Jerry Thomas
Encyclopedia
Jeremiah P. Thomas (1830 – December 15, 1885) was an American
bartender
; because of his pioneering work in popularizing cocktail
s across the United States, he is considered "the father of American mixology." In addition to writing the seminal work on cocktails, his creativity and showmanship established the image of the bartender as a creative professional. As such, he was often nicknamed "Professor" Jerry Thomas.
Thomas was born in 1830 in Sackets Harbor, New York
. He learned bartending in New Haven, Connecticut
before sailing for California
during its mid-19th century Gold Rush
. While in California he worked as a bartender, gold prospector and minstrel show
manager. He moved back to New York City
in 1851, where he opened a saloon below Barnum's American Museum
; it would be the first of four saloons he would run in New York City over his lifetime. After a time running his first bar he went on the road for several years, working as the head bartender at hotel
s and saloons in St. Louis, Missouri
, Chicago, Illinois, San Francisco, California
, Charleston, South Carolina
and New Orleans, Louisiana
. At one point he toured Europe
, carrying along a set of solid-silver
bar tools. He was well known for his showmanship as a bartender: he developed elaborate and flashy techniques of mixing cocktails, sometimes while juggling bottles, cups and mixers. He often wore flashy jewelry and had bar tools and cups embellished with precious stones and metals. At the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, Thomas was earning $100 a week—more than the Vice President of the United States
.
In 1862 Thomas finished The Bar-Tender’s Guide (alternately titled How to Mix Drinks or The Bon-Vivant’s Companion), the first drink book ever published in the United States. The book collected and codified what was then an oral tradition of recipes from the early days of cocktails, including some of his own creations; the guide laid down the principles for formulating mixed drinks of all categories. He would update it several times in his lifetime to include new drinks that he found or created. The first edition of the guide included the first written recipes of such cocktails as the Brandy Daisy
, Fizz
, Flip
, Sour
and variations of the earliest form of mixed drink, Punch
. The 1876 edition included the first written recipe for the Tom Collins
, which appeared just after The Great Tom Collins hoax of 1874.
Thomas' signature drink, the Blue Blazer
, was developed at the El Dorado gambling saloon in San Francisco. The drink involves lighting whiskey afire and passing it back and forth between two mixing glasses, creating an arc of flame. Thomas continued to develop new drinks throughout his life. His development of the "Martinez", which first appeared in the 1887 edition of his guide, has sometimes been viewed as a precursor to the modern martini
(though the two do not share many common traits). Thomas claimed to have invented the Tom and Jerry and did much to popularize it in the United States, however the history of the drink predated him.
Upon returning to New York City, he became head bartender at the Metropolitan hotel before opening his most famous bar on Broadway
, between 21st and 22nd Streets, in 1866. Thomas was one of the first to display the work of Thomas Nast
, and in his famous saloon he hung caricature
s of the political and theatrical figures; one notable drawing, now lost, was of Thomas "in nine tippling postures colossally". The saloon also included funhouse mirrors
. This historic bar is currently a Restoration Hardware
.
Thomas himself was an active man about town. He was a flashy dresser fond of kid gloves and a gold Parisian watch. He enjoyed going to bare-knuckle
prize fights, and was an art collector. He enjoyed traveling. By middle age he was married and had two daughters. Always a good sport, he was one of the lighter members of the Fat Men’s Association at 205 pounds. He also had a side interest in gourds; at one point in the late 1870s, Thomas sat as president of The Gourd Club after producing the largest specimen.
Towards the end of his life, Thomas tried speculating
on Wall Street
, but bad judgments rendered him broke. He had to sell his successful saloon and auction off his considerable art collection; he tried opening a new bar but was unable to maintain the level of popularity as his more famous location. He died in New York City of apoplexy
in 1885 at the age of 55. His death was marked by substantial obituaries across the United States. In their obituary, The New York Times
noted Thomas was "at one time better known to club men and men about town than any other bartender in this city, and he was very popular among all classes."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bartender
Bartender
A bartender is a person who serves beverages behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, "tends the bar". The term barkeeper may carry a connotation of being the bar's owner...
; because of his pioneering work in popularizing cocktail
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
s across the United States, he is considered "the father of American mixology." In addition to writing the seminal work on cocktails, his creativity and showmanship established the image of the bartender as a creative professional. As such, he was often nicknamed "Professor" Jerry Thomas.
Thomas was born in 1830 in Sackets Harbor, New York
Sackets Harbor, New York
Sackets Harbor is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,386 at the 2000 census. The village was named after land developer and owner Augustus Sackett, who founded it in the early 19th century.The Village of Sackets Harbor is within the western part of the...
. He learned bartending in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
before sailing for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
during its mid-19th century Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. While in California he worked as a bartender, gold prospector and minstrel show
Minstrel show
The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface....
manager. He moved back to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1851, where he opened a saloon below Barnum's American Museum
Barnum's American Museum
Barnum's American Museum was located at the corner of Broadway and Ann Street in New York City, USA, from 1841 to 1865. The museum was owned by famous showman P.T. Barnum and his partner and original owner, John Scudder. Prior to their partnership, the museum was known as Scudder's American...
