Cocktails 1941 to 1950

The 1940’s were heavily impacted by World War Two which started in 1939 after Germany invaded Poland and progressively most of the rest of the world came to be caught up in the conflict.

Although the War ended on 8 May 1945 in Europe and 14 August 1945 in the Pacific, much of the rest of the decade saw recovery, political jostling, economic challenges and the start of the Cold War between the emerging nuclear powers, not to mention other conflicts and after-shocks around the world.

Over 70-million people died as a result of WWII, with more than two-thirds of them civilians. For the survivors, the conflict saw a reprieve from the hostilities, and some modern advancements from the invention of transistors, computers, Velcro, Tupperware, the microwave oven and of course, unfortunately, nuclear technology. The War had also dramatically progressed the wholesale entry of women into the workforce, something that would never return to pre-1940’s patriarchal models again.

Vodka began its journey, that would ultimately supplant the place of other spirits at the heart of cocktail making, at least in the USA and much of the rest of the English-speaking world. The origins were humble, but the ‘white whiskey’ (Vodka)’s progression had begun, helped by cocktails like the Moscow Mule. Only slowed in recent times by the resurgence of boutique Gin.

The Tiki Cocktail continued to expand from it’s 1930’s origins, with continued competition between Donn Beach and Trader Vic, we look at famous cocktails like the Mai Tai, El Diablo and Beachcomber.

Then there are famous wartime cocktails connected to famous Bartenders and moments in history like the Suffering Bastard (original) and perhaps, in my mind the most interesting, the Bee’s Knees from the Bartender Spy, Frank Meier, who disappeared mysteriously in 1947 after being caught up in one of World War Two’s epicenters, the Paris Ritz Hotel. Far more history on that under our 60th lock-tail, here.

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COCKTAILS FROM THE 1940’s – THE 10 REMIXES (LOCKTAILS #051 TO #060)

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FULL INGREDIENT LIST (from the 1941 to 1950 Cocktail Remixes)
* items asterisked below have been used in previous decade by decade reviews (links at base of page).

For the ingredients for the next 10 cocktails (1951-1960), see ingredients.

Previous groups include ‘Cocktails of the 1800’s’, ‘Cocktails 1900 to 1910’, ‘Cocktails 1911 to 1920’, ‘Cocktails 1921 to 1930’, and ‘Cocktails 1931 to 1940’.

For the full index of future (and past) cocktail mixes, see index, or the alphabetical listing.