Throughout the 1920s, the 18th Amendment established the prohibition of alcohol as the law of the
land.
However, millions of Americans were still consuming alcohol in illegal bars known as
speakeasies.
Who was supplying the speakeasies with alcohol?
Where was this alcohol coming from?
Many have argued that more alcohol was being consumed during the years of prohibition,
than was before.
Even though alcohol was illegal, it was still finding its way into the public's hands.
There were many different sources for the unlawful drinks.
In some cases, the alcohol was being produced independently.
Beverages such as wine could still be produced in small quantities by each household, if
the person producing it was not intending to sell it.
The growing and selling of grapes became very common in many communities.
One California grape-producer was even selling a type of juice called "Vine-Glo".
This included a set of instruction of what the purchaser shouldn't do, because if those
steps were taken it would turn into wine in a few months!
Some breweries were still open and in business, despite the fact that beer was illegal.
These breweries were producing a drink known as "Near Beer", which had an extremely low
alcohol content and was legal.
Many of these breweries were also still producing real beer, without the government's knowledge.
Medicinal alcohol was also still legal.
Therefore, the sale of medicines, elixirs, and tonics increased significantly throughout
the prohibition era.
However, most illegal alcohol was arriving in the United States from other countries.
Even though alcohol was illegal in the U.S., it was not illegal in Canada, Mexico, or the
islands in the Caribbean Sea.
This alcohol would make its way into the U.S. with the help of "bootleggers".
Bootlegger is a general term used for anyone who was smuggling alcohol illegally.
The term is derived from the notion that a bottle or flask of alcohol would be concealed
inside a boot, and thus hidden from the authorities.
Most bootleggers would smuggle alcohol from Canada across the border into the U.S.
However, there were also many bootleggers bringing in rum and other beverages from Jamaica
and other Caribbean islands.
The booze was being smuggled into the country in many different fashions: in trucks, by
trains, planes, ships, and even on foot.
Bootleggers had many different methods for evading detection.
Sometimes, the alcohol would be packed into crates which carried false labels.
It could be hidden underneath legitimate products, such as produce.
The alcohol could even be hidden inside items like coconuts or garden hoses.
Trucks with false bottoms and secret compartments could also be used.
Even individuals had their own way of hiding their personal stash of alcohol.
Inside hot water bottles, hollowed-out canes, and inside false books were all methods that
were used.
Some would even hide their bottles inside of a prosthetic leg!
As prevalent as smuggling alcohol was, it became necessary to refer to the product by
a different name.
Slang terms such as booze, hooch, the devil's candy, and bathtub gin were all used to describe
alcohol during the prohibition era.
Speakeasies and other drinking establishments became known as "blind pigs" or "blind tigers".
"I have to see a man about a horse" also became a common expression which was understood to
mean that the individual was going to go have a drink.
The popularity of the speakeasy solidified many of these terms in the American lexicon,
and they are still used today.