A Toast to Black History: Cocktails That Shaped American Drinking Culture

These cocktails highlight the creativity and influence of Black bartenders, distillers, and traditions that helped shape American drinking culture, from pre-Prohibition pioneers to modern brands reclaiming their place behind the bar.

1. Bizzy Izzy Highball

The Bizzy Izzy Highball is a pre-Prohibition cocktail created by barman Tom Bullock and published in The Ideal Bartender in 1917. Bullock was the first Black bartender to publish a bar manual, doing so just before Prohibition brought the American cocktail boom to a halt.

Bullock built his career at the St. Louis Country Club, where he famously served future president Theodore Roosevelt; a rare position of prominence for a Black bartender at the time.

His book was dedicated “to those who enjoy snug club rooms, that they may learn the art of preparing for themselves what is good.” Over a century later, the Bizzy Izzy remains a reminder of Black excellence at the foundation of cocktail culture.

2. Mint Julep

Now synonymous with the Kentucky Derby, the Mint Julep’s rise in the early 20th century was driven largely by Black bartenders working in Southern clubs and private homes. Their craftsmanship helped turn a simple whiskey drink into an enduring American classic. Sweet, refreshing, and unmistakably iconic.

See more about making the perfect Mint Julep here.

3. Sorel / Red Drink

Often served during Juneteenth celebrations, red drinks made with hibiscus trace back to West African and Caribbean traditions. In African American culture, these vibrant beverages came to symbolize freedom, resilience, and celebration.

Modern sorrel cocktails continue that tradition, bringing history into the glass through color, flavor, and meaning.

Check out some Sorel recipes here.

4. Bertie’s Bramble

Using bourbon from Saint Liberty, a brand honoring female Black bootleggers and entrepreneurs during Prohibition, this cocktail nods to the ingenuity required to survive, and thrive, during one of the most restrictive eras in American drinking history.

Saint Liberty highlights the often-overlooked women who helped keep spirits flowing when the law said otherwise.

Check out this article for recipes using Bertie’s Bear Gulch Bourbon, and see below for the recipe for Bertie’s Bramble.

6. Kola Nut Old Fashioned

This twist on the Old Fashioned features kola nut, an ingredient native to West Africa with deep cultural significance. Traditionally used in ceremonies and social rituals, kola nut adds an earthy, subtly bitter spice that reshapes the classic cocktail through a new lens.

Mix up an Old Fashioned using the kola syrup featured in this article!

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