Question In a story written in the ‘30's (I think it was a Raymond Chandler mystery) it mentions putting a drop of ammonia in a glass of coke. Sounded disgusting to me, and I had never heard this before. Do you know where this idea came from? Part of a cocktail recipe, or “slipping a Mickey”? Thanks for your help.
Answer Hi John,
I'm not a history expert, but you are right, it was a common practice at the time and was called an ammonia coke. An ammonia coke was just that--a coke into which was put just a little spirits of ammonia!
Why did folks drink ammonia cokes back in the thirties and forties. ...because they liked it!
If they felt weak or faint, tired or too sleepy, overly sad or unhappy they would go for the spirits of ammonia. Ammonia cokes woke people up. It made them feel just a little bit better.
