Modern Mixology would not be where it is today without Black & African American bartenders. While the question still stands whether they were defining trends or refining them, one thing we do know is that we have one of the truly American cocktails, The Mint Julep, because of Jasper Crouch, Tom Bullock, Jim Cook, John Dabney, and many more. These men, some slaves, former slaves, and free; pioneered the art of catering, cuisine, and mixology in the face of impossible odds & pandering to the whims of the power structure at the time.

We honor these men & more than likely also Black women for their contribution to modern mixology and the Mint Julep we know and love today.

In this episode, Alexa & Mia cover the evolution of ice as a commodity, how it shifted cocktail culture, and the Black & African American Bartenders who set trends and changed a countries cocktail culture to what we know today. 

Black History IS American History

In this episode we quote heavily from The Daily Beast Article "The Lost African-American Bartenders who Created the Cocktail" by David Wondrich. 

Drink History is hosted by Alexa Wilkinson & Mia Fio Rito.

Go to drinkhistorypodcast.com to learn more about upcoming episodes and cocktail recipes... and don't forget to smash that subscribe button!