Drink Up! The Rebirth of The Speakeasy

Glamorized in the movies, the 1920s were a gala time of flappers, jazz, and the eighteenth amendment. The so-called Noble Experiment of Prohibition created a culture of subterranean speakeasies where people could illicitly imbibe. But according to New York Times writer William Grimes, the atmosphere may have been lively, but the drinks were lousy. That hasn’t stopped a new interest in underground cocktail lounges from popping up across the country. From Bourbon and Branch in San Francisco to Milk & Honey in New York, there’s a speakeasy renaissance going on. And this time, the drinks are good. William Grimes joins The Takeaway with a look at the past, present, and future of speakeasies.