Todays famous brands wouldnt taste very familiar to cowboys from the Wild West, and thats not a bad thing.
Despite all the old-fashioned s that adorn todays American whiskey bottles—log cabins, buffalo, and long-dead distillers who look like Civil War generals—most of todays famous brands wouldnt taste very familiar to cowboys from the Wild West. And vice versa: whiskey drinkers today likely wouldnt recognize frontier whiskey. And thats a good thing, because it probably tasted horrible.
The bottles holding Jim Beam, Makers Mark, Wild Turkey, and Buffalo Trace wrap the era in fond nostalgia with fonts reminiscent of “Wanted: Dead or Alive” posters. Bulleit Bourbon stamps the words “Frontier Whiskey” on its bottle even though the brand has only been around in its modern form little more than a decade. In fact, all those brands were created well after the West was tamed, and also probably taste better than most offerings from 150 years ago.
So what were they drinking back then? Some popular whiskey nicknames from the era offer a glimpse: mountain howitzer, coffin varnish, chain-lightning, strychnine, and tangleleg—none of which sound very appetizing. Cowboys never had a reputation for being very sophisticated connoisseurs. The whiskey they drank was simply fuel for the saloons many other pastimes, whatever those happened to be.
Quality and flavor among whiskies in the late 1800s varied widely. There were few regulations about how the stuff should be made. Additionally, trademark and copyright rules were lax. Not much prevented someone from calling a product “Pure Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, Aged 10 years,” even though just about every word on the label was a lie and the product tasted like kerosene. Back then, it was hard to know exactly what you were buying.
In the decades after the Civil War, distillers making what we today would generally recognize as bourbon only supplied about 10 percent of the whiskey market. The rest of the whiskey was made by giant distilleries churning out what were basically grain neutral spirits: a product distilled at such a high proof that it lacked much flavor and was almost identical from one distillery to the next.
These spirits were then sold to rectifiers who would “improve” them by redistilling and mixing them with other flavorings and colors so they resembled whiskey. The results were sold to wholesalers, who bought spirits in bulk and created their own whiskey brands by mixing together whatever was at hand. These wholesalers were probably responsible for any aging that was done.
“Some products labeled as bourbon were actually distilled from a low-grade variety of molasses, and additives could include burnt sugar, glycerin, prune juice, and sulfuric acid.”
Some of the whiskey going west might have started out as bourbon, but somewhere along the journey to the saloon it was often mixed with additional water, grain neutral spirits, and other ingredients to expand the supply and increase profits. Some products labeled as bourbon were actually distilled from a low-grade variety of molasses, and additives could include burnt sugar, glycerin, prune juice, and sulfuric acid. (That last one is what the Joker from the Batman comics sprays from the flower worn on his lapel.)
The whiskey industry was riddled with this sort of crooked behavior, and it took years of opposition from reformers both within and outside the industry to introduce quality standards. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelts Pure Food and Drug Act added regulations for whiskey in addition to many foodstuffs. Within the whiskey industry were distillers like Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. and George Garvin Brown, who pushed for quality standards that eventually helped lead to the Bottled-in-Bond Act in 1897. The Act made the U.S. Government the guarantor of a Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys quality, requiring that the stuff within the bottle was all made at one place and that the label correctly identified the maker.
But going back to todays bottles, its no wonder modern distilleries would want to capitalize on the romantic ry of the frontier, with its promise of new beginnings and its messy models of justice and commerce. Those symbols are a lot sexier and exciting than the unsung heroes who have truly made bourbon into a world-class sip—scientists in white lab coats, reform-minded bureaucrats, and yes, even marketing executives. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Answer and Explanation: In the Old West, cowboys would drink whiskey, beer, sarsaparilla, or coffee, if visiting a nearby saloon. While working on the prairie, though, cowboys would simply drink water or coffee.
So what were they drinking back then? Some popular whiskey nicknames from the era offer a glimpse: mountain howitzer, coffin varnish, chain-lightning, strychnine, and tangleleg—none of which sound very appetizing. Cowboys never had a reputation for being very sophisticated connoisseurs. The whiskey they drank was simply fuel for the saloons many other pastimes, whatever those happened to be.
Some of the whiskey going west might have started out as bourbon, but somewhere along the journey to the saloon it was often mixed with additional water, grain neutral spirits, and other ingredients to expand the supply and increase profits. Some products labeled as bourbon were actually distilled from a low-grade variety of molasses, and additives could include burnt sugar, glycerin, prune juice, and sulfuric acid. (That last one is what the Joker from the Batman comics sprays from the flower worn on his lapel.)
Todays famous brands wouldnt taste very familiar to cowboys from the Wild West, and thats not a bad thing.
In the decades after the Civil War, distillers making what we today would generally recognize as bourbon only supplied about 10 percent of the whiskey market. The rest of the whiskey was made by giant distilleries churning out what were basically grain neutral spirits: a product distilled at such a high proof that it lacked much flavor and was almost identical from one distillery to the next.
Despite all the old-fashioned s that adorn todays American whiskey bottles—log cabins, buffalo, and long-dead distillers who look like Civil War generals—most of todays famous brands wouldnt taste very familiar to cowboys from the Wild West. And vice versa: whiskey drinkers today likely wouldnt recognize frontier whiskey. And thats a good thing, because it probably tasted horrible.
Love both whisky sours and whisky sodas? Don’t choose! The Original Cowboy combines the two for a satisfyingly sweet, sour, and fizzy drink. Pendleton®️ Original Whisky adds a warm, sweet and spicy flavor, while fresh lemon juice and simple syrup balance out and lighten the drink. Top it off with soda water and enjoy this cocktail fit for a true cowboy.
What Cowboys Love to Drink
FAQ
What drinks did they drink in the Wild West?
What did Cowboys call alcohol?
What drinks did saloons have?
Did people drink water in the Wild West?
Did Cowboys drink beer in the Wild West?
The reality wasn’t far off. Cowboys mostly drank small-batch, locally brewed beer and whiskey in the Wild West, but it wasn’t as hipster-chic as it sounds. The era of the Wild West spans from about 1850 to 1900 and includes the territories west of the Mississippi River (some say west of the Missouri River).
What did Cowboys eat?
Cowboys enjoyed pork often in the form of salt pork (sometimes called sowbelly) and bacon. According to the Tar Heel Junior Historian (via NCpedia ), pork was a staple food from the days of the early settlers through the mid-1900s, as it was easy to produce in large quantities. So, what is the difference between bacon and pork belly?
Would a cowboy drink whiskey from the Wild West?
Despite all the old-fashioned images that adorn today’s American whiskey bottles—log cabins, buffalo, and long-dead distillers who look like Civil War generals—most of today’s famous brands wouldn’t taste very familiar to cowboys from the Wild West. And vice versa: whiskey drinkers today likely wouldn’t recognize frontier whiskey.
Do Cowboys drink beer?
The vision we have in our heads about cowboys and gunslingers, outlaws and miners always involves lots of alcohol. The reality wasn’t far off. Cowboys mostly drank small-batch, locally brewed beer and whiskey in the Wild West, but it wasn’t as hipster-chic as it sounds.