purchase and the cocktail party in private houses became de rigeur. Much of this was hardly new to some people however with the wealthier classes long appreciating the Bronx and the Martini before dinner. What the Drys had underestimated is the effect of denying spirits to a population who had no real experience of them – suddenly huge tracts of the US that had traditionally drunk only beer or whiskey became thirsty for spirits and the Cocktail Age had begun.

Another potential problem was the mere enforceability of the Act when it came to prohibiting supply of alcohol. With the 18th came 1520 new Federal agents to guard the 19000 miles of borders and coastline and Prohibition soon came to be seen as an open invitation for anyone who was even marginally involved in the rackets to enrich themselves beyond their wildest beliefs. From Capone (earning an estimated $60m a year before payoffs) to the beat cop warning gangsters of forthcoming raids money flowed as freely as the illicit booze. Captain Bill McCoy became one of the most feted of 'rumrunners' with his unvarying quality and lack of skulduggery and his name still endures as a mark of authenticity.

It was due to patchy quality and unscrupulous traders that cocktails became more prevalent. With this inconsistency in the basic liquors came imaginative concoctions to improve and smooth away the rough edges of less refined spirits. For the first time ingredients such as grenadine, bitters and juices became more popular, as did cream. Yet these were very much American concoctions: as they say "In America we drink to get drunk, whilst the British are only interested in seeing how much you can drink without getting drunk" this was described more accurately in the post Prohibition Standard Bartender's Guide that talked of drinks "obviously of irresponsible origin". Cocktails, though now drunk by the masses, were primarily in two types: sweet and thick to disguise the poor quality or quick and easy for fast intake. Their names often predicted their effects, such as the aptly named Mule Hind Leg Cocktail!

The pattern of American drinking was changing, sometimes permanently. First Irish Whiskey became unpopular because much of the lowest quality bootleg hooch was invariably passed off as 'Irish'. Secondly Gin assumed great popularity because of the simplicity of making it at home (ethyl alcohol and Oil of juniper). It has long been said that the Bronx died because of overuse during Prohibition. Finally America moved steadily away from its preoccupation with bourbon and into Rum from the Caribbean, Tequila from Mexico and Canadian whiskey. Being forced to look abroad did much for the variations in new drink recipes.

Conversely however, professional bartending suffered. If you could pour a drink you could have a job in 1920s America but the 'great bartenders' chose to pursue their careers legitimately elsewhere – predominantly in the "American Bars" in London and on the Continent. One US writer lamented the loss of such favourites as "the Bamboo Cocktails at the Holland House… the Clover Clubs at the Buckingham…(and) the Old Fashioneds at the Imperial" whilst bars like Harry's New York Bar in Paris became the new shakeries with the creation of such drinks as the Sidecar, the White Lady and of course the Red Snapper (which was to become the Bloody Mary). Post Prohibition cocktail invention became the preserve of marketing departments such as Galliano's Harvey Wallbanger and Seagram's gin and grapefruit failure called a Seabreeze. Never again could we think of "the cocktail's laboratory being the local bar – its chief scientist being the fellow with the handlebar moustache standing behind the mahogany, its consumer and judge the man with his foot on the brass rail".

What Prohibition took away from one side of the bar it added to the other. For the first time women were admitted equally with men to the new breed of bar. No speakeasy could afford to discriminate by gender, so women, from "well born damsels with one foot on the brass rail, tossing off Martinis" to Mother accompanying Father down to Cassidy's, helped to civilise bars in a way the Drys couldn't – they ordered drinks alongside the men. Although critics grumbled the easy social mingling and the legal cocktail lounges they spawned were too obviously an improvement on before.

The largest economic effect of Prohibition, other than the enriching of the gangsters was in the drinks companies. Before Prohibition America was dotted with small distillers with names like Sunny Brook, Chicken Cock and Green River Bourbon. Post Prohibition the public had developed tastes for gin and moved slowly back to Bourbon thus it was the plentifully stocked Canadian Seagram and the British firms like Gordons who benefited. It was due to Prohibition that three of the world's largest drinks companies are British and not American owned. A period of 'merger mania' took place and some of America's finest independent distilleries closed. But not only brands disappeared: almost overnight the US Rye whiskey vanished and took with it a host of cocktails for which Bourbon was a poor substitute.

After 14 years of hip flasks lifted above faces both male and female; of speakeasies; gangster bootleggers and government agents (or G-men) in comic-opera disguises the government repealed prohibition on December 5th 1933. The 'great noble experiment' was finally over. A massive folly that rather than reduce drinking made the cocktail an act of defiance, a blow for civilised values and the urban citizens' rebuff to Bible Belt tyranny.

