Expert: Paul Wagner - 9/2/2008

Question
QUESTION: What are some popular drinks of that time period?

ANSWER: HI Ke

This is a very interesting question, because between 1919 and 1934, the US was in the middle of Prohibiton, and people could not drink alcohol in public--at least legally.  The most popular drinks were moonshine and "iced tea" which had the very good characteristic of being the same color as whiskey.  IN fact, during Prohibition, consumption of whiskey in the USA actually went up significantly.

But there weren't so many cocktails or other drinks--those were too complicated.  People drink whiskey straight, and they drank home-made wine and beer.

Paul Wagner

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the last response.

I wonder if you could tell me about the drinking trends in Germany and U.K. for that time?

Answer
Hi Ke

I know that wine drinkers in the UK would have been partial to Hock (German Riesling) as well as Champagne, Bordeaux...and Chateauneuf du Pape.  And of course British beer, Guinness, and Scotch.  I don't think German drinking habits would have been too different from today--good beer and Riesling from the Rhine, with an occasional schnapps to settle the stomach!

Paul Wagner