Gervasi Spirits Blog Series

Bourbon is a type of whiskey. But where does the name “bourbon” actually come from?  It’s simple really.  In the early 1800s when whiskey was shipped down the Mississippi River, it was referred to as “whiskey from Bourbon,” meaning Bourbon County. In 1821, it was first advertised as “bourbon whiskey,” and within 20 years, bourbon was the household name for American corn whiskey. (more…)

Many classic cocktails around the world are products of inspiration and grass-roots popularity growth. The Moscow Mule is not one of those cocktails.  Instead, it was designed intentionally to fix a problem and then paired with good marketing.  When it was created in the 1941, this drink was created to “fix” the lack-luster sales of vodka, ginger beer, and copper mugs. (more…)

Martinis are everywhere and come in an uncountable number of variations.  It’s one of the few cocktails that even has a piece of glassware named specifically for it.  But how did this come to be?  How did something that started out as a fairly simple drink become so well known that it can be found in every part of the globe?  The answer takes us back to the American West, specifically, during the Gold Rush.       (more…)

Some cocktails are born from necessity, others from the love of the craft. The Negroni, however, seems to have been created from the desire to simply make a stronger drink to consume.

It was 1919 in Italy and one of the most popular cocktails was the Americano (comprised of Campari, vermouth, and soda). The Americano was light and refreshing; overall a great choice when dealing with the Italian summer heat. Count Camillo Negroni desired something more. After spending some time living in London, he became accustomed to the more potent nature of the spirits abroad. (more…)

Just like the Moscow Mule, sometimes cocktails are created to solve a problem rather than inspired by creativity or passion. There’s a saying that “necessity is the mother of invention”.  This is exactly the case for a cocktail that became known as the Gimlet. (more…)