The Roaring 20s: The Ultimate Speakeasy Cocktail Guide

American cult novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald celebrates its 97th anniversary this year, which was turned into an intoxicating motion picture full of vibrant colours, glamour, and rebellion. Now that we have entered 2022, it would only make sense to repeat an iconic period of western culture. A time of legendary fashion and illegal drinking in speakeasies during prohibition, some of the best cocktails came out of these dry times, becoming timeless favourites that will tantalise all taste buds.

So why not host a dinner party with these simple cocktails and celebrate in true ‘old sport’ style? With our beaded flapper headpieces, cocoon (faux) fur coats, and wool tweed men’s suits, we take a look at some 20s inspired cocktails with a variety of spirits that pack a punch that you can create at home to kickstart the roaring 20s!

Gin: The Last Word

A sweet yet sharp delight with a subtle green hue, this cocktail is ideal for those with a taste for a sweet, citrus fix. Requiring few ingredients, the complex mix of herbal, tangy flavours was created at the Detroit Athletic Club in the 1920s and spread across the country by vaudeville performer Frank Fogarty.

Ingredients

45ml of your favourite gin
15ml Green Chartreuse
15ml Maraschino liqueur
15ml fresh lime juice

Method

Mix the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously
Strain into a chilled Martini glass
Add either fresh cherries or a wedge of lime for garnish

Gin: Bee’s Knees

Something of excellence, this sweet, citrus cocktail was concocted to mask the smell and taste of prohibition bathtub gin. Although created to improve the taste of a bitter and less-than-pleasant homemade gin, the potential this recipe has with good quality gin speaks for itself.

Ingredients

50ml of your favourite gin
2 teaspoons honey
20ml fresh lemon juice
20ml fresh orange juice

Method

Add gin and honey to a shaker and stir until the honey dissolves
Add the lemon and orange juice with ice and shake well
Strain into a Martini glass
Garnish with an orange zest twist

Rum: Mary Pickford

Born at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba for silent movie star Mary Pickford during prohibition, this pale pink cocktail is mellow and sweet, balanced between the succulent fruity flavours and punch of the rum.

Ingredients

60ml of your favourite white rum
45ml pineapple juice
7.5ml of grenadine syrup
5ml of Maraschino liqueur

Method

Mix the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake hard
Strain into a chilled Martini glass
Garnish with cherries

Brandy: Sidecar

A 20’s classic, this cocktail encapsulates that a true sour should taste like. The origin of this zesty cocktail is debated — this was created in perhaps Buck’s Club in London or Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, when someone arrived at a bar in a sidecar and the bartender crafted a drink appropriate for that time of day. Whatever the story is behind it, we’re certain that this is one of the best.

Ingredients

45ml of your favourite Cognac
22ml Cointreau
22ml fresh lemon juice

Method

Coat the rim of a chilled coupe glass with sugar
Add ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake
Strain into the prepared glass
Garnish with an orange zest twist

Vodka: South Side

Enjoyed by the infamous Al Capone and his gang, this tipple has earned its righteous place in prohibition history — suspected to be named after the well-known Chicago district where the gangster ruled.

Ingredients

60ml of your favourite gin
30ml freshly squeezed lime juice
15ml sugar syrup
Fresh mint leaves

Method

Mix the ingredients, including the mint leaves, in a shaker with ice. Shake to bruise the leaves
Strain into a chilled Martini glass
Garnish with mint sprig

So, there we have some of the most iconic 1920’s cocktails that are still very popular today. Get your glad rags on and throw your own Gatsby party!

Sources

https://www.ginfoundry.com/cocktail/last-word-cocktail/

http://postprohibition.com/recipes/bees-knees/

https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/1268/mary-pickford-cocktail

https://makemeacocktail.com/blog/the-history-of-the-sidecar-cocktail/

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/sidecar/#gs.sflow8

https://foragers.co.uk/blogs/mixology/history-of-the-classic-southside-cocktail