The History of Mixology - From The Ice King to Modern Cocktails
Nothing sums up the perfect hospitality experience like a cocktail. Whether it’s sipping a tropical Piña Colada on a beach in Mexico, or nursing a rustic Old Fashioned in Aspen. The perfectly blended flavors and ingredients all combine to create an unforgettable experience that you won’t soon forget.
Contrary to popular belief, the history of mixology actually is more recent and a little more complicated. So sit back and read through!
Contrary to popular belief, the history of mixology actually is more recent and a little more complicated. So sit back and read through!
Before we dig in, remember that companies such as Hospitality Academy can help you get the necessary education in bartending and mixology, as well as present you with the greatest opportunities in the industry, ideal to make you a know-all cocktail master!
Origins of the cocktail
The idea of mixing drinks together has been a classic bar concept since the introduction of different drinks. A couple of examples of the predecessors of cocktails are: Slings Toddies, Fizzes and Julipes. These concoctions are mixed drinks that predate the word “cocktail” so what sets them apart?
The term “cocktail” was defined by The Balance and Columbian Repository newspaper as “a stimulating liquor composed of any kind of sugar, water, and bitters”. There are three reasons why this definition is significant to mention:
“Cocktail” is impossible to pin down in its origin; this would be the first time that it appeared in conventional print.
The inclusion of bitters was a new concept among mixed drinks in the USA at the time. Giving a huge distinction to the term “cocktail” and other similar drinks.
The inclusion of the word “stimulating” is a perfect reference to what most mixologists strive towards in their craft. The cocktail was distinct in being more than a beverage, but a way to tell the story.
It was under this new and powerful definition that the base of the modern cocktail was built.
At the time, ice was generally stored for the winter months in designated “ice houses” across the country. In most of the USA, this was a luxury that very few could afford. That was, of course, before the Ice King entered the scene.
Frederick Tudor, aka the Ice King, was an American businessman with one revolutionary idea: Transport a LOT of ice. The core of his business was to carve ice blocks from the frozen lakes and ponds of Massachusetts in the winter. He would then bring it down to the southern states and the Caribbean where demand was high and supply was low.
He came across two main problems. The first was transporting the ice without it melting (as it tends to in long, hot journeys). The Ice King actually lost a small fortune in his first few voyages, until he refined his technique of packaging the ice by including sawdust as insulation. From this point he was able to take his ice blocks as far away as India!
With the supply problem fixed, he needed to drum up demand. The ice was mainly used to store food, medicine and for scientific purposes. The quantities needed for this application did not provide reasonable profits to justify such a long journey. The King needed to find more customers. His solution? Cocktails. Cocktails had grown in popularity before ice had, but the two needed to work together. Essentially, Tudor could “piggyback” on the success of the former to gain success for the latter.
Tudor’s ice marketing tactics to cafes and bars were much like those used by less favorable, more elicit “entrepreneurs”. He would give the first sample for free. Once the customers had been given a taste of an iced drink on a hot summer’s day they would become “hooked”. Meaning that the Ice King had gained a customer for life. By the mid-1860s ice would become common and a prime ingredient of most cocktails available at the time and today.
Enter the granddaddy of American mixology: Mr. Jerry Thomas
Jeremiah “Jerry” Thomas was an American bartender that pioneered the tradition of cocktails. His influence on the modern American bar has given him the moniker of “the father of American mixology”. The beginning of his work was his release of “The Bar-Tender's Guide” known as “How to mix drinks” in 1862. The first drink-related book published in the USA, The Bar-Tender’s Guide was a list of drinks that had become popular throughout the 1800s but had yet to be written. This book (and its 1876 and 1882 editions) became a must-have for any big or small name bar. This would begin the longstanding tradition of creating standardized cocktail recipes to be shared among various bars.
Until prohibition, in 1919, the US government took the bold step into criminalizing the transport and sale of all “intoxicating liquors” into and throughout the USA. Needless to say, this decimated the cocktail culture of the USA. With many of America’s greatest bartenders of the time choosing to practice their craft in more favorable countries or to go entirely underground. While times were bleak for cocktails, they were not entirely hopeless. As the old proverb goes: every dark cloud has a silver lining.
Prohibition didn’t really stop alcohol consumption, it only pushed it underground. With bars becoming hidden “speakeasies” and normal alcohol businesses being replaced by criminal bootleggers. This unique phenomenon birthed its own kind of cocktail culture.
During the years of prohibition, the two most widely available forms of alcohol were stolen industrial and home-brewed grain alcohol (e.g. “moonshine”). These are two pretty awful tasting options, with both being eye watering at best and undrinkable at worst. To mask this taste, many bartenders learned to be creative with mixing their flavors to mask the taste of the foul alcohol. In addition, another (relatively) available alcohol was rum, previously not as popular in the USA, the spirit exploded onto the scene as it could be easily smuggled in from the neighboring caribbean. Two examples of modern day cocktails that hold their roots in prohibition’s availability of rum or the attempts to mask disgusting alcohol are: the Mary Pickford and the Bee’s Knees.
As the world has become more interconnected, cocktail culture has become widespread across the world. Many have adopted the techniques originating from the USA and adapted them to their own culture’s ingredients and style. Through this, the field of mixology has become an elegant and sought-after skill that many aspire towards.
Are you interested in writing the next pages of cocktail history? Contact academy@pihospitalityacademy.com to enroll today! Who knows where mixology could take you? Hospitality Academy offers accredited bartending certification and other hospitality-related educational programs that can help you take your career one step further!
