Jerry Thomas, you might have heard the name, you may have not. He is the genius behind most of what we practice behind the bar today. The bartender’s apron, bowtie, and mustache? The fire behind the bar? Yeah, that is all Jerry Thomas, and his legacy instilled in all of us bartenders.
EARLY LIFE
Jerry Thomas was born in Sackets Harbor, New York around 1830. Early on, Thomas was a sailor in the traditional sense as well as a gold prospector. He ventured out to California from New York in search of gold in the mountains of San Francisco. During his time there, he worked at the Occidental Hotel. He was said to have been making $100 a week, supposedly more than the Vice President of the United States at the time! At another saloon in San Francisco, “El Dorado”, he created his signature Blue Blazer cocktail. It was what he became known for and toured it all across the United States.
“Professor Thomas” as many of us consider him, was an avid traveler. He enjoyed very much traveling to other parts of the United States. Records found him bartending in New Orleans, Chicago, Charleston, and back in New York (where he owned and operated a few bars). He even had a few stints abroad in Europe as well.
During his early years, Thomas got to experience the early tastes of American drinks. Around the time (1830-1850) people were really only drinking toddies, slings, and punches. Also during that time, Jerry Thomas created new signature drinks and documented any other drinks that fell into the consciousnesses of American public.
Thomas was very well recognized for his flare and skill. He always wore great pieces of jewelry and flashed beautiful, solid-silver bar tools wherever he went. Jerry Thomas also worked as a bartender through the multiple phases of the cocktail movement, as stated by David Wondrich: the archaic, baroque, and classic.
HIS BOOK
Professor Thomas was considered the first notable bartender in the United States. He wrote a book in 1862 called The Bar-Tender’s Guide: A Bon-Vivant’s Companion or quite simply How to mix Drinks. This was the first recorded guide of cocktails put into print/circulation. Cocktails like the flip, brandy daisy, fizz, sour, and notably the Tom Collins. This publication set the tone for all bartenders moving forward as well as Thomas’ reputation overall. He became known as the expert of modern American mixology. To this day, is given the thanks for showing us the way!
About two years after his death, there was the rise of the modern cocktail scene. The revised copy of Thomas’ book How to Mix Drinks included the recipe for the manhattan cocktail that we now know and love. Interestingly enough, Jerry Thomas was using vermouth before the manhattan came around. Most notably, in the Martinez cocktail.
THE BLUE BLAZER
Here, we will cover the classic recipe for Jerry Thomas’ signature cocktail, the BLUE BLAZER:
1.5 ounces Scotch whisky
1.5 ounces boiling water
1 teaspoon sugar (turbinado or raw/Demerara)
Process:
Mix the whisky and water in a metal jug/tankard. Light the mixture with a long match (safely). Then, pour in between another jug and toss about four or five times. It is a great idea to practice the technique a few times without any fire (just water) to ensure the best chances for success for the real thing.
Add the sugar and stir gently. Serve the blazer in a heatproof mug and garnish with a lemon twist.
DISCLOSURE: Please be careful when trying this at home! It is paramount to be in a safe, fire-proof environment and have any fire-extinguishing tools at hand in case of a misstep in the creating of this classic. The last thing I would want is for people to get hurt!!!
Jonathan Echavarria 