Bars in London, Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol and Bath will be holding parties over the next few days to celebrate Repeal Day.
Repeal Day (5 December) is the day on which the Prohibition amendment was repealed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 – an era that has inspired many of the classic cocktails that make up menus today.
Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands (BBFB) is helping its customers in the on-trade make the most of the growing popularity of American whiskey with Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon activity in celebration of the event.
Old Forester, America’s first bottled bourbon, is partnering with 10 bars in London, Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol and Bath, who will be hosting a party in the days leading up to and on Repeal Day, highlighting the classic American whiskey cocktails of the Prohibition era, as well as the fashion and music of America in the 1930s.
Brown-Forman’s head of advocacy for Northern Europe, Nidal Ramini, said: “Repeal Day is something that is close to the heart of many bartenders as the Prohibition-era has inspired many of the classic cocktails that make up menus today. However, it’s something many consumers aren’t aware of, so it’s a fantastic opportunity for bars to use this day to showcase their Prohibition-inspired serves.
“The story of how Old Forester survived Prohibition is fascinating and as the only Bourbon to have been continuously distilled pre-, during and post-Prohibition, it’s fitting that Old Forester is the brand that brings the trade together to celebrate the return of the American tradition of craft distillation and the recognition of the bartender as an important figure to the industry.
Many of the bars will be showcasing Old Forester’s signature serve, the Old Forester Smash, made with Old Forester Bourbon, freshly pressed lemon juice, mint and sugar syrup, inspired by Old Style Whiskey Smashes from Harry Johnson’s 1888 cocktail book, New & Improved Bartender’s Manual.
Established in 1870, Old Forester was America’s first bottled bourbon. It was first bottled and marketed in 1870 by the former pharmaceutical salesman turned bourbon-merchant George Garvin Brown, the founder of the Brown-Forman Corporation.