The term “cocktail” was defined by The Balance and Columbian Repository newspaper as “a stimulating liquor composed of any kind of sugar, water, and bitters”. There are three reasons why this definition is significant to mention:
“Cocktail” is impossible to pin down in its origin; this would be the first time that it appeared in conventional print.
The inclusion of bitters was a new concept among mixed drinks in the USA at the time. Giving a huge distinction to the term “cocktail” and other similar drinks.
The inclusion of the word “stimulating” is a perfect reference to what most mixologists strive towards in their craft. The cocktail was distinct in being more than a beverage, but a way to tell the story.
It was under this new and powerful definition that the base of the modern cocktail was built.
The Ice King
Here is a quick scenario: there is a garden party going on, and the host is currently setting up the bar area, but wait! The ice isn’t here, what is he going to do? Odds are, he either has some in the freezer or he can buy some at the convenience store. However, this wasn’t an option for those in the early 1800s.At the time, ice was generally stored for the winter months in designated “ice houses” across the country. In most of the USA, this was a luxury that very few could afford. That was, of course, before the Ice King entered the scene.
Frederick Tudor, aka the Ice King, was an American businessman with one revolutionary idea: Transport a LOT of ice. The core of his business was to carve ice blocks from the frozen lakes and ponds of Massachusetts in the winter. He would then bring it down to the southern states and the Caribbean where demand was high and supply was low.
He came across two main problems. The first was transporting the ice without it melting (as it tends to in long, hot journeys). The Ice King actually lost a small fortune in his first few voyages, until he refined his technique of packaging the ice by including sawdust as insulation. From this point he was able to take his ice blocks as far away as India!
With the supply problem fixed, he needed to drum up demand. The ice was mainly used to store food, medicine and for scientific purposes. The quantities needed for this application did not provide reasonable profits to justify such a long journey. The King needed to find more customers. His solution? Cocktails. Cocktails had grown in popularity before ice had, but the two needed to work together. Essentially, Tudor could “piggyback” on the success of the former to gain success for the latter.
Tudor’s ice marketing tactics to cafes and bars were much like those used by less favorable, more elicit “entrepreneurs”. He would give the first sample for free. Once the customers had been given a taste of an iced drink on a hot summer’s day they would become “hooked”. Meaning that the Ice King had gained a customer for life. By the mid-1860s ice would become common and a prime ingredient of most cocktails available at the time and today.
The standardization of the cocktail
The inclusion of ice and other exotic ingredients to the scene, interest, and adoration for cocktails had spread across the USA. It was becoming a staple for the American saloon. However, the majority of this spread came from popular word of mouth and trial and error. At this point, there was no oversight or general guidelines for creating cocktails among bartenders.Enter the granddaddy of American mixology: Mr. Jerry Thomas
Jeremiah “Jerry” Thomas was an American bartender that pioneered the tradition of cocktails. His influence on the modern American bar has given him the moniker of “the father of American mixology”. The beginning of his work was his release of “The Bar-Tender's Guide” known as “How to mix drinks” in 1862. The first drink-related book published in the USA, The Bar-Tender’s Guide was a list of drinks that had become popular throughout the 1800s but had yet to be written. This book (and its 1876 and 1882 editions) became a must-have for any big or small name bar. This would begin the longstanding tradition of creating standardized cocktail recipes to be shared among various bars.
The dark times
From the mid/late 1800s onwards, cocktail culture in the USA was booming. As ice and other ingredients became more plentiful due to technological breakthroughs, recipes would develop. Cocktails became common in every American bar, enjoyed by the rich and middle class alike.Until prohibition, in 1919, the US government took the bold step into criminalizing the transport and sale of all “intoxicating liquors” into and throughout the USA. Needless to say, this decimated the cocktail culture of the USA. With many of America’s greatest bartenders of the time choosing to practice their craft in more favorable countries or to go entirely underground. While times were bleak for cocktails, they were not entirely hopeless. As the old proverb goes: every dark cloud has a silver lining.
Prohibition didn’t really stop alcohol consumption, it only pushed it underground. With bars becoming hidden “speakeasies” and normal alcohol businesses being replaced by criminal bootleggers. This unique phenomenon birthed its own kind of cocktail culture.
During the years of prohibition, the two most widely available forms of alcohol were stolen industrial and home-brewed grain alcohol (e.g. “moonshine”). These are two pretty awful tasting options, with both being eye watering at best and undrinkable at worst. To mask this taste, many bartenders learned to be creative with mixing their flavors to mask the taste of the foul alcohol. In addition, another (relatively) available alcohol was rum, previously not as popular in the USA, the spirit exploded onto the scene as it could be easily smuggled in from the neighboring caribbean. Two examples of modern day cocktails that hold their roots in prohibition’s availability of rum or the attempts to mask disgusting alcohol are: the Mary Pickford and the Bee’s Knees.
Revival:
Thankfully, the USA eventually repealed their decision on prohibition and cocktail culture would return. For the most part, this was a slow process. Through increased exposure to the Polynesian and Pacific regions during WW2, the US would have their breakthrough into “Tiki culture”. Tiki Culture was a culmination of exotic decoration and food/beverage ingredients to create a beautifully exotic experience for its guests. It was the culture that translated into many of the ideal cocktails seen today.As the world has become more interconnected, cocktail culture has become widespread across the world. Many have adopted the techniques originating from the USA and adapted them to their own culture’s ingredients and style. Through this, the field of mixology has become an elegant and sought-after skill that many aspire towards.
Are you interested in writing the next pages of cocktail history? Contact academy@pihospitalityacademy.com to enroll today! Who knows where mixology could take you? Hospitality Academy offers accredited bartending certification and other hospitality-related educational programs that can help you take your career one step further!
Comments
Post a Comment