Cheers! Did you know that cocktails as we know them today have their origins in the Victorian Era? It’s true! But the Victorian relationship with alcohol  is complicated - it’s a lot more than just booze; it is also an examination of class, equality, opportunity, and values.  In this episode, we will explore: 

• what motivated the middle class temperance movement, and the hypocrisy that surrounded it 
•  why many in the working classes began to embrace teetotaling 
• how unsafe living conditions and unfair labour practices pushed other working class men into the comforts of the Victorian pub
• the connection of temperance to suffrage 
• why the UK failed to embrace total prohibition 
• the inventions and innovations that transformed the oily rotgut of the Georgian Era into the purified spirits we know today
• the showmanship that began to permeate cocktail culture 
• the rise of the iconic London hotel bars, where one can still enjoy spirits, culture, and ambiance today

We will also dig more deeply and question:

• how classism and  societal mores shape the values and overall culture of the Victorian Era 

* Jen lovingly dedicates this episode to Mary G., with whom many spirits were toasted, countless laughs shared, and infinite memories made - all beginning in London. Rest easy, dear friend - this one’s for you ♥️


Photos and links can be found in our show notes.


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