And I for one am very glad… cheers!

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Bartending

The 21st Century Bartender

Current wisdom says that the 21st century is the Second Golden Age of Bartending. On the face of it there is a very strong argument — but is it the whole story?

18 June 2026

Current wisdom says that the 21st century is the Second Golden Age of Bartending (the first being roughly 1862–1929) and on the face of it there is a very strong argument that Bartending (at least at the highest levels) has finally gained the same respect and professionalism of Chefs and Sommeliers and that bartenders are once again admired for their skills and not just for their position of dispenser of social lubricants. It is no longer the stop-gap job of the young, the uncertain or the socially flawed but now a fully fledged career and profession that is attracting motivated and passionate individuals. In fact it is easy to argue that in fact this could be the first real Golden Age as the bartenders of the 21st Century would on many levels surpass their 19th and 20th century forebears.

Certainly if one looks at the knowledge of the bartenders of today there is no competition at all. The Internet has effectively allowed most human knowledge to be shared and accessible to all. From websites to discussion forums and social media so any brand, drink, liquid or trend is available to anyone with wifi, fingers and curiosity. Now bartenders can discuss Mash Bills (the grain recipe for Bourbons), the different species of Agave plants, the terroir of botanicals in Gin and the specifics of distillation with an ease and confidence that would set master distillers on the back foot. Whereas early bartenders relied upon the railroad for the dissemination of ideas now the Internet Superhighway is the font of all knowledge.

It is not just new media that has got on board tho'. Whereas in the late 20th century there were very few 'bartending' books (normally hiding quietly at the end of the Wine section) a quick visit to any decent bookshop (or a search on Amazon) will show a huge array of books from coffee table style cocktail porn to hardcore in-depth tomes on previously tiny categories. Every aspect of drinks, drinkers and those that serve them are now committed to print – much in the same way food and food writing has exploded in popularity.

And as drinks companies have grown in size and sophistication so the bartender has been recognized as the 'ultimate salesperson' who can make a guest love or hate a certain brand and as such vast resources have been expended educating and inspiring them. From Brand Ambassadors to roving Master Distillers to global bartending competitions that share recipes and techniques from around the world all exist to enhance the skills and the passion of the '(wo)man behind the bar'.

Technique has also always been an important part of bartending skills and in this the modern Mixologist is streets ahead. From a technical point of view bartenders now know the 'why' behind the 'how' and the science of shaking and stirring, layering and muddling are now understood and incorporated into drinks making. But also the skills, tools and creativity of the Kitchen have been incorporated into the bartender's repertoire.

Creatively as well the 21st century bartender has an almost unfair advantage over their historical antecedents. The vast array of products, both alcoholic and non, from around the world, available often all year round due to global shipping and modern farming advances gives the mixologist an expanded palette to choose from. And, as with the Foodie in culinary circles, the drinking public has shown an increasing thirst for the bold and the new and the creative that has been fueled by the increased media and the 24 hour news cycle. No longer is a bartender judged by their classics and staple but by their signature drinks and envelope shredding new concoctions.

But if one sees the function of the bartender as a key provider of Hospitality rather than primarily a creator of consumable concoctions then perhaps we are not as advanced as the giants of the past whose shoulder we stand upon. There has become an increasing focus by the bartending community on the product and not the person. Bartenders who know more mash bills than jokes: the Cocktologist who makes great drinks but is a bit of a dick about it. "Drinks snobbery" is becoming alarmingly commonplace and simplicity of serve and focus on the guest is becoming rarer and rarer. But this is a trend that food and wine has encountered and has overcome and I have no doubt that the bartender, always known for their adaptability, will overcome to provide the perfect cocktail not just of ingredients but of product, service and ambience. As the first bartending book I ever read pronounced – the perfect bartender is a manager of moods as well as a master of mixology.

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Bartending

The Bartender's Bookshelf

Ask any bartender worth his salt and they will have a favourite bar book. A personal guide to the seven volumes every Modern Professional Bartender should read, mark, learn and inwardly digest.

15 September 2026

Ask any bartender worth his salt and they will have a favourite bar book. It might be The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (Dick Bradsell), the Savoy Cocktail Book (Paul Martin) or the Waldorf Astoria Bar Book (Paul Harrington). I myself am a fan of the 1971 Playboy Host and Bar book — but the less said about that the better. Books are knowledge and knowledge is power and be you professional or home bartender a reference manual is paramount for mixology.

