− After the Vietnam War, TGI Friday’s begins franchising all over the world and actually stays a fresh bar until the late 1970s. TGI Friday’s set a standard when it came to training staff. They had a reputation for the most challenging training programs for any chain restaurant/bar in the world. They created the first bartender gods since the beginning of Prohibition. TGI Friday’s bartenders also started flair bartending, which led to the 1988 Tom Cruise film Cocktail.
−Jose Cuervo puts the recipe for a Tequila Sunrise on the back of their bottle, then three months later the Eagles release their hit song “Tequila Sunrise.”
1974 − Baileys Irish cream is introduced and new drinks created include the Mississippi Mudslide and B-52.
1975 − In the fall, Neal Murray creates the first known Cosmopolitan.
1977 − Jimmy Buffett releases the song “Margaritaville,” making the Margarita the most popular drink of the year—and it has stayed in the top ten since.
−Stan Jones publishes the Jones’ Complete Barguide.
−The first known newspaper mention of a Kamikaze was in the February 1 issue of the Minneapolis Star.
1978 − Midori melon liqueur is launched to create the Melon Ball for the wrap party of Saturday Night Fever at Studio 54. Midori Sours become popular.
1979 − The Piña Colada is popular due to Rupert Holmes’s Piña Colada song, “Escape.”
−Absolut vodka is introduced.
−Ray Foley publishes Bartender Magazine.
1981 − Neal Murray (1975 inventor of the Cosmopolitan) introduces San Francisco to the Cosmopolitan at the Elite Café (2049 Fillmore Street).
1982 − Schumann’s Cocktail Bar opens in Munich, Germany.
1984 − Peachtree schnapps and Captain Morgan spiced rum are introduced.
−The Fuzzy Navel becomes popular.
−Earl Bernhardt and Pam Fortner invent the Hand Grenade® for the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition.
−The Sex on the Beach cocktail becomes popular.
−Heywood Gould releases the novel Cocktail.
1985 − General Manager of the Fog City Diner in San Francisco, Doug “Bix” Biederbeck, hires Neal Murray as a bartender where he makes his Cosmopolitan making the cocktail even more popular.
−Balladeer and researcher Tayler Vrooman was fascinated with songs from the 1600s and 1700s and released his album Baroque Bacchanalian. On the album, there are songs about drinking with titles that include “Come Let Us Drink About,” “Good Claret,” “The Delights of the Bottle,” and “The Thirsty Toper.”
1986 − Chef Paul Prudhomme invents the Cajun Martini in New Orleans.
−TGI Friday’s makes a bartender video of company bartenders John “JB” Bandy, John Mescall, and “Magic” Mike Werner. Later in the year, the company holds the first flair bartending competition in Woodland Hills, California, and calls it Bar Olympics. John “JB” Bandy wins.
−Absolut launches their first flavored vodka, Absolut Peppar.
1987 − After Touchstone Productions interviews thirty-four bartenders, they chose John “JB” Bandy to be the flair instructor for Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown for the 1988 film Cocktail.
−In October, bartender Patrick “Paddy” Mitten brings the Cosmopolitan cocktail to New York City from San Francisco and begins serving it at the Life Café (343 E 10th Street B).
The first flair bartending video (VHS) in 1989 by the first flair bartending competition winner, John “JB” Bandy. JB taught Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown flair bartending for the 1988 film Cocktail. © John “JB” Bandy
1988 − Cocktail, the film starring Tom Cruise as a bartender, ignites flair bartending around the world.
−Absolut Citron, Bombay Sapphire, Gentleman Jack, and Guinness in cans are introduced.
−Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff begins a gourmet approach to cocktails at the Rainbow Room in New York City.
1989 − Unaware of any other cocktail called a Cosmopolitan, Cheryl Cook creates her Cosmopolitan in March 1989.
−Kathy Casey from Seattle, Washington, pioneers the bar chef movement.
−The world’s longest bar is installed at the Beer Barrel Saloon in South Bass Island, Ohio.
−The bar has 160 barstools and is 405’ and 10” long (that’s 45’ and 10” longer than a football field).
−Melissa Huffsmith brings the Cosmopolitan cocktail to The Odeon from the Life Cafe (New York City). With a selection of higher quality ingredients to choose from she revamps the Cosmopolitan cocktail using Absolut Citron, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and cranberry.
1990 − The first Portland, Oregon, fresh classic bar, Zefiro, opens.
1991 − Gary Regan publishes The Bartender’s Bible.
−Wild Turkey Rare Breed is introduced.
−Charles Schumann publishes Schumann’s American Bar Book.
1992 − Cocktail godfather Paul Harrington is recognized in San Francisco for making classic cocktails.
−Absolut Kurrant, Johnnie Walker Gold, and Crown Royal Reserve are introduced.
1993 − The first known cocktail recipe book to list the Cosmopolitan cocktail is The Complete Book of Mixed Drinks by Anthony Dias Blue. Blue credits Julie’s Supper Club in San Francisco for the recipe.
−Straight Up or On the Rocks is published by William Grimes.
1994 − Scotland celebrates 500 years of whisky production.
−On Wednesday, November 16 in The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey) the first known recipe for a Cosmopolitan is published in a newspaper. The recipe was contributed by Dale DeGroff.
1995 − The first World Wide Web cocktail-related sites are launched: barmedia.com, bartender.com, cocktail.com (defunct), cocktailtime.com (defunct), martiniplace.com (defunct), and webtender.com.
−Bacardi Limon rum is introduced.
−Steve Olson begins teaching “Gin Cocktail Clinics” helping consumers make fresh and classic cocktails in their homes.
1996 − Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Tequila and the first organic vodka, Rain, are introduced.
−Paulius Nasvytis opens the classic cocktail bar the Velvet Tango Room in Cleveland, Ohio.
−The Corona Limona becomes popular (a shot of Bacardi Limon rum in a Corona beer).
−The
