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what did they drink in the old west
Western Saloon - wikipedia Western Saloon The Jersey Lilly , Judge Roy Bean 's saloon in Langtry , Texas , c. 1900 . A Western saloon is a kind of bar particular to the Old West . Saloons served customers such as fur trappers , cowboys , soldiers , lumberjacks , businessmen , lawmen , miners and gamblers . A saloon might also be known as a `` watering trough , bughouse , shebang , cantina , grogshop , and gin mill '' . The first saloon was established at Brown 's Hole , Wyoming , in 1822 , to serve fur trappers . By 1880 , the growth of saloons was in full swing . In Leavenworth , Kansas , there were `` about 150 saloons and four wholesale liquor houses '' . Some saloons in the Old West were little more than gambling houses , brothels , and opium dens . Contents 1 History 1.1 Free lunch 2 Appearance 3 Entertainment 3.1 Alcohol 3.1. 1 Rotgut 3.1. 2 Beer 4 Notable saloons 4.1 Bull 's Head 4.2 Wyatt Earp 's saloons 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 References History ( edit ) Saloons in the U.S. began to have a close association with breweries in the early 1880s . With a growing overcapacity , breweries began to adopt the British `` tied - house '' system of control where they owned saloons outright . Schlitz Brewing Company and a few others built elaborate saloons to attract customers and advertise their beers . Politicians also frequented local saloons because of the adaptable social nature of their business . Temperance illustration of drunkard hitting his wife Beginning in 1893 , the Anti-Saloon League began protesting against American saloons . In 1895 it became a national organization and quickly rose to become the most powerful prohibition lobby in America , pushing aside its older competitors the Woman 's Christian Temperance Union and the Prohibition Party . The League lobbied at all levels of government for legislation to prohibit the manufacture or import of spirits , beer and wine . Ministers had launched several efforts to close Arizona saloons after the 1906 creation of League chapters in Yuma , Tucson , and Phoenix . League members pressured local police to take licenses from establishments that violated closing hours or served women and minors , and they provided witnesses to testify about these violations . Its triumph was nationwide prohibition locked into the Constitution with passage of the 18th Amendment in 1920 . It was decisively defeated when prohibition was repealed in 1933 . Free lunch ( edit ) Main article : Free lunch The free lunch was a sales enticement which offered a meal at no cost in order to attract customers and increase revenues from other offerings . It was a tradition once common in saloons in many places in the United States , with the phrase appearing in U.S. literature from about 1870 to the 1920s . These establishments included a `` free '' lunch , varying from rudimentary to quite elaborate , with the purchase of at least one drink . These free lunches were typically worth far more than the price of a single drink . The saloon - keeper relied on the expectation that most customers would buy more than one drink , and that the practice would build patronage for other times of day . Appearance ( edit ) A saloon 's appearance varied from when and where it grew . As towns grew , the saloons became more refined . The bartender prided himself on his appearance and his drink pouring abilities . Early saloons and those in remote locations were often crude affairs with minimal furniture and few decorations . A single wood - burning stove might warm such establishments during the winter months . A pair of `` batwing '' doors at the entrance was one of the more distinctive features of the typical saloon . The doors operated on double action hinges and extended from chest to knee level . Further in the American West , some sold liquor from wagons , and saloons were often formed of materials at hand , including `` sod houses ... a hull of an old sailing ship '' or interiors `` dug into the side of a hill '' . As the size of towns grew , many hotels included saloons , and some stand - alone saloons , such as the Barlow Trail Saloon in Damascus , Oregon , featured a railed porch . Saloons ' appearance varied by ethnic group . The Irish preferred stand - up bars where whiskey was the drink of choice and women could obtain service only through the back door . German saloons were more brightly illuminated , more likely to serve restaurant food and beer at tables , and more oriented toward family patronage . Germans were often at odds with Temperance forces over Sunday operation and over the operation of beer gardens in outlying neighborhoods . Other ethnic groups added their own features and their unique cuisines on the sideboard , while a few groups , most notably Scandinavians , Jews , Greeks , and Italians , either preferred intimate social clubs or did little drinking in public . Entertainment ( edit ) Gambling at the Orient Saloon in Bisbee , Arizona , c. 1900 . Photograph by C.S. Fly . By way of entertainment saloons offered dancing girls , some ( or most ) of whom occasionally or routinely doubled as prostitutes . Many saloons offered games of chance like Faro , poker , brag , three - card monte , and dice games . Other games were added as saloons continued to prosper and face increasing competition . These additional games included billiards , darts , and bowling . Some saloons even included piano players , can - can girls , and theatrical skits . A current example of this type of entertainment is the Long Branch Variety Show that is presented in the recreated Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City , Kansas . Alcohol ( edit ) When a town was first founded , the initial saloons were often nothing more than tents or shacks that served homemade whiskey that included such ingredients as `` raw alcohol , burnt sugar and chewing tobacco '' . Rotgut ( edit ) The 1885 Beer Bottle Sidewalk in front of Jim Cotton 's Saloon on Washington Street in Phoenix , Arizona As towns grew , saloons were often elaborately decorated , featured Bohemian stemware , and oil paintings were hung from the wall . The hard liquor was improved , often featuring whiskey imported from the Eastern United States and Europe . To avoid rotgut , patrons would request `` fancy '' mixed drinks . Some of the top ten drinks in 1881 included claret sangarees and champagne flips . Beer ( edit ) Beer was often served at room temperature since refrigeration was mostly unavailable . Adolphus Busch introduced refrigeration and pasteurization of beer in 1880 with his Budweiser brand . Some saloons kept the beer in kegs stored on racks inside the saloon . Some saloons made their own beer . Sometimes the beer was also kept in chairs , as we can see in the movie ' Fort Apache ' . Notable saloons ( edit ) The Northern , Wyatt Earp 's saloon in Tonopah , Nevada , c. 1902 . Josie Earp may be the woman on the horse at left . Among the more familiar saloons were First Chance Saloon in Miles City , Montana ; the Bull 's Head in Abilene , Kansas ; the Arcade Saloon in Eldora , Colorado ; the Holy Moses in Creede , Colorado ; the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City , Kansas ; the Birdcage Theater in Tombstone , Arizona ; the Bucket of Blood Saloon in Virginia City , Nevada ; and the Jersey Lilly in Langtry , Texas . Many of these establishments remained open twenty - four hours a day , six days a week except Sundays and Christmas . Bull 's Head ( edit ) Among the anecdotes of the American West , several notable events took place in or outside saloons . One such incident occurred at the Bull 's Head in Abilene , Kansas . When the tavern 's owner , Phil Coe , outraged the townspeople by painting a bull , complete with an erect penis , or pizzle , on the outside wall of his tavern , Wild Bill Hickok , the marshal at the time , threatened to burn the saloon to the ground if the offending animal was not painted over . Instead , he hired some men to do the job , which angered Coe . The two became enemies and in a later altercation , Wild Bill Hickok killed Coe . Wild Bill , also a professional lawman , gunfighter , and gambler , was later killed on August 2 , 1876 by Jack McCall , who shot him in the back of the head , in Saloon No. 10 , in Deadwood , South Dakota as Wild Bill was playing cards . His hand -- aces and eights , according to tradition -- has become known as the `` dead man 's hand '' . Wyatt Earp 's saloons ( edit ) Former lawman , faro dealer , and gambler Wyatt Earp worked in or owned several saloons during his lifetime , outright or in partnership with others . He and two of his brothers arrived in Tombstone , Arizona on December 1 , 1879 and during January 1881 , Oriental Saloon owner Lou Rickabaugh gave Wyatt Earp a one - quarter interest in the faro concession at the Oriental Saloon in exchange for his services as a manager and enforcer . Wyatt invited his friend , lawman and gambler Bat Masterson , to Tombstone to help him run the faro tables in the Oriental Saloon . In 1884 , after leaving Tombstone , Wyatt and his wife Josie , Warren , James and Bessie Earp went to Eagle City , Idaho , another boom town . Wyatt was looking for gold in the Murray - Eagle mining district . They opened a saloon called The White Elephant in a circus tent . An advertisement in a local newspaper suggested gentlemen `` come and see the elephant '' . In 1885 , Earp and Josie moved to San Diego where the railroad was about to arrive and a real estate boom was underway . They stayed for about four years . Earp speculated in San Diego 's booming real estate market . Between 1887 and around 1896 he bought three saloons and gambling halls , one on Fourth Street and the other two near Sixth and E , all in the `` respectable '' part of town . They offered twenty - one games including faro , blackjack , poker , keno , and other Victorian games of chance like pedro and monte . At the height of the boom , he made up to $1,000 a night in profit . Wyatt particularly favored and may have run the Oyster Bar located in the Louis Bank of Commerce on Fifth Avenue . In the fall of 1897 , Earp and Josie joined in the Alaska Gold Rush and headed for Nome , Alaska . He operated a canteen during the summer of 1899 and in September , Earp and partner Charles Ellsworth Hoxie built the Dexter Saloon in Nome , Alaska , the city 's first two story wooden building and its largest and most luxurious saloon . The building was used for a variety of purposes because it was so large : 70 by 30 feet ( 21.3 m × 9.1 m ) with 12 feet ( 3.7 m ) ceilings . Wyatt and Josie returned to California in 1901 with an estimated $80,000 . In February 1902 , they arrived in Tonopah , Nevada , where gold had been discovered and a boom was under way . He opened the Northern Saloon in Tonopah , Nevada and served as a deputy U.S. Marshal under Marshal J.F. Emmitt . His saloon , gambling and mining interests were profitable for a period . Gallery ( edit ) The Alpine Inn , formerly Rossotti 's Saloon , in Portola Valley , California . Built in 1850 . The Pozo Saloon ( right ) in Pozo , California . Built in 1858 . The Buckhorn Saloon in Pinos Altos , New Mexico . Built in c. 1860 . The Lone Tree Saloon in Brownville , Nebraska . Built in c. 1868 . The Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City , Kansas . Built in c. 1874 . The Summer Saloon in Fairplay , Colorado . Built in 1879 . The Crystal Palace , formerly the Golden Eagle Brewery , in Tombstone , Arizona . Built in 1879 . Saloon ( left ) in Shakespeare , New Mexico . Built in c. 1880 . `` The Bob Saloon '' in Miles City , Montana , 1880 . The Red Dog Saloon in Juneau , Alaska . Built in c. 1881 . Big Nose Kate 's Saloon , formerly the Grand Hotel , in Tombstone , Arizona . Built in 1881 . The Echo Saloon in Echo , Oregon . Built in c. 1883 . The White Elephant Saloon in Fort Worth , Texas . Built in 1884 . The Bar Room in 1885 Charleston , Arizona . The Curry Saloon in Lincoln , New Mexico . Built in 1887 . The Bodie Saloon ( left ) in Bodie , California . Built in c. 1892 . The Salty Dawg Saloon in Homer , Alaska . Built in 1897 . Interior of the Toll Gate Saloon in 1897 Black Hawk , Colorado . The Red Onion Saloon in Skagway , Alaska . Built in 1898 . The Arcade Saloon in 1898 Eldora , Colorado . Jack 's Bar , formerly the Bank Saloon , in Carson City , Nevada . Built in 1899 . The Empire Saloon in Custer , Idaho . Built in c. 1900 . The Discovery Saloon in Nome , Alaska . Built in 1901 . The Blue Ribbon Bar & Grill , formerly the Estancia Saloon , in Estancia , New Mexico . Built in 1903 . The Shamrock Saloon in 1905 Hazen , Nevada . The Sourdough Saloon in Beatty , Nevada . Built in c. 1905 . The Klondyke Dance Hall & Saloon in 1909 Seattle , Washington . Saloon at Ehrenberg , Arizona in 1911 . The Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings , Nevada . Built in 1913 . The Charles Rapp Saloon Building in Florence , Arizona . Built in 1875 . The Mammoth Steak House and Saloon in Goldfield , Arizona . Built on 1893 . See also ( edit ) Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saloons . Cantina Anti-Saloon League List of public house topics Beer portal Drink portal History portal Liquor portal Wine portal References ( edit ) ^ Jump up to : `` Saloons of the Old West '' . Legendsofamerica.com . November 16 , 2006 . Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 05 . Jump up ^ The Week : New York , Thursday , August 13 , 1891 , pg. 112 ^ Jump up to : `` Saloons '' . Encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org . Retrieved 2012 - 11 - 07 . Jump up ^ `` Free Lunch in the South . '' The New York Times , Feb 20 , 1875 , p. 4 . Re value of the lunch , this source speaks of patrons who `` take one fifteen cent drink ( and ) eat a dinner which would have cost them $1 in a restaurant . '' https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1875/02/20/82755928.pdf Jump up ^ `` Saloon Doors , Petticoats and Pistols '' . February 1 , 2011 . Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 01 . Jump up ^ `` Old West Saloons Vintage Photographs -- Damascus , Oregon Saloon '' . Legendsofamerica.com . November 16 , 2006 . Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 05 . Jump up ^ `` Old West Saloons Vintage Photographs -- Orange County , California '' . Legendsofamerica.com . November 16 , 2006 . Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 05 . Jump up ^ `` Home Cowboys , Native American , American History , Wild West , American Indians '' . thewildwest.org . Archived from the original on February 6 , 2005 . Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 05 . ^ Jump up to : Woog , Adam ( February 28 , 2010 ) . Wyatt Earp . Chelsea House Publications . p. 110 . ISBN 1 - 60413 - 597 - 2 . Jump up ^ Betz , Nick . `` Eagle City - Idaho Ghost Town '' . ghosttowns.com . Retrieved 15 July 2015 . Jump up ^ Reidhead , S.J. `` Wyatt Earp , Senior Citizen '' . Retrieved May 9 , 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Starr , Raymond G. `` Wyatt Earp : The Missing Years , San Diego In The 1880s '' . San Diego History Center . Retrieved March 8 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Shady Ladies in the `` Stingaree District '' When The Red Lights Went Out in San Diego `` . San Diego History Center . Retrieved March 8 , 2011 . Jump up ^ Peterson , Richard H. `` The Story of New San Diego and of its Founder Alonzo E. Horton '' . San Diego History Center . Retrieved March 8 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Wyatt Earp '' . San Diego : Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation . 2005 . Retrieved February 28 , 2011 . Jump up ^ Barra , Alan ( December 1998 ) . `` Who Was Wyatt Earp ? '' . 49 ( 8 ) . American Heritage Magazine . Jump up ^ `` Earp Historical Timeline San Francisco and Alaska '' . Archived from the original on February 13 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Tombstone History -- The Earps and `` Doc '' Holliday `` . Retrieved February 24 , 2011 . <Th_colspan="2"> American Frontier <Td_colspan="2"> c. 1650 to 1912 Notable people Explorers and pioneers John Bozeman Jim Bridger William Clark Davy Crockett John C. 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