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Home » At Home » Drink Recipes » co*cktails » 31 Pre-Prohibition co*cktails Worth Sipping
ByDaryl and Mindi HirschPublished:Updated:
Discover 31 Pre-Prohibition co*cktails that taste surprisingly fresh despite their advanced ages.
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The history of co*cktails is long and winding, spanning centuries on both sides of the pond. There were times when drinking was all the rage and other times when the mere act of consuming alcohol could land a drinker in jail.
America’s Prohibition, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, was a particularly restrictive period. However, the preceding years were filled with so many classic libations that the era is fondly referred to as the golden age of co*cktails.
Fast forward to the present and the most iconic Pre-Prohibition era co*cktails haven’t lost any of their luster. Centenarian co*cktails like the Old Fashioned and Negroni are more popular today than when they were at the time of their inception.
The aforementioned golden co*cktail age shined brightly thanks to creativity and variety.
A compendium of drinks were crafted with liquors like bourbon, gin and rum in bars from Italy to New Orleans. Some Pre-Prohibition co*cktails like the Bees Knees and Hanky Panky have fanciful names while others like the Aviation and Clover Club feature colors of the rainbow.
You can learn about the best Pre-Prohibition era co*cktails in books like Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide and Harry Johnson’s Bartenders’ Manual which were originally published in 1862 and 1882 respectively. However, the better approach involves crafting and drinking classic co*cktails at home.
These are our favorite Pre-Prohibition co*cktail recipes:
31 of the Best Pre-Prohibition co*cktails
Whiskey Sour
The Whiskey Sour ranks as one of the most popular drinks in the world. It's a pleasure to drink and a breeze to craft at home. Follow our Whiskey Sour recipe and join the happy crowd of Whiskey Sour fans.
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Gin Sour
The Gin Sour tickles the tongue with clean flavors that are simultaneously sweet and sour. The classic gin co*cktail is also super easy to craft at home in just a few minutes.
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Old Fashioned
A Bourbon Old Fashioned is one of the most classic of classic co*cktails. Follow our easy recipe to craft an Old Fashioned at home in just five minutes.
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Daiquiri
Leave any preconceptions about the Daiquiri behind when you follow our easy Bacardi Daiquiri recipe. Cuba's most classic co*cktail is a sophisticated summer sipper made with just three ingredients that you probably already have at home.
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Manhattan
Crafting a Bourbon Manhattan at home is both easy and rewarding. Follow our recipe and craft the classic co*cktail at home in just five minutes. You'll feel like you're at your favorite bar at 1am but without the drama.
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Boulevardier
A Boulevardier co*cktail is a Negroni crafted with bourbon instead of gin. Follow our easy recipe and craft a Boulevardier at home in just five minutes.
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Gimlet
The Gimlet co*cktail is one of the easiest classic co*cktails to craft at home. It's also one of the classiest.
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Negroni
Follow our classic Negroni recipe and learn how to make the sophisticated Italian sipper with just five ingredients including ice. Unique for its deep red color and acerbic flavor, a Campari Negroni packs a punch with equal parts of bitter Campari, dry gin and sweet vermouth.
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Bee’s Knees
The Bee's Knees is the cat's meow when it comes to classic co*cktails. The three-ingredient gin lemon co*cktail is both sophisticated to sip and super easy to make at home.
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Clover Club
This Clover Club co*cktail is simultaneously sweet and tart. Learn how to make this frothy pre-prohibition co*cktail at home in just five minutes.
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Sazerac
The Sazerac may be one of the oldest co*cktails in America but the classic New Orleans drink is as relevant today as ever. Follow our Sazerac co*cktail recipe and craft the sophisticated sipper at home.
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Aviation
Don't be confused by its deep blue color. The Aviation co*cktail is a serious co*cktail for serious drinkers. Read on to learn how to craft the classic gin co*cktail at home in just five minutes.
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Brooklyn
Brooklyn isn't just the most populated borough in New York City. It's also a pre-prohibition co*cktail that sips like a dream. When you follow our easy Brooklyn co*cktail recipe, you'll forget about the other four boroughs before you get to the bottom of the glass.
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Tom Collins
Simultaneously sweet and tart, the Tom Collins co*cktail is a delightful drink that tastes like spiked lemonade. It’s also super simple to craft at home with just a few ingredients.
