Theo Nash
The saloons of the Old West are an iconic symbol of the era, often depicted in Western movies as the town's watering hole, gambling hall, bordello, meeting hall, or theater. While whiskey and beer are commonly associated with the Old West due to their prevalence in Western films, there was a variety of other alcoholic beverages consumed during this period. From the mid to late 1800s, saloons in small towns and cities offered a range of alcoholic drinks, including straight whiskey, beer, wine, and some questionable mixed drinks that bordered more on poison than pleasure. The quality and safety of these beverages were often questionable, with whiskey in smaller towns being stretched with additives and served by the glass rather than the bottle.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common alcoholic drinks | Beer, wine, whiskey, brandy, gin, rum, cider, tequila |
| Cocktail | A stimulating beverage, made of brandy or gin, mixed with sugar and a very little water |
| Whiskey in smaller towns | Served by the glass, not the bottle, with questionable additives |
| Whiskey drinks | Tarantula Juice, Coffin Varnish, Stagger Soup, Tanglefoot, Forty-Rod, Taos Lightning, Red Eye |
| Beer | Drunk because the water in the area was bad |
| Beer price | 12 1/2 cents in a single-bit saloon, 25 cents in a two-bit saloon |
| Beer temperature | Served between 55 and 65 degrees |
| Beer texture | Not sudsy |
| Saloons | Gambling saloons, restaurant saloons, billiard saloons, dancehall saloons, bowling saloons, plain ole' fashioned, "just drinking" saloons |
| Saloon activities | Gambling, prostitution, political discussion, cultural transmission |
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What You'll Learn
Saloons and their alcohol
Saloons were a common feature of the American West, with San Francisco, a profitable western port, having a saloon for every 218 people in the city. They were a central hub for small towns and cities, where people could socialise, play games, and drink alcohol.
Saloons served a variety of alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine, and whiskey. Beer was a popular choice, often preferred over water, which was often bad. Beer was usually served at 55 to 65 degrees, and people would drink it quickly before it got too warm or flat. Whiskey was also commonly served by the glass, not the bottle, and was often stretched with questionable additives, including raw alcohol, burnt sugar, and chewing tobacco. It was given names like Tarantula Juice, Taos Lightning, Red Eye, and Coffin Varnish. Other drinks included Cactus Wine, made from tequila and peyote tea, and Mule Skinner, made with whiskey and blackberry liquor.
In addition to these drinks, some mixed drinks were served at larger establishments in wealthier communities. These were considered "fancy" cocktails, and men who ordered them might be ridiculed unless they were known as "tough guys". These cocktails were made with brandy or gin, mixed with sugar and a little water.
The quality of alcohol in saloons was highly questionable, and the true gamble for patrons was the effect the drinks might have on their bodies. Despite the questionable quality, saloons were an integral part of the Old West, providing entertainment, social interaction, and a place to conduct business.
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The whiskey industry
Saloons were a common feature of the Old West, and alcohol was consumed in large quantities. The saloon was a central hub for socialising, gambling, and even prostitution. Drinking was so common that it was said you "cannot have a city without saloons".
Whiskey was a staple drink in the Old West, but it was often of questionable quality and safety. The whiskey served in saloons was sometimes made with raw alcohol, burnt sugar, chewing tobacco, and other additives. It was given colourful names like "Tarantula Juice", "Taos Lightning", and "Coffin Varnish". The whiskey industry was known for its crooked behaviour, with distillers adding water, grain neutral spirits, and other ingredients to increase profits. It was often served by the glass rather than the bottle, as saloon owners would stretch a barrel of cheap whiskey as far as it could go.
The standard American whiskey of the time was rye, but bourbon, Scotch, and Irish whiskeys were also available. Quality whiskeys were typically produced in distilleries on the eastern side of the country and imported to western cities, so they were more expensive and less accessible to the average person in the Old West.
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Beer, wine, and whiskey
Saloons were a common feature of the Old West, serving as a hub for socialising, political discussion, and cultural transmission. Drinking alcohol was a routine part of life in the Old West, with Americans drinking alcohol throughout the day. The "basics" of the bar scene in the Old West consisted of beer, wine, and whiskey, with some mixed drinks being served at larger establishments in wealthier communities.
Beer
Beer was a popular drink in the Old West, with over 2 million gallons imported through the port of San Francisco in 1853. However, the beer available in the latter half of the nineteenth century was different from the beer we know today. Most beer was served warm and with less carbonation. Draught beer, usually home-brewed or brewed in-town, was flat and came from barrels. Beer was often drunk because the water in the area was bad, and beer was considered a healthier alternative.
