Skip to main content

Raise a glass to Repeal Day with these whisky cocktails

Celebrate the lifting of Prohibition with these cocktails inspired by the era

repeal day cocktails sirdavis davis old fashioned leslie kirchhoff 4
SirDavis

91 years ago today, Prohibition was officially lifted and alcohol once again became legal to buy and consume in the U.S. Though Prohibition was, ironically enough, a boom time for the cocktail industry, birthing many of the classic cocktails we still enjoy today, the nationwide ban on alcohol persisted from 1919 to the passing of the Twenty-first Amendment to the constitution on December 5, 1919.

During Prohibition people certainly didn’t stop drinking, but they did do it in a different manner. The need for secrecy gave rise to iconic speakeasy bars and even indirectly to NASCAR as bootleggers souped up their cars to outrun the feds when delivering their moonshine. As for the drinks themselves, many of the spirits available during this time were dubious at best, being made in unofficial establishments with little regard to safety. It’s where the term bathtub gin comes from, referring to to mixing of cheap grain alcohol with flavorings in metal or ceramic bathtubs. And night-time distillation of illicit booze gave rise to the term moonshine as well.

Recommended Videos

To cover up the often terrible flavors of these cheap spirits, cocktails became popular as a way to elevate or hide bad spirits. Even though these drinks have their roots in less than savory practices, the essential formulas remain similar today — although these days we look for high quality spirits for a much improved flavor (and no risk of going blind!)

Favorite ingredients of the era included lemon juice and honey for the combination of sharpness and sweetness that still makes for a great drink today. To celebrate Repeal Day, Beyoncé’s brand SirDavis American Whisky has shared recipes for three Prohibition-era-inspired cocktails, so you can raise a glass to an iconic era of American booze history.

Houston

SirDavis

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz SirDavis American Whisky
  • 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
  • .25 oz Honey Syrup*
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Garnish: Brandied Cherry

Method:

Add SirDavis American Whisky, sweet vermouth, honey syrup, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry.

*To make honey syrup, add 2 parts honey and 1 part water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey is dissolved. Allow to cool and transfer to an airtight container.

Davis Old Fashioned

SirDavis

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz SirDavis American Whisky
  • .25 oz Honey Syrup*
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Lemon Twist & Brandied Cherry

Method:

In a mixing glass, add all ingredients. Stir for dilution and strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Garnish with an orange twist & brandied cherry.

*To make honey syrup, add 2 parts honey and 1 part water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey is dissolved. Allow to cool and transfer to an airtight container.

Honey Bee

Honey Bee
SirDavis

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz SirDavis American Whisky
  • .75 oz Lemon Juice
  • .5 oz Honey Syrup*
  • Garnish: Honeycomb

Method:

Add liquid ingredients to a shaker tin with ice going in last. Shake for dilution and pour into a coupe glass. Garnish with honeycomb.

*To make honey syrup, add 2 parts honey and 1 part water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey is dissolved. Allow to cool and transfer to an airtight container.

Georgina Torbet
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Georgina Torbet is a cocktail enthusiast based in Berlin, with an ever-growing gin collection and a love for trying out new…
How this 100-year-old syrup brand continues to revolutionize the coffee industry
The story behind your favorite coffee syrups
Torani syrup bottles

Recognized for its colorful, nostalgic glass bottles found in thousands of cafes around the world, global flavor company Torani has a rich history that dates back 100 years. Maintaining its reputation in the beverage industry means staying ahead of changing coffee trends and developing new flavors to meet consumer needs. For a look inside the history behind this 100-year-old syrup brand, I chatted with Andrea Ramirez, Consumer and Customer Insights Manager at Torani. Ramirez is directly involved in brand development and product innovation for the brand.
As Torani’s seasoned flavor expert and trend guru, she leads her team in tracking trends from various spaces, from grocery store shelves to fine dining menus, and everywhere in between. Here's what she shared about how the brand has revolutionized the flavored syrup industry over the last century.
Torani's innovative approach

As a brand, Torani has remained relevant for 100 years and counting by staying deeply attuned to consumer behavior and evolving taste preferences. "We leverage a mix of proprietary insights and industry data to identify emerging trends and shifts in how people enjoy beverages. One of the clearest patterns we've seen over time is the growing desire for personalization — consumers increasingly want the freedom to craft drinks that suit their tastes."

Read more
The ultimate holiday weekend drink: Good Guys’ Frozen Fernet & Coke
Bitter, sweet, cold, and cola-driven
Amaro

Fernet is amazing stuff. The iconic Italian amaro adds a smack of bitterness and herbaceous goodness to your favorite cocktails, balancing out the drink at large and making it oh so tasty. And the liquid goes especially well with Coke, preferably frozen.

In the spirit of summer, we reached out to Good Guys in NYC for an optimal hot-weather cocktail. You know, the one that's the equivalent of playing in front of a gushing fire hydrant in New York City on a sweltering day. And I believe we have the drink.

Read more
Flashy Independence Day cocktails from Deep Eddy Vodka
Red, white, blue, and refreshing
Festive Deep Eddy shot.

The Fourth of July is tomorrow and if you don't have a signature cocktail in order yet, fear not. We've got two festive recipes from a vodka brand worth trying out at home. They're cold, colorful, and refreshing, meaning they're more than welcome on a long summer weekend.

Deep Eddy set us up with pair of cocktails befitting of the weekend, each with a trio of colors and flavors. In the end, you're set up with a beverage that can handle even the hottest afternoon as you try out some easy grilling recipes. And you can dress them up any way you like, adding cool straws or garnishes.
Declaration on Ice

Read more