Theo Nash
During the Prohibition era in the United States, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages were prohibited. Despite this, Americans continued to find creative ways to consume alcohol, and one popular method was through holiday treats. These treats, such as ginger ale, Coca-Cola, sugar, mint, lemon, and fruit juices, were often combined with illegally produced or smuggled liquor, known as bathtub gin or moonshine, to create mixed drinks or cocktails. The illicit bars that served these drinks, known as speakeasies, became widespread, and organized crime flourished as they moved into bootlegging operations. Americans' determination to find creative ways to hide and consume alcohol during Prohibition highlights the challenges faced in enforcing a nationwide ban on a substance that was deeply ingrained in social life.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the holiday treat | Windfall |
| Time period | 1920 to 1933 |
| Type of treat | Frozen treats, milkshakes, ice cream |
| Alcohol type | Industrial-grade alcohol, wine, moonshine, gin, whiskey |
| Alcohol content | Up to 90% |
| Consumption method | Alcohol was hidden in hollow walking canes, flasks disguised as books, lamps, large overcoats, and other home furnishings. |
| Availability | Sold at drug stores, soda fountains, and speakeasies |
| Legal status | Illegal; prohibited by the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution |
| Enforcement | Treasury Department, later transferred to the Justice Department |
| Impact | Increased organized crime, flourishing of bootlegging operations, and proliferation of speakeasies |
| Notable producers/sellers | Walgreens, drug store chains, bootleggers |
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What You'll Learn
The rise of speakeasies
The Prohibition era in the United States, lasting from 1920 to 1933, witnessed a significant shift in social life with the emergence and proliferation of speakeasies—illicit establishments that sold alcoholic beverages. The term "speakeasy" is believed to originate from the practice of speaking quietly about such places to avoid attracting the attention of authorities. The phrase ""speak-easy shop"" appeared in a British naval memoir as early as 1844, and the term "speakeasy" was used in Australia in 1837 to refer to "sly grog shops." In the United States, the word emerged in the 1880s, with the first recorded use in a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania newspaper article from 1889, referring to unlicensed saloons in the Pittsburgh area.
Speakeasies played a significant role in changing social dynamics, particularly regarding gender norms. Prior to Prohibition, it was uncommon for women to consume alcohol in public, and they were often legally barred from entering saloons. However, speakeasies actively welcomed and catered to female patrons, offering amenities such as restaurants, dancing, and powder rooms. This shift continued even after the end of Prohibition, shaping modern nightlife and contributing to the rise of organized crime.
Italian-American speakeasy owners, for instance, sparked an interest in Italian food by serving it with wine. The competition for patrons also fueled the demand for live entertainment, with jazz music and dancing becoming integral to the speakeasy experience. Additionally, the need to disguise the taste of poorly distilled liquor led to the creation of mixed drinks or "cocktails," further enriching the social and cultural landscape of the time.
The proliferation of speakeasies during Prohibition had a lasting impact on American society. It normalized alcohol consumption among women and brought about a shift in social norms. It also contributed to the growth of organized crime, with gangsters like Al Capone profiting from the control of speakeasies and the sale of bootlegged alcohol. The rise of speakeasies, fueled by the continued demand for alcohol, showcased the challenges of enforcing a nationwide ban on alcoholic beverages.
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Creative concealment methods
During the Prohibition era in the United States, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages were prohibited. However, this did not stop Americans from finding creative ways to conceal their alcohol consumption and continue their drinking habits. Here are some of the ingenious methods they employed:
Secret Saloons and Speakeasies: Speakeasies, or secret saloons, were illegal bars that proliferated during Prohibition, especially in urban areas. These establishments were often hidden behind innocuous fronts, such as apartment rooms or backrooms. To gain entry, prospective patrons might have to whisper passwords or show membership cards through peepholes in the front doors. Speakeasies were frequently bribing low-paid police officers to look the other way or tip them off about upcoming raids.
Creative Concealment: Americans came up with clever ways to hide their alcohol. They used hollow walking canes, flasks disguised as books, and even modified their home furnishings, such as lamps, to conceal alcohol bottles. Some women strapped large tins of alcohol to their thighs under their overcoats, while bootleggers transporting alcohol modified their vehicles with enhanced engines and trapdoors to outrun law enforcement.
Home Distillation and Moonshining: Many families with "wet" sympathies distilled their alcohol at home, producing "`bathtub gin`" in northern cities and "moonshine" in rural areas. Moonshiners in these rural areas even wore "cow shoes"—wooden blocks carved to look like cow hooves—to disguise their human footprints and evade detection. However, the quality of these homemade liquors varied, and deaths from alcohol poisoning increased during Prohibition due to the consumption of poorly made moonshine.
Medicinal and Religious Loopholes: The Volstead Act, which set the rules for enforcing the federal ban, allowed the sale of sacramental wine to priests, ministers, and rabbis for Sabbath and holiday use. This loophole was sometimes abused by impostors or unauthorized agents. Additionally, people could obtain alcohol for "`medicinal`" purposes from licensed druggists, though this "medical wine" was often altered with a medicinal taste to justify its sale.
Flavorful Cocktails: To hide the taste of poorly distilled liquor, speakeasies began mixing alcohol with various flavorings, such as ginger ale, Coca-Cola, sugar, mint, lemon, and fruit juices. This led to the enduring popularity of mixed drinks or "cocktails."
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The birth of cocktails
One of the earliest and most popular origin stories of the cocktail dates back to the 18th century and an enterprising tavern owner named Antoine Peychaud. Peychaud mixed French brandy, bitters, and sugar in one of the earliest cocktail glasses, an egg cup called a "coquetier" in French. Over time, his creation became very popular, earning its place in cocktail history and making him the recognised progenitor of the modern mixed drink.
