Q 01/05

What nickname did Jerry Thomas, the 19th-century father of American mixology, go by?

A) The Professor

B) The Doctor

C) The Judge

D) The Colonel

Answer · why

A) The Professor

The Professor: Thomas earned the title as the great showman of the American bar, mixing drinks in diamond rings and cufflinks and juggling bottles as ...

Q 02/05

Jerry Thomas published the Bar-Tender's Guide, America's first drinks book, during which war?

A) War of 1812

B) Mexican-American War

C) Civil War

D) Spanish-American War

Answer · why

C) Civil War

Civil War: the guide came out in 1862, setting down recipes from punches to sours that Thomas had gathered while tending bar across the country.

Q 03/05

Jerry Thomas's signature flaming drink, poured between two mugs in an arc of fire, was called what?

A) Hot Toddy Royale

B) Fire Fizz

C) Flaming Sazerac

D) Blue Blazer

Answer · why

D) Blue Blazer

Blue Blazer: Thomas's own guide admits the name is not 'very euphonious', but promises that the blazing Scotch-and-water toddy 'tastes better to the p...

Q 04/05

An 1806 newspaper's definition of 'cocktail', the first in print, joked that the drink was of great use to whom?

A) Country doctors

B) Political candidates

C) Travelling preachers

D) Ship's captains

Answer · why

B) Political candidates

Political candidates: editor Harry Croswell of The Balance and Columbian Repository wrote that a person who had swallowed a glass of it 'is ready to s...

Q 05/05

Bartender Dale DeGroff suggests the word 'cocktail' comes from 'coquetier', the French word for what?

A) A sugar bowl

B) A small barrel

C) An eggcup

D) A corkscrew

Answer · why

C) An eggcup

An eggcup: the tale has apothecary Antoine Peychaud serving a brandy drink in one, but dictionaries call the word's origin obscure, and no explanation...