Cocktail Recipes – Prohibition Style

Step back into the Roaring Twenties with these prohibition-inspired cocktails. From the Bee’s Knees to the Scofflaw, each recipe tells the story of hidden bars, bootleg liquor, and the timeless art of mixology. Bring the speakeasy experience into your own home bar with these vintage classics.

The Bee’s Knees

A favorite during Prohibition, where honey helped cover up the rough edge of homemade gin.

Ingredients:
- 2 oz Gin
- 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz Honey Syrup (honey + warm water)

Instructions: Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Sidecar 

Born in the 1920s, this cocktail became a symbol of elegance in hidden bars.

Ingredients:
- 2 oz Cognac or Brandy
- 3/4 oz Triple Sec
- 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Instructions: Shake with ice and strain into a sugar-rimmed coupe glass.

Southside 

Often called “the gangster’s gin fizz,” rumored to be Al Capone’s favorite.

Ingredients:
- 2 oz Gin
- 3/4 oz Lime Juice
- 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
- 6 Mint Leaves

Instructions: Muddle mint, shake all ingredients with ice, and strain into a coupe or over ice.

Mary Pickford 

Named after the silent film star, this tropical cocktail was smuggled from Havana into U.S. speakeasies.

Ingredients:
- 2 oz White Rum
- 1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
- 1 tsp Grenadine
- Dash of Maraschino Liqueur

Instructions: Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a cherry.

The Scofflaw

Named for those who “scoffed at the law” during Prohibition.

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
- 1 oz Dry Vermouth
- 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz Grenadine
- Dash of Orange Bitters

Instructions: Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.