Bittercube and Create Dining Studio to host Prohibition Repeal Day celebration

The Bittercube boys: Nick & Ira

​It's hard to imagine living during Prohibition times. What would it have been like to be a bartender waking up on July 1, 1918, and finding that your profession was now illegal?

On that day, sometimes referred to as the "thirsty first," many U.S. bartenders moved to cities like London, Milan, and Paris to continue the craft of the cocktail. These adventurous individuals found themselves working side by side with their talented European counterparts and using many ingredients never before available to them. Other bartenders became outlaws, creating cocktails in basements and illegal speakeasies. They often had to use poor-quality ingredients and thus had to be creative in making the spirits palatable. Both groups were creating new drinks at a rate previously never seen before.

The anniversary of the end of Prohibition is just a few days away, and to celebrate the end of this dubious era in American history, local drink and food mavens are planning a special event.

​December 5 marks the 78th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. In many ways, one could say the era sparked a Big Bang of sorts in the cocktail world. Craft cocktail makers of today look at the age with fascination and study the old recipes and try to improve on them. So perhaps the most fitting place to celebrate this day in history is with Bittercube, a local bitters maker and restaurant consulting team comprised of Nick Kosevich and Ira Koplowitz. They will be hosting a Repeal Day event on Monday the 5th. The event will feature six cocktails inspired by Prohibition-era recipes made with dusty old tax-stamped bottles from years ago. Chef Phillip Dorwart will pair appetizers to each of the cocktails and host the event at his own Create dining studio. Tickets to the event must be purchased in advance and are available through the Bittercube website.