; it would be the first of four saloons he would run in New York City over his lifetime. After a time running his first bar he went on the road for several years, working as the head bartender at hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s and saloons in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Chicago, Illinois, San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. At one point he toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, carrying along a set of solid-silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
bar tools. He was well known for his showmanship as a bartender: he developed elaborate and flashy techniques of mixing cocktails, sometimes while juggling bottles, cups and mixers. He often wore flashy jewelry and had bar tools and cups embellished with precious stones and metals. At the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, Thomas was earning $100 a week—more than the Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
.
In 1862 Thomas finished The Bar-Tender’s Guide (alternately titled How to Mix Drinks or The Bon-Vivant’s Companion), the first drink book ever published in the United States. The book collected and codified what was then an oral tradition of recipes from the early days of cocktails, including some of his own creations; the guide laid down the principles for formulating mixed drinks of all categories. He would update it several times in his lifetime to include new drinks that he found or created. The first edition of the guide included the first written recipes of such cocktails as the Brandy Daisy
Brandy Daisy
The Brandy Daisy is a cocktail which first gained popularity in the late 19th century. One of the earliest known recipes was published in 1876 in the second edition of Jerry Thomas's The Bartenders Guide or How To Mix Drinks: The Bon-Vivants Companion:...
, Fizz
Fizz (cocktail)
A Fizz is a type of mixed drink—a variation on the older Sours family. The defining features of the fizz are an acidic juice and carbonated water.-History:...
, Flip
Flip (cocktail)
A flip is a class of mixed drinks. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term was first used in 1695 to describe a mixture of beer, rum, and sugar, heated with a red-hot iron . The iron caused the drink to froth, and this frothing engendered the name...
, Sour
Sour (cocktail)
A sour is a traditional family of mixed drinks. Common examples of sours are the Margarita and the Sidecar. Sours belong to one of the old families of original cocktails and are described by Jerry Thomas in his 1862 book, How to Mix Drinks Sours are mixed drinks containing a base liquor , lemon...
and variations of the earliest form of mixed drink, Punch
Punch (drink)
Punch is the term for a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from India to England in the early seventeenth century; from there its use spread to other countries...
. The 1876 edition included the first written recipe for the Tom Collins
Tom Collins
The Tom Collins is a type of Collins cocktail made from gin, lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water. First memorialized in writing in 1876 by "the father of American mixology" Jerry Thomas, this "Gin and Sparkling Lemonade" drink typically is served in a Collins glass over ice.-History:In 1874,...
, which appeared just after The Great Tom Collins hoax of 1874.
Thomas' signature drink, the Blue Blazer
Blue blazer
A blue blazer is a type of cocktail created by Jerry Thomas, a bartender and author, while he was working at the El Dorado in San Francisco. Reportedly while Thomas was making the drink, President Ulysses S. Grant was so impressed that he gave Thomas a cigar...
, was developed at the El Dorado gambling saloon in San Francisco. The drink involves lighting whiskey afire and passing it back and forth between two mixing glasses, creating an arc of flame. Thomas continued to develop new drinks throughout his life. His development of the "Martinez", which first appeared in the 1887 edition of his guide, has sometimes been viewed as a precursor to the modern martini
Martini (cocktail)
The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages. H. L. Mencken called the martini "the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet" and E. B...
(though the two do not share many common traits). Thomas claimed to have invented the Tom and Jerry and did much to popularize it in the United States, however the history of the drink predated him.
Upon returning to New York City, he became head bartender at the Metropolitan hotel before opening his most famous bar on Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
, between 21st and 22nd Streets, in 1866. Thomas was one of the first to display the work of Thomas Nast
Thomas Nast
Thomas Nast was a German-born American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist who is considered to be the "Father of the American Cartoon". He was the scourge of Boss Tweed and the Tammany Hall machine...
, and in his famous saloon he hung caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
s of the political and theatrical figures; one notable drawing, now lost, was of Thomas "in nine tippling postures colossally". The saloon also included funhouse mirrors
House of mirrors
A house of mirrors or hall of mirrors is a traditional attraction at funfairs and amusement parks. The basic concept behind a house of mirrors is to be a maze-like puzzle. In addition to the maze, participants are also given mirrors as obstacles, and glass panes to parts of the maze they cannot...
. This historic bar is currently a Restoration Hardware
Restoration Hardware
Restoration Hardware is an American furniture chain of home furnishings, bath fixtures and bathware, functional and decorative hardware and related merchandise. The company defines its wares as classic and authentic American. Restoration Hardware, Inc. sells its merchandise offering through its...
.
Thomas himself was an active man about town. He was a flashy dresser fond of kid gloves and a gold Parisian watch. He enjoyed going to bare-knuckle
Bare-knuckle boxing
Bare-knuckle boxing is the original form of boxing, closely related to ancient combat sports...
prize fights, and was an art collector. He enjoyed traveling. By middle age he was married and had two daughters. Always a good sport, he was one of the lighter members of the Fat Men’s Association at 205 pounds. He also had a side interest in gourds; at one point in the late 1870s, Thomas sat as president of The Gourd Club after producing the largest specimen.
Towards the end of his life, Thomas tried speculating
Speculation
In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum...
on Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, but bad judgments rendered him broke. He had to sell his successful saloon and auction off his considerable art collection; he tried opening a new bar but was unable to maintain the level of popularity as his more famous location. He died in New York City of apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
in 1885 at the age of 55. His death was marked by substantial obituaries across the United States. In their obituary, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
noted Thomas was "at one time better known to club men and men about town than any other bartender in this city, and he was very popular among all classes."