3 Interesting Pieces of Trivia About Your Favorite Mixed Drinks

October 2, 2019

From Cosmopolitans to rum and Cokes, everyone has their favorite mixed drink. From dive bars to five-star restaurants to wedding halls in PA, the classic drinks can be found almost everywhere. What most people don’t know is that the majority of cocktails that we know and love today have long and interesting stories behind them. Read on to learn a little bit of trivia about your cocktail or mixed drink of choice.  

• Rum and Coke. Did you know that the name “rum and Coke” is actually a nickname? The real name of this beverage is “Cuba Libre.” The drink was invented in 1900 during the end of the American occupation of the Cuban island. The Cuba Libre combined the specialties of the United States (Coca-Cola) and Cuba (Cuban rum) to create a new beverage that symbolized the union between the two nations. The name “Cuba Libre” even translates to “free Cuba.”
• Screwdriver.  One of the first vodka-based cocktails, the screwdriver combines orange juice and vodka together with ice. But what’s up with the name? The screwdriver was invented by oil workers in the Persian Gulf. While on the job, workers would discreetly sneak vodka into cans of orange juice supplied by their employer. However, lacking a spoon to mix it with, most employees turned to the next best tool at their disposal—a screwdriver. Thus, the classic mixed drink was christened.
• Gin and tonic. The gin and tonic was invented by the army of the British East India Company in the 1700s. Physician George Cleghorn noticed that quinine (a medication to treat malaria) could also be used to prevent the disease if consumed as a liquid. Malaria was a major problem in India, so doctors often recommended that both the infected and the uninfected consume quinine. However, the bitter taste was unpleasant, and doctors had a hard time convincing their patients to consume it. That was until British officers began mixing tonic water, sugar, lime, and gin with their quinine rations—creating the gin and tonic.

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