To Drink or Not to Drink? Spirits and Temperance in Victorian London

Cheers! Did you know that cocktails as we know them today have their origins in the Victorian Era? It’s true! But the Victorian relationship with alcohol  is complicated - it’s a lot more than just booze; it is also an examination of class, equality, opportunity, and values.  In this episode, we will explore: 

• what motivated the middle class temperance movement, and the hypocrisy that surrounded it 
•  why many in the working classes began to embrace teetotaling 
• how unsafe living conditions and unfair labour practices pushed other working class men into the comforts of the Victorian pub
• the connection of temperance to suffrage 
• why the UK failed to embrace total prohibition 
• the inventions and innovations that transformed the oily rotgut of the Georgian Era into the purified spirits we know today
• the showmanship that began to permeate cocktail culture 
• the rise of the iconic London hotel bars, where one can still enjoy spirits, culture, and ambiance today

We will also dig more deeply and question:

• how classism and  societal mores shape the values and overall culture of the Victorian Era 

* Jen lovingly dedicates this episode to Mary G., with whom many spirits were toasted, countless laughs shared, and infinite memories made - all beginning in London. Rest easy, dear friend - this one’s for you ♥️


Photos and links can be found in our show notes.


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