Cocktails
The art of the drink reinvented

Jerry Thomas, an iconic figure in mixology, played a crucial role in popularizing cocktails in the United States.
In 1862, he published the first cocktail recipe book, “How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon Vivant’s Companion”, which has served as a reference for many bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts.
Jerry Thomas was known not only for his recipes, but also for his spectacular style behind the bar.
His ability to entertain customers with elaborate performances helped establish cocktail service as an artistic discipline in its own right.
His demonstrations often included flamboyant techniques and theatrical presentations.
Jerry Thomas’s legacy extends far beyond his time, influencing cocktail culture around the world to this day.
In 2010, a group of passionate bartenders opened the Jerry Thomas Speakeasy in the heart of Rome, Italy.
This small, private club quickly made a name for itself on the international scene, appearing among the world’s 50 best bars on six occasions.
In 2023, the Jerry Thomas Bar Room opened its doors, offering customers a new experience.
The new space, with its oriental-inspired design, evokes the atmosphere of the great European bars of the 50s, 60s and early 70s.
Visitors can enjoy bottled cocktails, champagnes and premium spirits in a dynamic, informal environment, where service is always attentive and friendly.

The Prohibition era

In the 1920s-1930s, Protestant movements pushed for the adoption of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited the production, sale and transportation of alcohol in the country.
Only communion wine was tolerated.
Although the aim of this amendment was to limit the excesses associated with alcohol consumption, Prohibition led to clandestine production and increased consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Despite prohibition, cocktails flourished as a means of disguising contraband drinks.
This is how Speakeasies, or speakeasies, came into being.
Bartenders innovated and created new cocktail recipes.
Classics such as the Bees Knees, made with gin, honey and lemon, or the Last Word (gin, green chartreuse and Maraschino liqueur) were born at this time.
Vodka also gained popularity in the 20s with the famous Bloody Mary.
The boom in cocktails during this period demonstrated that Prohibition was not an effective solution to the problems raised, and the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution was repealed in 1933.

The Golden Age of Cocktails

The birthplace of the cocktail, the United States saw the emergence of many new vodka- and tequila-based cocktails from the 1940s to the 1960s.
These creations quickly spread internationally, introducing such modern-day staples as the Moscow Mule, White Russian, Cosmopolitan, Sex on the Beach and Tequila Sunrise.
Tiki culture was born when the legal sale of alcohol was permitted.
Tiki bars and tropical-themed cocktails became popular in the USA, particularly in the 50s and 60s.
Served in Tiki-style cups, these cocktails feature exotic ingredients such as rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream.
In the 1950s, the International Bartenders Association (IBA) was created, bringing together the world’s most renowned bartenders.
Together, they organized international events, and it was thus that bartending came to be seen as a qualified and respected profession.

The 1970s trend towards sophisticated, refined cocktails continued to evolve in the 80s, notably with the “power lunch” culture.
Indeed, as businessmen and women of this period began to frequent high-end bars and restaurants for lunch, cocktail culture evolved towards more formal and refined drinks.
Classic cocktails like the Martini, Manhattan and Old Fashioned became increasingly popular.
Featured in films such as James Bond’s Dry Martini, the Manhattan, popularizing the cocktail of the same name, or the Cosmopolitan, a favorite of New York heroine Carrie BradShaw in the TV series Sex and the City.
Tom Cruise as a talented bartender in the film Cocktail helped popularize the image of the bartender as a creator of unique tastes.

The advent of mixology

At the start of the 21st century, cocktail culture underwent a major transformation.
The craft cocktail movement led to the emergence of the mixology trend, bringing a new dimension to the cocktail by modernizing it.
Derived from the contraction of “mix” and “logos”, this word refers to the science of mixing.
This trend is characterized by the use of complex techniques and unusual ingredients.
The mixologist, being an expert, creates a work of taste around ingredients he or she knows perfectly well.
As spirits have moved upmarket, so have the creations that showcase them.
This art allows great mixologists to express themselves through shows reminiscent of the world of laboratories.
Apothecary glassware and smoke are part of the show, making the cocktail experience as visual as it is gustatory.
Speakeasy” style bars, inspired by the illegal establishments of the Prohibition era, are making a comeback and are also emerging in the 21st century, characterized by a discreet entrance, a warm atmosphere and a focus on classic cocktails and rare spirits.
In the heart of our beautiful Alsace region, in Colmar, the Shelby opens its doors to you in a speakeasy atmosphere, offering a selection of refined cocktails and an immersive experience that pays homage to tradition while embracing innovation.