What liquor did they drink in the Wild West?

Question

Does anyone have any idea what they used to drink in the Wild West in saloons, and also how it was made?

You see in old movies that they drink stuff that looks really potent - some movies even joke that it burns a whole in the bar if it's spilt. I'm sure the whiskey they drank back then was completely different to the stuff we drink now - but I want to know in what way it was different.

Answer 1

As a sort of sofa studier of the old west I can answer this question to some degree.

Most of the drinks of the old west were home brewed. it was hard to ship good drinks prior to the railroad coming in and bridging the gap of the east to west. Alot of it was made by folks that really knew nothing about brewing. Whiskey, Gin and beer were the most popular drink because they were easily mde buy what the land provided. Local beer was sometimes made the ancient way, with bread yeast. Wine was made using loacl berries but because of the lack of expertise, ended up to potent or too weak. The land was still mostly unknown to the locals and they would add anything growing in the area to a brew to see the effects.

These local made drinks really had no popular name. It was simply made by a local yokle and tested on the local populace. The folks would then give it a name of there own, like 'Ol Red Eye, Firehouse, Black Buck, Cowhand. Most of these names were choosen by their strength of the drink itself, the color or even the makers name like "Sam's Worst."

It is these drinks that in some sort of fashion became popular and skid there way down into the books, movies and TV. Some of the names and recipes to these drinks stuck and have been made popular to this day. The idea of a drink "burning the bar or your belly" and such was just a locals way of saying how stong the drink was or another way of saying "I would not drink that if I were you." Really a warning more than a dare.

With the railroad, these came a safer way to transport drinks from the east to the west. But by then some of the drinks became so popular that fine wines and such were considered too foriegn and mild in standard. A real cowboy drank a harder local made drink and got use to it An easterner trying these drinks for the first time would be over taken by the drink. Those gave rise back east to the idea of some cowboy myths about their drinks and drinking habits. So what started happening instead was these harder drinks started to be shipped back east. This would eventually be one of many reasons that lead to the early 20th century prohibition era

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What liquor did they drink in the Wild West?
Does anyone have any idea what they used to drink in the Wild West in saloons, and also how it was made?

You see in old movies that they drink stuff that looks really potent - some movies even joke that it burns a whole in the bar if it's spilt. I'm sure the whiskey they drank back then...

Answer 3

I'm pretty sure it was whiskey that they drank bank then. There are many brands that date from that time period, such as Jack Daniel's, Jim Beam, etc. (although neither of those were from the west). I'm not a very avid reader on the subject, but many of my family members in New Mexico have told me stories about the cowboys bribing the Natives with whiskey. Therefore, I'm willing to bet a reasonable amount of money that it was whiskey that they drank in the Old West.

Answer 4

Mixed drinks were not uncommon. Beer was often served cold as well. Some towns that had rail service shipped ice in insulated box cars. Ice was then stored in underground cellars or ice houses. While it was expensive (two cents a pound in Tombstone Az during the Earp's time) it was nonetheless often available. Most mixed drinks were made with fruit juice or sugary based syrups. Mint Juleps were popular in many saloons where there was a Southern clientele.

Answer 5

Old West Saloon Names

Answer 6

I went through an old west town that still has all the original buildings and such. The town is called Tombstone, Arizona. I think they have a website for tourists that talk about this kinda stuff. I think that they drank whiskey, and bourbon. Jack Daniels has been around for a long time...

Answer 7

Whiskey and Beer. More beer than whiskey. Moonshine somewhat but not as often as the previous. Mainly because of the water issues. Moonshine and whiskey require tremendous amounts of water to cool in their production. it is most probably that they brought along whiskey and beer barrels. The beer was strong and flat. not real tasty. Generally a higher alcohol % than anything you get off the shelf today

Answer 8

They drank home brewed whiskey which is way more potent than the whiskey you buy out of the liquor store.

Answer 9

whiskey, rye ... sometimes home brew, sometimes from the big old barrel that brought the whiskey to town.

Someone answered bath-tub gin ... bath-tub gin was a by product of prohibition ... think 1920's.

Answer 10

Home brew - or backyard still-brewed! Rock gut stuff! Now you know why the cowboys got in fights all the time - for no reason!