15 Prohibition Era Ingredients for Stocking Your Speakeasy Bar
Setting up a speakeasy bar requires a few simple ingredients — and a secret password, of course.
Speakeasy drinks during the Prohibition era featured plenty of fruit juices and sweeteners to mask the harsh bite of spirits, which were often illegally made. Poor-quality, homemade liquors like bathtub gin and moonshine were drinkable only with super flavorful mixers. Floral components and other aromatics also served to disguise the smell of liquor if the police showed up at the party.
Skip the sketchy spirits and set up your own speakeasy bar with these prohibition era ingredients from the 1920s.
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1. Gin
While you don’t have to make it in your bathtub, gin is the most important speakeasy ingredient of any speakeasy bar. Hate the taste? Sub in vodka instead, even though this easy-drinking liquor (along with rum and tequila) didn’t make it big in America until after World War II.
2. Whiskey
Opt for American whiskey made from rye, which gives the liquor spicy and fruity nuances. Prefer your spirits sweet and heavy? Bourbon is a good stand-in.
3. Green Chartreuse
This feisty, pale green liqueur lends an Art Deco vibe to any cocktail. Made by French monks since 1737, the spirit features a blend of 130 herbs, flowers, and plants.
4. Vermouth
Highly aromatic, vermouth is a must in popular retro cocktails like the martini and the Manhattan. It’s a fortified wine made from botanicals like tree bark, flowers, and seeds. Both versions — sweet and dry — were quite popular in the 1920s.
5. Elderflower Liqueur
No modern speakeasy bar is legit without a bottle of St. Germaine elderflower liqueur. Its sweet, floral flavor wakes up cocktails with the fresh taste of summertime.
6. Fresh Citrus
Lemons, limes, and oranges are essential components of a speakeasy bar for their juice as well as their rinds. Add brightness with juice and color with the zest. Roll a strip of peeling into a spiral for extra style points.
7. Bitters
Bitters are necessary to balance out all of that tart fruit juice and heavy sweeteners. Originally used as medicine, bitters are a blend of botanical matter and alcohol. Choose orange bitters if you can find them for your vintage cocktail drinks.
8. Fresh Herbs
Perk up your punch with a garnish of brilliant green spearmint, ideal for covering the smell of alcohol in the drink (and on your breath if you eat it afterward). Add a spring of rosemary for a vibrant, unique flavor.
9. Simple Syrup
One of the staple speakeasy ingredients is made by dissolving sugar in heated water and then cooling. Simple syrup is a quick way to sweeten any drink.
10. Honey
The use of honey in cocktails was considered exotic in the Prohibition era when most drinks called for sugar syrup or sugar rims. But its floral aroma works perfectly to disguise strong liquors. Try a Bee’s Knees for a vintage honey cocktail.
11. Grenadine
Cherry syrup, or just plain cherry juice, was used in drinks like Ward 8 to complement (and stand up to) strong whiskey flavors. Maraschino cherries are also great for garnishes.
12. Sugar
Add a sugar circle around the lip of your glass by moistening the rim and dipping it in a small plate full of sugar. Use turbinado sugar if you can – the golden crystals are perfect for vintage drinks.
13. Egg Whites
Whipped egg whites make cocktails creamy and rich with a frothy top. They don’t add much in the way of flavor, but the foam provides a luxurious mouthfeel that many people like.
14. Champagne
Feel just like Gatsby when you pop open a bottle of Champagne. A good option for light drinkers, Champagne is also used in many bubbly cocktails (like the French 75). Go for Prosecco or California sparkling wine if you don’t want to break your budget.
15. Seltzer or Club Soda
You’ll also need a basic mixer for cocktails like the Gin Rickey and the South Side Fizz, Al Capone’s favorite drink. Club soda and seltzers are the perfect addition to your speakeasy drinks.
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