Shaken, Stirred And Strong

Old West mixologists had many names and many jobs, but their legacy remains the legendary cocktail.

- Sherry Monahan

Mixologists, or bartenders, of the time were often skilled and jokingly referred to as pharmacists or chemists with a “medicine” chest. Prior to Prohibition, the bartender or mixologist had an admired role. Three of the most famous pioneer mixologists who worked in California were Harry Johnson, William “Cocktail” Boothby and Jerry Thomas. Born in 1830, Jerry Thomas is considered to be the “Father of the Cocktail.” He tended bar in the 1860s at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, where, one legend claims, the martini’s history starts. In 1862, “Professor” Thomas published the Bartender’s Companion. He is also credited with creating the wildly popular Tom and Jerry cocktail at the Occidental. He later published How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant’s Companion. This included his famous Blue Blazer, which is a flaming cocktail.