Hamilton, Ohio – History repeats itself.
The United States ratified the 18th Amendment in January of 1919. Congress overrode Woodrow Wilson’s veto to pass the Vosltead Act in October of that year. By January of 1920, America went dry.
Well, except for the moonshiners, bootleggers and speakeasies, all of whom did a booming business.
Some 3,000 illegal booze joints whet the whistles of Chicago residents. Gangster Al Capone alone reportedly pulled in $6 million a week slinging shady drinks.
That’s the era the Murder with Merriment troupe recreates with its Prohibition Murder! show in the Fitton Center Jazz & Cabaret series – and 2022-2023 season – finale, May 20.
Fitton Center resident mixologist Logan Adams created a killer signature cocktail to go with their interactive murder mystery. She put her spin on a traditional Corpse Reviver #2 – yes, that’s a real cocktail; more on that in a moment – to create Murder in a Glass.
“It fits the theme for the show,” Adams said. “It’s a gin-based cocktail and gin is both a seasonal spring drink and has strong ties to the Prohibition era.”
In fact, cocktail culture grew out of Prohibition. Bartenders learned to mix low-quality, high-proof alcohol – often called bathtub gin - with a variety of flavoring agents to mask the poor taste of the booze.
The Corpse Reviver #2 actually predates Prohibition. A descendant of the Corpse Reviver #1 (cognac, Calvados and sweet vermouth), both #1 and #2 were hangover remedies dating to the 1870s.
So raise a glass to a bygone era with a modern spin on a classic cocktail.
Here’s the lowdown:
Murder in a Glass
1 oz gin ½ oz Cointreau ½ oz dry vermouth ½ oz lavender syrup ¾ oz lemon juice
Keep an eye on the Fitton Center Blog for more of Logan’s cocktail creations.
The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is located at 101 S. Monument Avenue on the Riverfront in downtown Hamilton, Ohio.
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