Jerry Thomas

Jeremiah P. Thomas (October 30, 1830 – December 15, 1885) was an American bartender who owned and operated saloons in New York City. Because of his pioneering work in popularizing cocktails across the United States as well, he is considered "the father of American mixology". In addition to writing the seminal work on cocktails, Bar-Tender's Guide, Thomas displayed creativity and showmanship while preparing drinks and established the image of the bartender as a creative professional. As such, he was often nicknamed "Professor" Jerry Thomas.

Early life, education and work Thomas was born about 1830 in Sackets Harbor, New York. (His 1885 obituary in the New York Times said 1832.) While in California, Thomas worked as a bartender, gold prospector and minstrel show manager. The first edition of the guide included the first written recipes of such cocktails as the Fizz, Flip, Sour and variations of the earliest form of mixed drink, Punch. The 1876 edition included the first written recipes for the Tom Collins, which appeared just after The Tom Collins Hoax of 1874, and one of the earliest known recipes for the Brandy Daisy.

Virginia City, Nevada

From "IMBIBE !" by David Wondrich: The fortunes of Thomas' book were likely affected by the Professor's next move: rather than stay at the Occidental (SF), where he could have passed the volume along to the steady stream of clay-moistening literati who stopped in at his bar, he pulled up stakes yet again and headed east to witness the vast and vulgar spectacle that was unfolding 200 miles away in Virginia City, Nevada where a city of 30,000 had sprung up overnight on top of the massive mountain of silver known as the Comstock Lode. By 1864, Thomas was there, either (as local legend has it) at the famous Delta Saloon or at the Spalding Saloon on C Street, where the city directory found him- or, of course, at both.

Sign located to the right of entrance doors of the Delta Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada Nunc Est Bibendum

Head Bartender at the Delta Saloon in 1863 was Prof. Jerry Thomas, most celebrated barman in American history. Coming to Virginia City, according to the Territorial Enterprise** of that year, from the Occidental in San Francisco, he did much to elevate the tastes and drinking habits of the then uncouth Comstock. Territorial Enterprise newspaper (Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, reporter)

San Francisco and the Blue Blazer Thomas developed his signature drink, the Blue Blazer, at the El Dorado gambling saloon in San Francisco. The drink is made by lighting whiskey afire and passing it back and forth between two mixing glasses, creating an arc of flame. Thomas continued to develop new drinks throughout his life. His mixing of the "Martinez", which recipe was published in the 1887 edition of his guide, has sometimes been viewed as a precursor to the modern martini.

Later years and death Toward the end of his life, Thomas tried speculating on Wall Street, but bad judgments rendered him broke. He had to sell his successful saloon and auction off his considerable art collection; he tried opening a new bar but was unable to maintain the level of popularity as his more famous location.

Sites today The Delta Saloon, Virginia City, Nevada Occidental Cigar Club, San Francisco: "While the Occidental Cigar Club was established in 2001, its roots go far back in San Francisco history to the 1860's and The Occidental Hotel. This "Quiet House of Peculiar Excellence" was the first real cocktail lounge in the City. Principal Barman Professor Jerry Thomas plied his trade there and was the originator of the Martini. The first bi-coastal celebrity bartender, he brought civility to the bar scene as well as creativity to mixology. The wood cut etchings found in his book, The Bon Vivant's Companion or How To Mix Drinks adorn our walls, and his spirit is embodied in the drinks we pour today. The Occidental Cigar Club pays homage to that San Francisco institution." The Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, Rome, Italy