15 Expressions and Terms That Became Famous in the Prohibition Era

The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect in January 1920, banning the production, sale, and transport of alcoholic beverages, marking the start of Prohibition. This era introduced a wealth of terms to describe everything from secret bars to bootleggers and the drinks they produced. Although the Twenty-First Amendment repealed Prohibition on December 5, 1933, the vibrant slang it inspired remains timeless. Below are a few examples.

1. Blind Pig

A clandestine bar, also called a speakeasy, which dodged law enforcement by charging customers to see an unusual animal (such as a blind pig) and offering a free drink upon entry. Sometimes referred to as a blind tiger. Merriam-Webster notes that both terms predate Prohibition, originating in 1886 and 1857, respectively.

2. Juice Joint

Originally referring to a soda fountain, as per the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), this phrase emerged in 1927 and later evolved to denote establishments serving both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. By the 1930s, it became synonymous with speakeasies.

3. Jake Walk

A jake walk refers to paralysis or impaired leg movement caused by excessive consumption of Jamaican ginger, also known as Jake, a legal alcohol-based substance. This condition resulted in a distinctive limp, often called Jake leg or Jake foot.

4. Ombibulous

A word coined by author H.L. Mencken in 1920 to express his passion for alcohol; he famously said, “I'm ombibulous. I enjoy every type of alcoholic beverage.” Mencken also humorously called bootleggers booticians.

5. Needle Beer

During Prohibition, bartenders with access to non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beer, a jar of alcohol, and a syringe could create needle beer by injecting alcohol through the barrel's cork. This method, however, was highly risky.

6. Brick of Wine

Wine enthusiasts could satisfy their cravings by mixing water with a dehydrated block of grape juice. After fermenting for several weeks, it transformed into wine. (And you thought boxed wine was questionable!)

7. Bathtub Gin

A homemade gin, often of dubious quality, typically produced in bottles too tall to be filled using a sink faucet, necessitating the use of a bathtub for mixing. While the term specifically refers to gin, it became a catch-all phrase for any inexpensive, homemade alcohol.

8. White Lightning

As noted in Detroit Beer: A History of Brewing in the Motor City, “white lightning was the whiskey counterpart to bathtub gin. Both were strong, illicitly produced, and of inferior quality.”

9. Teetotaler

An individual who refrains from drinking alcohol. As per Merriam-Webster, “In the early 19th century, tee-total and tee-totally were used to emphasize total and totally ... The terms teetotal and teetotaler gained their modern meanings in 1834, eight years after the American Temperance Society was established.” The tee in this context has no connection to the drink; it’s “a repetition of the letter t from total, underscoring a commitment to complete abstinence.”

10. Dry

A term used to describe someone who opposes the legal distribution of alcoholic drinks. Agents of the Bureau of Prohibition were commonly called dry agents (despite widespread corruption within their ranks). As an adjective, it refers to locations where alcohol is prohibited.

11. Wet

The antonym of dry, a wet refers to someone who supports the legal sale of alcohol or a location where alcoholic beverages are readily available.

12. Whale

A term for someone who consumes alcohol excessively.

13. Blotto

A state of extreme intoxication, often leading to unconsciousness. The OED traces this term's origin to 1917.

14. Hooch

Hooch describes cheap, low-grade liquor, typically whiskey. The word emerged in the late 19th century as an abbreviation of “Hoochinoo,” an Alaskan distilled drink that gained popularity during the Klondike gold rush. It saw a resurgence in the 1920s.

15. Giggle water

This phrase for champagne began in 1910. Over time, it came to describe a broader range of alcoholic drinks, particularly those made from whiskey or gin.