Wine
Wines were very common in California, with the first California winery established at Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1783. By 1853, numerous private wineries were producing wine, and about 1.056 million gallons of wine were imported into San Francisco that year. Angelica, a sweet dessert wine made from mission grapes, remains a favourite at various wineries.
Whiskey
Whiskey was also a popular drink in the Old West, with straight whiskey served in saloons. However, not all whiskeys were created equal, and producers often lied about the purity, ingredients, and age of their product. The cost of drinking in saloons varied depending on the purity of the liquor and the location, with a glass of whiskey in a single-bit saloon costing twelve and a half cents, while a two-bit saloon charged twice that.
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Cocktails
Saloons were a common feature of the Old West, serving as a hub for socialising, political discussion, cultural transmission, and entertainment. Drinking alcohol was a significant part of life in the Old West, with Americans drinking alcohol routinely by 1770, and distilled liquor consumption hitting a high point in 1830 when the average American consumed about 7 gallons per year.
The most popular drinks in the Old West were straight liquor, beer, and wine. However, some cocktails were also consumed. The term "cocktail" in the 19th century originally referred to a beverage made of brandy or gin, mixed with sugar and a small amount of water. Brandy cocktails, whiskey-grogs, and juleps are mentioned in the 1859 Dictionary of Americanisms.
In the 1820s, the English began adding a dash of Angostura bitters to their gin, creating a "pink gin" cocktail. Bitters are concentrated herbs, spices, and botanicals infused into high-proof alcohol. English gins like Old Tom and London Dry were commonly available in the United States, as was Hollands (Genever). These gins were likely used in cocktails in the Old West.
The saloon was also where many working-class men engaged in gambling, with games such as Chuck-A-Luck, Three-Card-Monte, Faro, and poker.
Some of the more exotic cocktails of the Old West included Tarantula Juice, Coffin Varnish, and Stagger Soup. These drinks were made with raw, watered-down alcohol and coloured to resemble quality whiskey. Ingredients used for colouring included tobacco, molasses, sugar, old shoes, and even snake heads. Hot peppers were also added to provide an extra kick.
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Drinking culture
During the California Gold Rush in the 1850s, settlements were well-supplied with alcohol through intricate transportation systems. San Francisco, a profitable western port, played a significant role in importing and distributing alcohol. In 1853, the city had a substantial amount of imported alcohol, including rum, brandy, champagne, and beer.
Whiskey and beer are commonly associated with the Wild West, and these drinks were indeed consumed in saloons. However, the type of whiskey varied, and before the 1880s, rye whiskey was the most common variety, with bourbon, Scotch, and Irish whiskey also available. Beer consumption in the Old West had cultural and economic implications, and it played a significant role in the social life of frontier towns. Beer gardens, introduced by German immigrants, became popular social spaces in some Western towns. Beer preferences varied based on individual taste, regional availability, and personal background.
Cocktails, as stimulating beverages, were also part of the drinking culture in the Old West. The term "cocktail" first appeared in print in the United States in 1803. These drinks were made with brandy or gin, mixed with sugar and a small amount of water. Additionally, other alcoholic beverages, such as aguardiente (a strong alcohol distilled from grapes, common in California and Spanish-speaking North America) and angelica (a sweet dessert wine made from mission grapes), were also consumed.
The availability of alcohol in the Old West was influenced by various factors, including transportation routes and ports. Southern routes and smaller ports like San Diego, San Pedro, and Monterey contributed to the supply of alcohol in the region. Saloons could offer a variety of drinks depending on availability, and the alcohol quality could range from rotgut spirits to high-end imports.
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Frequently asked questions
The Old West was a time of questionable alcohol, with saloons serving as the central hub for locals to gather and drink. The "basics" of the bar scene included beer, wine, and whiskey, with some mixed drinks being served at larger, wealthier establishments. The whiskey was often mixed with additional water, grain neutral spirits, and other ingredients to expand supply and increase profits.
Saloons were common fixtures in the American West, with the U.S. Brewers' Association claiming that a city could not exist without them. They were places for social activities, political discussions, and cultural transmission. They often doubled as grocery/general stores and were connected to the prostitution industry. Saloons also served as entertainment venues, with gambling being a popular activity.
Some of the more "exotic" drinks included Tarantula Juice, Coffin Varnish, and Stagger Soup, which were made from raw, watered-down alcohol and coloured with tobacco, molasses, sugar, or even old shoes and snake heads. Cactus Wine, made from tequila and peyote tea, and Mule Skinner, a mix of whiskey and blackberry liquor, were also popular.
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