Ever since the conception of alcohol people and animals alike have been finding crafty ways to consume it. From bathtub gins, to the fermented berries that are often responsible the Bohemian Waxwings less than majestic flight patterns, it's no secret a good stiff drink can feel like the make or break to a tough day.
Before the times of top shelf spirits and vodkas emulating every flavour under the sun (and likely the sun itself) enjoying a nice cocktail wasn't always such a simple pleasure, it was medicine in the form of tonics, or a way for sailors to fight off dehydration, and for some time even a means to keep warm in an emergency. It seems no matter where you look someone's coming up with a new rhyme or reason to consume a little of the good stuff.
As you'll find with lots of classic cocktail recipes, the history of the word cocktail has been and surely will continue to be debated about for years. The first use of the word "cocktail" referring to an alcoholic beverage appears to be in The Balance and Columbian Repository 1806, defined by the editor Harry Croswell as such:
"Cock-tail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters—it is vulgarly called bittered sling, and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, in as much as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said, also to be of great use to a democratic candidate: because a person, having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow any thing else."
So now we have a pretty good idea of when the practice of mixing spirits began right? Well... maybe not. I'm sure we can all imagine the days of sailors drunk off their "rum" rations (More likely whatever local spirit was available"). Its likely that outside of a way to stomach the mental anguish of being a deck hand in the 1700s, it was probably also used as a way for sailors to stomach the incredibly bitter extract of quinine (found in tonic water) and lime that was believed to prevent scurvy, starting to sound familiar? Top that off with some soda water and you've got the what we now know as a Gin and Tonic.
Had the best steak ever but the wine you paired with it just didn't "work" for you? Maybe a Smoked Manhattan would! Remember your grandmas pumpkin pie she always baked? Bet that would make a crazy good old fashioned! With all the products, tools, and techniques available to a skilled bartender these days the possibilities are literally endless, and inspiration can be pulled from everywhere. You can create the perfect balance or showcase a particular flavour, you can create a moment or send someone back in time. These days bartenders aren't pushing cure alls or a tolerable means to consume the gnarliest of moonshine, they're out trying to provide an experience.
At this point we know alcohol has been served as a social lubricant in employ of diplomates, we've seen it used as a medicine on countless occasions through-out history, and we've seen it be the vehicle taking us out on many a debaucherous night ending with " Im never f***ing drinking again". It can create memories or take them away just as fast.
Seeing as the history of imbibing is full of twisted stories, tall tails, and crazy concoctions mixed up in an attempt to make spirits even easier to consume, it's no surprise that the true history of so many cocktails had been forgotten, and maybe its better lost in obscurity, providing endless debates between bartenders and enthusiasts alike and leaving the door to inspiration wide open without pesky traditions clouding our vision too much.
Reading back through this I realized this may be one of the worst "history of cocktails" ever written but half the fun is the story, so I hope it at least inspires you to do more research and keep the stories alive! May we never know the answer and may we never stop looking. Stay inspired and go make an original cocktail, it may just become known as the cure all of our day one twisted story at a time! (share it in the forum so it can be enjoyed by all)
- Cheers and thanks for reading!
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