The 1920s were the decade of Prohibition, but that didn’t stop people from drinking. During this time, speakeasies were everywhere and bartenders had to get creative with the limited types and amounts of liquor they had available. This led to the creation of cocktails that are very quick and easy to make, but strong enough to keep customers happy. These cocktails taste great and work well for all 1920s murder mystery parties.
These recipes are all part our complete 1920s speakeasy murder mystery hosting guide as part of the drinks section, but they willl work for any 1920s-themed event – with or without the murder mystery.
A Note on Batching
If you’re making these for your party, you’ll want to make them in batches. You really don’t want to be spending your whole evening as a bartender, unless that’s your chosen character 🙂
These recipes can be pre-mixed (without ice) up to a day in advance and stored in a sealed bottle or container in your fridge. When guests arrive, simply pour cocktails over ice and serve. Of course, you’ll want to try out all the recipes and see which ones you want to focus on beforehand.
The general rule for batch making these is to multiply the ingredients by your expected guest count, test taste it and adjust sweetness slowly.
1. Bee’s Knees
- Ingredients: Gin, honey syrup, lemon juice, lemon twist
- Instructions:
Start by preparing the honey syrup by dissolving equal parts honey and water with gentle heat, either in a saucepan or a microwave, until well mixed. Fill a shaker with ice and add gin, honey syrup, and fresh lemon juice. Shake it briskly until everything is chilled. Strain into a martini glass, then twist a lemon peel over the top before dropping it in for garnish.
2. Sidecar
- Ingredients: Cognac, Grand Marnier or orange liqueur, lemon juice, sugar (for rim), marinated cherries (optional for garnish)
- Instructions:
Begin by rubbing the edge of a glass with lemon juice and dipping it into sugar. To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour in Cognac, orange liqueur, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Shake for about 30 seconds to thoroughly chill. Strain the mixture into the prepared glass. Optionally, garnish with a skewer of marinated cherries or a slice of orange.
3. French 75
- Ingredients: Gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, Champagne, lemon twist
- Instructions:
In a shaker filled with ice, combine gin, cooled simple syrup, and lemon juice. Shake well until icy cold. Strain the blend into a flute and top up with chilled Champagne or sparkling wine. Add a twist of lemon peel as a garnish.
4. Gin Rickey
- Ingredients: Gin, club soda, fresh lime juice, optional simple syrup, lime for garnish
- Instructions:
Begin by pouring club soda into a tall highball glass. In a shaker with ice, mix gin and freshly squeezed lime juice (add a splash of simple syrup if desired). Shake briefly to combine, then pour the contents into the glass with the soda. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
5. The Last Word
- Ingredients: Gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, lime juice, optional cherry
- Instructions:
Add equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until the mix is well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Optionally garnish with a maraschino or brandied cherry.
Setting Up the Bar Area
While it’s not really required to have a bar area, if you have decided to have one, here’s a few ideas that will make it look way better:
- Use unlabeled or re-labeled bottles with custom designs (free templates are available for this)
- Write the drinks menu on a small chalkboard or on a card in a vintage-looking frame
- Use coupes and champagne flutes instead of modern glasses
- Keep ice in a bucket instead of a separate cooler to match the times
For other decorating ideas that will make your bar stand out, see our 1920s speakeasy decor guide.
Setting Up Everything Else
Cocktails are one element of a full 1920s speakeasy party. If you’re combining the drinks table with a murder mystery game, our complete speakeasy hosting guide that covers everything you need to know, including game kit selection, decorations, music, and timelines for events. It answers every question a first-time host would want to ask.
For music to match the drinks, our free 1920s jazz music playlist is made completely out of non-copyright music, so if you decide to share any videos on Youtube later, they won’t get flagged.
Top 5 Easy Prohibition Cocktails
All of these cocktails are very easy to make once you’ve tried them out yourself, and they’re quick to make. I’ve played the bartender character as a party and made them all night. Guests absolutely loved them. However, I was not hosting and already knew who the killer was (from previously playing the same game), so my secondary character role had plently time to take on my bartender role completely. For everyone else, I stronly recommend making a few sealed pitchers of these the night before and simply pouring them over ice to guests on the night. It’ll leave the host with much more time to manage the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the most popular cocktails during Prohibition?
The most common Prohibition-era cocktails that we know of were the Bee’s Knees, the Gin Rickey, the Southside, the French 75, the Sidecar, the Last Word, and the Clover Club. They all share a common structure: a base spirit (usually gin or cognac), citrus, and a sweetener. The citrus and sugar was used to mask the poor quality of bootleg spirits. These are now considered classics and are served in cocktail bars worldwide.
Why did Prohibition produce so many cocktails?
Bootleg gin and whiskey in the 1920s was usually poorly distilled and very hard to drink straight. Bartenders used lemon juice, honey, sugar, and other ingredients they had on-hand to make the spirits taste better and burn less. Now, with good alcohol available, these cocktails taste even better.
Can I serve these cocktails at a murder mystery party?
Yes. All five recipes are great for murder mystery parties. The Bee’s Knees and French 75 are best for arrival drinks. The Sidecar and Last Word are nice drinks for guests to have while mingling and investigating.
Can I make Prohibition cocktails in advance?
Yes. All most of these can be pre-mixed without ice up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. Simply pour them over ice when guests arrive and they’ll taste like they were freshly made. The only exception is the French 75. You can mix the gin base in advance, but only add the champagne when serving.
Sherwin has been creating amazing murder mystery case files since 2023 – and he has no plans to ever stop. His cases have earned rave reviews from players around the world, and he’s since expanded into full murder mystery dinner party games. With 10 years of experience under his belt creating digital products, he brings a sharp eye for design and detail to every crime scene he builds.
