Iowa Fall 21-Winter 22 - 11

MY, HOW TIMES CHANGE
Little more than a century ago, Americans experienced
the demise of legal liquor. Prohibition went
into effect throughout the U.S. on Jan. 17, 1920.
Many drinkers continued imbibing as bootleggers
pumped out liquor. Quality naturally declined, and
approximately 1,000 Americans died annually
during Prohibition from drinking tainted liquor.
Since most Americans abstained, their tastes
changed as they drank more sweet sodas. In
response, wine grape vines and cider apple trees
were replaced with sweeter grapes and eating
apples. To add to the deterioration, many alcohol-producing
businesses went bust.
In 1933, Prohibition ended. Two groundbreaking
Tiki bars opened, capitalizing on the public's newfound
freedom to imbibe.
Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt-aka, Donn
Beach-opened Don the Beachcomber restaurant.
Inspired by his travels to
the South Pacific and
Caribbean, he decorated
with copious
amounts
of
Polynesian and
tropical décor and
festooned his
cocktails with tiny
umbre l l as. Hi s
drinks featured rum,
tropical juices, orange liqueur
and sweet syrups, and were festooned.
He is generally credited
with starting the Tiki drink craze,
creating popular drinks such as
the Zombie, Tahitian Rum Punch,
Three Dots and a Dash and Navy
Grog.
Victor Bergeron opened
Trader Vic's Tiki spot in San
Francisco soon after. Trader Vic's
achieved acclaim for drinks
served in tropical, totem-inspired
containers, including the Fog
Cutter and Scorpion Bowl.
Both restaurants spread,
expanding the popularity of tropical
cocktails. The bright flavors of
many Tiki drinks, inspiring visions
of sandy beaches and hints of
island breezes, has kept them on
the menu throughout the
decades.
A TIKI CLASSIC: ZOMBIE
This rum-centric drink was created by Donn Beach at his
Don the Beachcomber restaurant in Hollywood. Recipe from
Captain Morgan.
½ ounce Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
½ ounce Captain Morgan White Rum
½ ounce Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
½ ounce lime juice
1 ounce orange juice
1 ounce pineapple juice
½ ounce simple syrup
2 dashes of Angostura bitters.
Shaved cinnamon and mint for garnish
 Fill a shaker with ice. Add rums, orange juice,
pineapple juice, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake
until cold. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish
with Angostura bitters, shaved cinnamon, and mint.
When the U.S. joined World
War II after the bombing of Pearl
Harbor in 1941, most U.S. distilleries
converted from liquor distilling to production
of industrial strength alcohol for
making war products such as smokeless
gunpowder, torpedo fuel, plastics and
medical supplies. Distilleries were able to
sell spirits they had distilled previously,
but they were careful about giving up too
much of their stock. Imported rum rose in
popularity as whiskey supplies tightened,
benefiting Tiki culture.
After the war, the average per capita
consumption of alcohol in the U.S. quickly
rebounded-and then some. By the late
1940s and '50s, cocktail rituals had
become part of the culture, and drinking
shifted from occasional to daily, woven into
leisurely life at home.
Although " Mad Men " aired from 20072015,
it was set in the early 1960s. The
popular TV series featured Madison Avenue
advertising executives enjoying multi-cocktail
lunches and drinks at work ... and anywhere
else they could down a few. Cocktails
FALL 2021 | WINTER 2022 11
Iowa Fall 21-Winter 22

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