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History of Cocktails Timeline
(1806 - Present)The history of cocktails traces the evolution of mixed alcoholic drinks from their early 19th-century American beginnings, through the golden age of speakeasies during Prohibition, to today's global craft cocktail renaissance. This timeline highlights key moments that shaped cocktail culture, including iconic drink inventions, influential bartenders, and changing drinking trends across two centuries. More Less
Early Origins
Earliest known use of the word cocktail
May 13, 1806
The Hudson, New York newspaper The Balance and Columbian Repository published the first known definition of a cocktail: 'a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.' This letter from editor Harry Croswell is often cited as the birth certificate of the cocktail as a distinct drink category.
Image source: Cocktail
Sazerac emerges in New Orleans
Jan 1, 1850
Antoine Peychaud, a Creole apothecary in New Orleans, served brandy cocktails with his own bitters at his pharmacy. The drink evolved into the Sazerac, made with rye whiskey, absinthe, sugar, and Peychaud's bitters, becoming one of America's first signature cocktails.
Image source: Sazerac
Jerry Thomas publishes the first bartender's guide
Jan 1, 1862
Jerry Thomas, often called the father of American mixology, published 'How to Mix Drinks; or, The Bon Vivant's Companion,' the first major bartending compendium. It codified hundreds of recipes including the Tom Collins, Flip, and Crusta, professionalizing bartending for generations to come.
Old Fashioned cocktail takes shape
Jan 1, 1880
Patrons at Louisville's Pendennis Club allegedly requested whiskey in the old-fashioned manner—spirits, sugar, bitters, and water—giving rise to the Old Fashioned. It became an enduring symbol of classic American mixology and remains one of the most popular cocktails today.
Image source: Old fashioned (cocktail)
Manhattan and Martini become fashionable
Jan 1, 1880 - Dec 31, 1899
During the late nineteenth century, the Manhattan and the Martini rose to prominence in New York's hotels and clubs. These spirit-forward stirred drinks defined sophisticated urban drinking and established gin and vermouth as foundational cocktail ingredients.
Image source: Martini (cocktail)
Harry Johnson publishes Bartenders' Manual
Jan 1, 1882
German-born bartender Harry Johnson published his influential 'Bartenders' Manual,' expanding on Jerry Thomas's work with detailed guidance on bar management and dozens of new recipes, further professionalizing the trade during America's golden age of saloons.
Image source: Harry Johnson (bartender)
Golden Age & Prohibition
Harry MacElhone opens Harry's New York Bar in Paris
Jan 1, 1911
Harry MacElhone took over a Parisian bar that became Harry's New York Bar, a haven for expatriate Americans. It was credited with creating or popularizing the Sidecar, Bloody Mary, and French 75, making it a legendary incubator of classic cocktails.
Image source: Harry's New York Bar
Sidecar cocktail gains fame in Paris and London
Jan 1, 1920
Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice combined into the Sidecar, reportedly named after a French army officer who arrived at his bar by motorcycle sidecar. It became a signature drink of the Roaring Twenties in Europe.
Image source: Sidecar (cocktail)
Bloody Mary created at Harry's New York Bar
Jan 1, 1920
Fernand Petiot, working at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, combined vodka and tomato juice into what became the Bloody Mary. He later refined it with spices at the St. Regis Hotel in New York, creating brunch culture's most famous savory cocktail.
Image source: Bloody Mary (cocktail)
American bartenders emigrate ahead of Prohibition
Jan 16, 1920
As national Prohibition took effect under the Eighteenth Amendment, skilled American bartenders fled to Havana, Paris, London, and beyond, spreading American cocktail culture worldwide and elevating drinking establishments abroad while speakeasies flourished illegally at home.
Image source: Prohibition in the United States
Key Facts
- The word 'cocktail' was first defined in print in 1806 in The Balance and Columbian Repository as a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters.
- The Golden Age of Cocktails (1860s-1920s) saw the creation of iconic drinks like the Martini, Manhattan, and Daiquiri, largely credited to legendary bartender Jerry Thomas.
- Prohibition (1920-1933) in the United States drove cocktail culture underground into speakeasies and spread American cocktail traditions worldwide, especially to Cuba and Europe.
- After decades of decline following World War II, the Craft Cocktail Revival began in the late 1980s and 1990s, led by bartenders like Dale DeGroff who emphasized fresh ingredients and classic techniques.
- Tiki culture, popularized by Donn Beach and Trader Vic in the 1930s-40s, introduced elaborate tropical rum cocktails like the Mai Tai that remain popular today.
Source
This History of Cocktails timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.
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