From the Martini to the Old Fashioned, many of the popular cocktails we drink today were just as en vogue…one hundred years ago. Yes, the most classic of cocktails have stood the test of time! Here at A Couple Cooks, we’ve made over 200+ cocktails. The ones that stand out are almost always the ones with a rich history and a back story. Here are all the best classic 1920s cocktails that have stood the test of time! These are all drinks that were popular in the 1920s: many of them were invented years before Prohibition Era. They span quite a range: from simple sours to boozy classics. Let’s get mixing!
And now…the best 1920s cocktails to try today!
More cocktail recipes
There are so many more to try! Here are 200+ cocktail recipes for every occasion: History: The first recipe for a Tom Collins was published in 1876. It rose to popularity in the 1920s and beyond. History: First started to appear in cocktail books in the 1930’s. There’s no clear origin story, but “the bees knees” is a phrase used at the time that means “the best.” History: The oldest known printed recipe called “Southside” was from 1917. Also try: Ramos Gin Fizz, a spin invented in New Orleans that tastes like lemon meringue pie History: The first reference to the drink in print was a cocktail book in 1876. It became very popular in 1900 through 1940s. History: The first recipe was recorded in print in 1908. It was named after a gentleman’s club in Philadelphia called the Clover Club, which included prominent lawyers, writers, and politicians. History: The most common origin story is that it was created around 1918, named after an American army captain stationed in Paris who rode around in a motorcycle sidecar. History: It’s also called a Delilah or Chelsea Sidecar, it’s like a gin version of a Sidecar invented in the 1920’s History: Most sources say it was invented in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris. History: It was first documented in the early 1800’s by a New York paper. It was popular in the 1920s, and has remained en vogue ever since. History: The Martinez is a classic cocktail that dates back to the 1880’s, when it was included in a several cocktail books. History: Ward 8 was invented in 1898 in Boston, Massachusetts to celebrate a man named Martin Lomasney’s election to state legislature. The city’s Ward 8 district helped clinch the win. History: The Hanky Panky cocktail was invented by a famous woman bartender in the 1920’s named Ada Coleman. When the patron she invented it for tasted it, he exclaimed “By Jove! That is the real hanky panky!” History: In the 1920s, Ernest Hemingway started making trips to Cuba and fell in love with the Classic Daiquiri. A bar he frequented created this spin in honor of him. History: The Negroni was invented back in the 1920’s by a Count Negroni in Florence, Italy, as a spin on the even older Americano. History: The exact history of the drink is murky, but it was invented in New Orleans in the mid-1800’s. History: This drink was invented in the 1920’s and named after Mary Pickford, the movie star darling of the day. She was “America’s sweetheart” in the silent movie era. History: Invented in the 1920’s at the Pegu Club in Yangon, Myanmar (Rangoon, Burma at the time). The first mention of the Pegu Club appeared in a 1923 cocktail book by Harry McElhone. History: The whiskey highball was born in the early 1900’s and initially combined Scotch whiskey with soda water, called “scotch and soda.” History: The Gin Rickey is a highball cocktail made with gin, soda water and lime juice. It became popular in the 1890’s and rose to worldwide popularity. It is even mentioned in books like the 1920’s novel Great Gatsby. History: The Last Word drink appeared on menus as early as 1916 History: It was created back in the early 1900’s by a bartender at a hotel in New York City (Hotel Wallick). History: This cocktail was named after the 1922 silent movie about a bullfighter called Blood and Sand. History: The Rob Roy drink was born in 1894, named in honor of the premier of an operetta based on Scottish folk hero Rob Roy MacGregor. History: The Singapore sling is a gin cocktail invented in Singapore around 1915. It was most likely created by a bartender at the Raffles Hotel. A classic “sling” is made with water, sweetener and liquor. The Singapore sling is a variation on a gin sling with some added ingredients. It’s essentially a single serving punch. History: The Grasshopper was invented in New Orleans in 1918 by the owner of the bar Tujague’s. No reviews
Classics: Try Classic Cocktails or Great Cocktail Recipes. Easy: These 10 Easy Mixed Drinks and Cheap Drinks have just 2 to 3 ingredients. 2 Ingredient: Try 2 Ingredient Tequila Drinks or 2 Ingredient Vodka Drinks. Fancy: Opt for the best in Craft Cocktails. The Big 5: Try all our cocktails with Gin, Vodka, Whiskey, Tequila or Rum.
See Also: our master list of Types of Alcohol and Liquor Names!