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Bijou
The Bijou co*cktail is a bold and boozy jewel that we covet all year long but especially during the holidays. The opposite of a lightweight, this sparkly amber co*cktail adds a festive flair to any drinking session.
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Bronx
Move over Manhattan! The Bronx isn't just one of New York City's most culturally diverse boroughs. It's also a drink that blends gin with orange juice and two different vermouths. The result is a classic gin co*cktail that's as easy to sip as it is to craft.
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Grasshopper
More than just a novelty drink imbibed at Christmas parties and on St. Patrick's Day, the Grasshopper co*cktail is a sweet pre-prohibition classic with a history rooted in New Orleans. And, yes, it's green. Very green.
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Corpse Reviver No. 2
The Corpse Reviver No. 2 tastes like a dream despite its nightmare-inducing name. Learn the history behind this ghoulishly delightful gin co*cktail and then craft one at home in just five minutes.
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Milk Punch
Bourbon Milk Punch is a decadent New Orleans co*cktail that's ideal to serve with brunch or any time when you want the good times to roll. Follow our easy Bourbon Milk Punch recipe and craft the creamy dreamy co*cktail in just five minutes.
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Absinthe Frappe
The Absinthe Frappe, a classic New Orleans co*cktail, is timeless. However, the boozy, green, anise-flavored beverage requires a special palate. Follow our easy Absinthe Frappe recipe and see if you're up to the taste challenge.
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Whiskey Highball
Treat yourself to a timeless yet modern Whiskey Highball. The two-ingredient co*cktail has been around for centuries but it tastes as fresh as ever.
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Martinez
You probably aren't familiar with the Martinez unless you're either a co*cktail connoisseur or a history buff. But once you try this classic gin drink, you'll surely be a fan. Read on for the full story and then follow our easy Martinez co*cktail recipe and craft one at home in just five minutes.
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White Lady
Proving that you shouldn't judge a co*cktail by its name, the White Lady co*cktail is a classic drink that's appropriate for multicultural co*cktail connoisseurs. Learn how to craft a White Lady co*cktail at home in just five minutes.
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New York Sour
The New York Sour takes the classic Whiskey Sour to a new level by adding a red wine float. This ruby layer provides a fruity zing plus a stripe of elegance.
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Pisco Sour
The Pisco Sour's flavors will transport you to South America. Follow our easy Pisco Sour recipe and craft the iconic co*cktail at home in just a few minutes.
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Tipperary
It may be a 'long way to Tipperary but the journey to craft a Tipperary co*cktail is short and sweet. If you follow our easy Tipperary co*cktail recipe, you'll be sipping the potent classic co*cktail in mere minutes.
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Brandy Alexander
Rich and strong, our boozy Brandy Alexander ramps up the cognac to create a better beverage. Craft one at home in just five minutes if you can handle it.
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Ward 8
The Ward 8 co*cktail isn't as famous as its cousin, the Whiskey Sour, but it should be. Simultaneously sweet and spicy, this pre-prohibition potent potable is as easy to sip as it is to craft.
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Hanky Panky
Just thinking about the Hanky Panky co*cktail makes us smile beyond its giggle-inducing name. This classic co*cktail takes the gin martini to exciting levels with two magical dashes of Fernet-Branca. And, like most classic co*cktails, it's super easy to craft at home with just a few ingredients.
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Ramos Gin Fizz
The Ramos Gin Fizz is a quintessential New Orleans co*cktail. Learn how to craft the fizzy gin drink at home. Also discover why it's considered royalty in the Louisiana city where the good times roll all year long but especially during Mardi Gras.
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Last Word
Don't underestimate the Last Word co*cktail. Despite its short ingredient list and pale green hue, the prohibition potable is a sophisticated sipper that deserves a seat at the table.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are Pre-Prohibition co*cktails?
Pre-Prohibition co*cktails are co*cktails that were invented prior to America’s Prohibition.
When was America’s Prohibition?
America’s Prohibition started in 1920 and ended in 1933.
What are the most iconic Pre-Prohibition co*cktails?
Iconic Pre-Prohibition co*cktails include the Daiquiri, Martini and Old Fashioned.
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We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft these co*cktails.
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they've traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.