The Oxford Dictionary suggests that the term "cocktail" may be related to a horse's tail. When a horse's tail was shorter or clipped, it was historically referred to as "cock-tailed", which became a negative association with horses that weren't thoroughbred. Another theory suggests that the term comes from the phrase "to feague", which means to put "ginger up a horse's fundament to make him lively and carry his tail well".
The history of cocktails is also tied to the history of bars and pubs, which have been around for centuries. In the 1700s, countless taverns and inns opened across America, and doctors prescribed botanical-infused spirits for various ailments. By the start of the 19th century, bitters were often added to a drink called Canary wine, which became immensely popular across America.
In 1862, Jerry 'Professor' Thomas published the first cocktail process book, "The Bartender's Guide", where he shared the secrets to creating the Old Fashioned and other classics. Around this time, drinks became classed as punches and slings, inspired by British punch bowls but condensed into a single glass. The availability of ice in the 19th century also played a role in the evolution of cocktails, as people preferred cold, refreshing drinks. Some cocktails designed during this golden era are still famous today, such as the Rob Roy, the Scotch version of the Manhattan, and the Mamie Taylor, a zingy twist on the Whisky Highball.
Prohibition in the United States from 1920 to 1933 banned the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. This led to a new wave of cocktails, as liquor sold in underground drinking dens, known as speakeasies, was often harsh and hard to drink. Mixologists created bold flavours that took the edge off the poor-quality spirits, and long classics like Highballs became wildly popular. Gin became more widespread as it was easier to make at home than whisky, and classic whisky-based cocktails like the Old Fashioned and Sazerac remained popular.
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Bootlegging and organised crime
The Prohibition era in the United States, lasting from 1920 to 1933, witnessed a surge in bootlegging and organised crime. This period marked a nationwide ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages, enforced by the Eighteenth Amendment. However, the prohibition of alcohol inadvertently fostered a thriving underground industry for illicit alcohol, giving rise to the lucrative business of bootlegging.
Bootlegging, the illegal manufacture, transport, and sale of liquor, became a pervasive and highly profitable enterprise during Prohibition. The demand for alcohol remained strong, and bootleggers stepped in to meet this demand, often importing liquor from Canada, Mexico, and foreign-registered ships. The profits from bootlegging were substantial, enabling gangs to expand their operations and establish a firm foothold in the criminal underworld.
The emergence of bootlegging as a lucrative enterprise led to the formation of powerful organised crime syndicates, such as the Mafia in New York City. These syndicates controlled various aspects of the bootlegging business, from concealed distilleries and breweries to transportation networks and retail outlets. Gangs sought to secure and expand their territories, leading to violent conflicts, including the notorious Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago in 1929, where Al Capone's gang clashed with a rival group.
To protect their operations, bootleggers employed a range of tactics, including modifying their vehicles to outrun law enforcement. They also bribed police officers, witnesses, and even FBI agents to turn a blind eye to their activities. The vast profits from bootlegging allowed mobsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano to dominate the criminal underworld and form powerful crime families that engaged in activities beyond bootlegging, such as narcotics, gambling, and prostitution.
The failure to effectively enforce Prohibition and the rise of organised crime led to a shift in public perception and dissatisfaction with the nationwide ban on alcohol. This ultimately culminated in the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 with the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment, bringing an end to the tumultuous era of bootlegging and the consolidation of organised crime in the United States.
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Religious and medicinal loopholes
The Eighteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which came into effect on 16 January 1919, prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating beverages. However, it notably did not outlaw the possession or consumption of alcohol. This loophole allowed consumers to possess alcohol, and the black market for alcohol flourished.
The Volstead Act, which set down the rules for enforcing the federal ban, also contained two significant exceptions to its ban on the sale of alcohol: liquors dispensed by doctors as prescription medicine (typically whiskey and other hard liquors) and liquors used for religious sacraments (usually wine) by priests, rabbis, and ministers. The act allowed the sale of sacramental wine to priests and ministers and allowed rabbis to approve sales of kosher wine to individuals for Sabbath and holiday use at home. This led to abuses, with impostors or unauthorized agents using loopholes to purchase wine.
The exemption for medicinal liquor was controversial, even among medical professionals. In 1917, the American Medical Association (AMA) issued a declaration stating that alcohol had no "scientific value" as a tonic or stimulant for healing and "should be further discouraged". However, the outdated view of alcohol as a remedy was codified into law and proved lucrative for doctors and pharmacists. The AMA rescinded its objection to medicinal liquor in 1921, endorsing it as a treatment for almost 30 ailments. Doctors earned about $40 million for whiskey prescriptions from 1921 to 1930.
The popularity of medicinal alcohol also benefited companies like Walgreens, which grew from 20 drugstores in 1920 to 525 stores across the country in 1929. However, the company attributed its growth to effective management, its brand of ice cream, and the invention of the malted milkshake.
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Frequently asked questions
There were many ways in which alcohol was smuggled and consumed during Prohibition in the US, which lasted from 1920 to 1933. However, there is no clear evidence of a "holiday treat" being used as a vehicle for alcohol.
The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1919, banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition went into effect on January 16, 1920.
Yes, there were exceptions for medicinal and religious uses. Doctors could prescribe alcohol for medicinal purposes, and rabbis could approve the sale of kosher wine for Sabbath and holiday use at home.
Americans found creative ways to conceal their alcohol, including hiding it in hollow canes, flasks disguised as books, and modified vehicles with secret compartments. They also established secret bars called "speakeasies."
Prohibition drove the alcohol industry underground, leading to the rise of organized crime and bootlegging operations. While consumption rates initially fell, deaths from alcohol poisoning increased due to the consumption of poor-quality illegal alcohol, such as moonshine.
