Speakeasy: from Prohibition to nowadays

Speakeasy was born in the United States as a business that sold illegal alcoholic beverages in the years of Prohibition (1920-1933). Members of organized crime ran some of them. Gangsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano made a fortune by supplying alcohol to speakeasies nationwide. Other names for speakeasies were created, like “blind pig” and “blind tiger”; they are still used today.

The term speakeasy appears to have originated in Pennsylvania in 1888 when the Brooks High law on commercial licenses increased the state tax on a saloon license from $ 50 to $ 500. The number of legal bars plummeted drastically, but some bars continued to operate illegally.

Mrs Kate Hester ran a saloon in McKeesport, just outside of Pittsburgh. She refused to pay the new tax and continued her business. To prevent her illegal business from attracting the attention of the authorities, when customers were too rowdy, she would silence them by whispering, “Speak easy, boys! “. This expression became common in McKeesport and then spread to Pittsburgh.

Today the speakeasies are not so popular, concentrated especially in main cities. The first rule of a true Speakeasy is not to be found. Unknown address, without a number to call, no contact. How to get there? Simple, at least seems so, through the grapevine.

At first glance, they look like businesses with nothing in common with a bar. Sometimes as a display shop, it is unclear what it sells; at other times, the doors of an old wardrobe will open, and the entrance is right there. But there is no sign on that door.

The furniture is always inspired by those years of Prohibition retro style. And then the mixologists always have a beard, and I do not know why, maybe because it is their hallmark: it is said that each mixologist has a story about that beard to tell.

The cocktails are fabulous. The Speakeasy creates its own list, with cocktails with unique and often unexpected flavours, the stun reinterpretations of the classics, and an astonishing list of spirits. You feel enveloped in the charm and atmosphere of another era, and you are dazzled by the skill and creativity of the mixologists.

Several places call themselves speakeasies but have slightly different management. Some are very well organized, others much less. Sure, in a high-quality speakeasy, it is always difficult to access.

There were many people in the last presumed speakeasy where I went, and you could get in a bit in a row. After 30 minutes of waiting without consideration, I had my badly made “shot” to kill another 20 minutes before ordering. It was a classic speakeasy boast case, and so I left. Nice place with good mixologists but nothing to do with a real speakeasy, and, in these cases, it would be enough to change the naming.

The managers of the authentic ones also recommend not tagging or mapping their addresses for obvious reasons. The rule must be respected without exceptions, under the penalty of being forbidden to reaccess them.

Unfortunately, I have not kept in the archives the old visits inside the speakeasies of various cities. I hope you are curious and that you will have the opportunity to make your personal archive.

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