Spirituous Journey

Authors Miller and Brown thought they knew about cocktails. Then they dug deeper.Spirituous Journey: A History of Drink, Book Two has a some surprises in store. Here are just a few:

The earliest known use of the word "cocktail" was on Downing Street in London.

Red Snapper was a popular brand of pre-mix (spicy clam and tomato)

Jerry Thomas returned to London in 1866 and opened a bar in Leicester Square.

Tom & Jerry was not named after or invented by Jerry Thomas. By the time he was born, it was slang for a rowdy tavern. When he was three years old, bartenders were already mixing the drink in Tallahassee, Florida.

Harry Johnson opened a large hotel on Columbus Circle, and The Wizard of Oz made its Broadway debut in his theatre. His nephew's bar is still open in Manhattan today.

The Only William was just a little more famous during his life than Harry or Jerry.

Henry Ramos' bar staff moved to Mexico during Prohibition and opened a bar that is still there, and shaking his fizzes today.

With a foreword by cocktailian Gary Regan, Spirituous Journey: A History of Drink, Book Two reminds readers that the world of spirits and drinks is more than just a shake, stir, or throw.

There's pride in a rich history, too.