I was brought up to have a healthy respect for books and the written word. From childhood with an author father to student life at Oxford I have relied on, and been entranced by, books. "You can never learn less" was drummed into me early and I see books as the physical proof of that. As I moved more into bars and out of libraries my only reading was the labels on bottles and trashy novels early in the morning when you can't sleep. Yes I had Mr Boston's and the Bartenders Bible but who didn't? It was when I was interviewing Dale deGroff in 1998 and he showed me his office and some of his 'Library' that I caught the bug again and realised my two passions of drinks and books did mix perfectly…

Not many of you may know but I have been given the dubious title of "walking drinks encyclopaedia" by several people in my time and it is a title I take some pride in, however undeserved it is. Part of it is due to my constant reading of books about cocktails and I thought I might take this short opportunity to talk about the role of literature and the writer in both teaching and inspiring me in what I, and what you dear reader, do.

When I started bartending over 23 years ago the job was significantly simpler to be honest and the books I could buy and read on the subject reflected that. There was no interest in the 'old ways' and so all the vintage books that are now so highly prized were unknown to all but the historically minded. And with so few products and cocktails available or being popular it was easier to seem an expert. But our industry has exploded and the amount of knowledge, cocktails, trends and tips that we need has grown to match.

My library has grown accordingly in that time to include now nearly 800 books. From the ancient texts like Harry Johnson and O.H. Byron to cutting edge e-books from hip cool bars in foreign cities. From obscure and technical tomes on distillation to 'civilian' books like the History of the Pineapple my shelves and mind groan with the mass of literature and information.

We now have recipe books (both general and also bar specific as bartenders have become the new chefs and got published), technique books to teach about new-fangled ways, we have memoirs and advice for the novice mixer and we have books packed to the end-pages with product and brand information. So what books do I think every Modern Professional Bartender should, as my old history teacher used to say "read, mark, learn and inwardly digest"?

The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (David Embury): the most academic and intellectual book about the mechanics of creating cocktails written by an American lawyer no less. His detachment from the industry gives perspective. Considered by many to be the greatest classic text this book was very much the first time that drinks mixing was seen as a topic that merited intellectual thought and investigation leading to theory as well as practice. He looked at how his drinks were mixed and why they tasted as they did and then projected his learnings into his own shaker.

The Gentleman's Companion (Charles Baker): filled not just with great recipes obtained by CHB in his travels but also written with humour and style that makes the experiences of the drinks come to life. It is eloquent and knowledgeably written and brings out the joie de vivre and style of drinking cocktails (on a side note this is the book that everyone says I should try and copy as I am a modern day Baker).

The Joy of Mixology (Gary Regan): one of the Gurus of today wrote a simple yet comprehensive book about both technique but also philosophy of bartending and service. Best described as reviewed on Amazon as "That rare, highly distinguished, distinctive and classical product that represents a benchmark within its category. A standard against which its peers can be measured. A product of extraordinary quality, scope and character which transcends price".

Difford's Guide (Simon Difford): the recipe book to end all recipe books that is updated every year and so stays current and fashionable yet with Classics aplenty. Simon Difford can be seen as the publisher of record for the London Bar Scene and this, his recipe book, is a must have snapshot of that scene.

Imbibe (David Wondrich): aka the 'Historical Oracle' this book not only covers a biography of the father of bartending (Jerry Thomas) but also his drinks and other ancient cocktails. Perhaps the most academic of books on the list but it explains why we are all 'standing on the shoulders of giants' and details the first Golden Age of the Bartender (we are now in the Second).

The Ultimate Bar Book (Andre Domine): a massive tome of a book that looks dull but is perhaps the most comprehensive book for product knowledge I have read for many years. Worth it. And worth reading. And more importantly worth remembering. If I had to choose a single book on this list that I would want my bartenders to learn then this would be it.

The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy (Jim Meehan): not just a great snapshot into the world of the modern American "speakeasy" and bartending renaissance but also to show how good and influential one man/bar can be. Truly aspirational as well as educational.

That's it. Just seven must read books. Of course there are a huge amount of specialised books on spirits and liqueurs but they will go into far more depth than you will ever need to know and will never use.

And that's part of the 'problem'. Books are great for knowledge but bartending is not just about knowledge – it's about people primarily. Modern Bartenders seem to think that they become 'better bartenders' by reading more books but they don't — they become more educated bartenders but as we all know having your nose stuck in a book often means you miss out on other things. That's why I suggest only 7 books and why after you buy them on Amazon when you finish reading this magazine you should go out and talk to people, smell the coffee and enjoy life – cos that will make you a far better bartender than books ever will!

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Cocktails through the ages

In Defence of the Negroni

What Whisky Can Teach You About Patience

Prohibition: The Great Noble Experiment

On Drinking Slowly

The 21st Century Bartender

The Bartender's Bookshelf