Zero Proof Lessons from Prohibition-Era Thanksgivings
“Will it be turkey -- plump and luscious; the more delicate milk-fed chicken; or a goose fattened for the sacrifice? Will your table groan under a huge roast of beef, a juicy leg of lamb or succulent pork?” The dishes, whichever you choose, don’t matter much, a 1921 ad said, as long as you paired dinner with the right drink.
But in Nov. 1921, the second Thanksgiving of the Prohibition era, wine and whisky were a no-go (at least openly).
A Thanksgiving newspaper ad that ran in the New York Tribune on Nov. 20, 1921 tried to solve that era’s hostessing conundrum: What do you serve for Thanksgiving dinner if you can’t serve wine?
The answer, at least according to this ad: An extra-dry ginger ale.
A Clicquot Club ad from 1922.
The Clicquot Club Ginger Ale is “a living, bubbling beverage that will add its share of joy to the occasion,” and it’s “a real Thanksgiving drink. Served cold enough to quench the most aggravating thirst, yet it has an inborn warmth that will not chill the body or the mind.” (In today’s terms, we’d describe Clicquot Club as a craft soft drink locally produced in Millis, Massachusetts.)
Ginger ale, root beer, sarsaparilla and birch beer, the early ancestors of today’s soft drinks industry, aimed to position themselves as the zero-proof stars of their time. Promising the same rich flavors of then-banned spirits, they were often positioned as delivering “warmth” of flavors without the inebriation of cocktails.
The Nov. 1922 Thanksgiving ad Clicqout Club ran promised a drink that would please many, and not dampen the celebratory mood. “It fits in so sociably with the mood of the day -- its good taste, its spicy fragrance, its lively bubbles -- they are all part of the jolly, happy merrymaking.” The central concept of the ad is an idea that rings true today: A successful zero proof drink aims to deliver a flavorful experience as much as it does provide a mood-lifting experience.
For a country long accustomed to serving wines during holiday dinner, the move to non-alcoholic Thanksgiving (and its ensuing questions about dinner pairings) required a learning curve.
A Clicquot Club ad from 1921.
In 1916, just a few years before Prohibition went into effect in 1920, a typical newspaper ad in the Washington Herald read: “The turkey may be the piece de resistance of the Thanksgiving Day table, but wines and cordials are indispensable to the full measure of the day’s zest and enjoyment.” The company, To-Kalon, offered “wines that go well with turkey” such as Sauternes, Claret, Sparkling Burgundy and Champagnes and bottled Martinis, Manhattan and dry Martinis for $1.10 per bottle.
By 1921, however, hostesses needed new guidance. The Washington Evening Star’s Nov. 16 1921 “Women’s Page” section (ahem) published etiquette tips on holiday seating arrangements (siblings should not be seated next to each other) as well as a suggested holiday dinner plan. The paper’s ideal menu included iced grapefruit, oysters on the half shell, salted almonds and olives, as well as roast turkey with sage dressing and brown gravy, baked corn, cranberry jelly, baked potato cake and pumpkin pie, among other dishes.
What liquid goes best with this rich meal? “Sweet cider may be served with the dinner, or grape juice,” the editors note.
One hundred years later, the good news is that there’s never been more excellent zero proof options than ever, which is its own cause for celebration. For those who want to dip into a small glass of wine or whisky with dinner, that’s ok, too.
As today’s holiday gatherings begin to take shape, the focus, happily, is on celebration and conviviality, not what is or isn’t restricted on the dinner menu.
