Alcohol Names: Proper Nouns Or Not?

The term alcohol has an interesting etymology. It originally referred to ethanol, the primary alcohol in alcoholic drinks, and was derived from the Arabic word al-kuḥl, meaning the kohl, a fine powder used as eyeliner. Today, it refers to a distilled or fermented drink that causes drunkenness, such as beer, wine, or vodka. While the word alcohol itself is not a proper noun, the names of specific alcoholic drinks can be more ambiguous. For example, the generic type of liquor does not require capitalisation unless the context requires it for clarity. However, unique coinages or recipe names derived from proper nouns, such as Long Island Iced Tea, are often capitalised.

There is no uniform consensus on how to capitalise the names of alcoholic drinks

Some style guides advise that generic types of liquor do not require capitalisation unless the meaning would not be clear from the context. For example, "He ordered a whiskey sour" is correct, whereas "He nursed his vodka on the rocks for more than an hour" does not need to be capitalised.

Other style guides suggest that if a drink name is a possible reference to a proper noun, it should be styled according to the local context. For example, "I ordered a martini and a Manhattan". Here, the context, sense, and readability matter more than following a general principle. This is particularly relevant for drinks with names derived from place names, such as cocktails named after places in New York City, like the Manhattan, the Bronx, and the Algonquin.

Additionally, some style guides recommend lowercasing proper nouns in drink names unless a literal reference is intended. This approach can work for well-known drinks but may not be suitable for names that don't refer to proper nouns but would be ambiguous if lowercased.

Ultimately, the capitalisation of alcoholic drink names is a matter of style and consistency. Writers and editors are advised to pick a style and be consistent, adhering to the discipline of their editor, publication, or organisation, or following the guidance of their preferred style manual.

If the drink name is a possible reference to a proper noun, style it according to local context

The capitalisation of drink names is a matter of style. There is no uniform consensus on how to capitalise the names of cocktails. If the drink name is a possible reference to a proper noun, it should be styled according to the local context. For example, 'Manhattan' is derived from a capitalised proper place name, which is why it is often capitalised—even by people who would not capitalise 'screwdriver' or 'mojito'. 'Long Island Iced Tea' is another example of a drink name that could be a reference to a proper noun. In this case, the name is capitalised to avoid ambiguity, as 'long island iced tea' could refer to a non-alcoholic drink from Long Island.

On the other hand, generic types of liquor do not require capitalisation unless the meaning would not be clear from the context. For example, "He ordered a whiskey sour" is correct, but "He nursed his vodka on the rocks for more than an hour" does not need to be capitalised.

Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, advises writers and editors to "pick a style and be consistent". She notes a preference for lowercase in style guides, which is based on a recommendation in The Chicago Manual of Style. She suggests that words derived from proper nouns should be lowercased when references to the person or place are not intended literally. For example, 'cheddar' refers to a style of cheese, not cheese from England, and 'french fries' refer to a style of potato, not potatoes from France. Thus, cocktail names are often styled in lowercase unless a literal reference is clearly intended.

However, consistent lowercasing of proper nouns in drink names can sometimes be jarring and ill-suited for certain drink names. For example, 'Long Island Iced Tea' could be ambiguous if written in lowercase. Therefore, context, sense, and readability are more important than following a general principle or a single authority.

Generic types of liquor do not require capitalisation unless the meaning would be unclear from context

When it comes to the capitalisation of alcohol names, the general consensus is that generic types of liquor do not require capitalisation unless the meaning would be unclear from context. For example, "He ordered a whiskey sour" is correct, whereas "He nursed his vodka on the rocks for more than an hour" does not need to be capitalised. This is because "whiskey sour" is a specific type of cocktail, whereas "vodka on the rocks" is a more general description.

There is no uniform consensus on how to capitalise cocktail names, and it often depends on the style guide being used and the context in which the name is being used. For example, "Manhattan" is derived from a capitalised proper place name, so it is often capitalised even by people who would not capitalise "screwdriver" or "mojito". If a cocktail is a made-up name, it is generally treated as a proper name and capitalised, such as "Long Island Iced Tea".

Some style guides recommend lowercasing proper nouns in drink names unless a literal reference is intended, especially for well-known drinks. However, this can become ambiguous for certain drink names. For example, "Long Island iced tea" could refer to an iced tea from Long Island, which is not the same as the cocktail "Long Island Iced Tea".

Ultimately, the capitalisation of alcohol names can be a matter of style and context, and it is important to adhere to the discipline of your editor, publication, or organisation, or to follow the guidance of a preferred style manual if there is no house style.

If the cocktail is a made-up name, treat it as a proper name and use capital letters

The capitalisation of cocktail names is a matter of style. There is no uniform consensus on how to capitalise the names of cocktails.

If the cocktail is a made-up name, it is generally treated as a proper noun and capitalised. For example, a "Long Island Iced Tea" is a specific type of cocktail, and so is usually capitalised, even though it contains generic ingredients. This is because it could be confused with an "iced tea from Long Island", which is not the same thing.

However, generic types of liquor are not usually capitalised unless the meaning would not be clear from the context. For example, "He ordered a whiskey sour" looks correct, whereas "He nursed his vodka on the rocks for more than an hour" would not need to be capitalised.

Cocktail names that are derived from proper nouns but have taken on a generic meaning are usually styled in lowercase. For example, "cheddar" is a style of cheese, not cheese from England, and "french fries" are a style of potato, not potatoes from France. So, cocktails are often styled in lowercase unless a literal reference is clearly intended.

Some cocktail names are ambiguous if they are not capitalised. For example, "I feel like a king bee" and "I've been working myself to the bone—I need a corpse reviver!" seem to be written by someone who has had too many drinks.

It is important to be consistent with your chosen style. If you are unsure, follow the discipline of your editor, publication, or organisation, or observe the guidance of your preferred style manual.

Lowercase categories of drinks and common nouns, regardless of context

The use of capitalisation in the names of alcoholic drinks is a complex issue and there is no uniform consensus on how to capitalise them. The word "alcohol" itself is derived from the Arabic "al-kuḥl", meaning "the kohl", and is not a proper noun.

In general, generic types of liquor do not require capitalisation unless the meaning would not be clear from the context. For example, "He ordered a whiskey sour" is correct, whereas "He nursed his vodka on the rocks for more than an hour" does not need to be capitalised.

Lowercase categories of drinks and common nouns should be styled in lowercase, regardless of context. For example: "We ordered a Clover Club, a King Bee, and a gimlet".

If the drink name is a possible reference to a proper noun, style it according to the local context. For example: "I ordered a martini and a Manhattan". The Bronx, Manhattan, and Algonquin cocktails are all named after places in New York City, so the capitalisation of "Manhattan" may be due to its derivation from a proper noun.

Some cocktail names are unique coinages, or recipe names, composed of words that would otherwise be treated as common nouns. For example, a "Moscow Mule" or a "Long Island Iced Tea". In these cases, it is a matter of style and consistency, adhering to the discipline of your editor, publication, or organisation, or following the guidance of your preferred style manual.

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