The termsHappy Hour Club, Happy Hour Social Club, and similar names, had been in use as the names of social clubsince at least the early 1880s.By June 1913, the crew of the USS Arkansas had started referring to their social gatherings as Happy Hours.The Happy Hours included entertainment, boxing and wrestling matches, music, dancing, and movies.By the end of World War I, the practice of holding Happy Hours had spread throughout the entire Navy.Unfortunately, on June 1, 1914, the Secretary of the Navy issued General Order 99 prohibiting the use or introduction of alcohol on any ship or station. It was a good run for the Navy, but it wasnt the only alcohol-related item inspired by the military.Happy Hour requires drinks, and here are some such drinks inspired by armed forces the world over.1. Gin & TonicThis legendary drink was introduced to the army of the British East India Company at the height of the British Empire. Malaria, a constant problem with officers and troops in India, was treated at the time with quinine, which tastesbitter and terrible. So the officers started mixing theirs with sugar, lime, and gin to make the stuff drinkable. Todays tonic water is much sweeter, contains less quinine, and is much less bitter as a result.Recipe1-1/2 ounces Gin1/2 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lime JuiceTonic WaterLime Wheel or Wedge Garnish (I prefer cucumber, especially with Hendricks Gin)Fill highball glass with ice. Add Gin. Top with tonic water. Stir. Garnish if desired. Repeat. Keep Uber up-to-date.2. Cuba Libre (aka Rum & Coke)Cuba Libre was the battle cry for the Cuba Liberation Army during the war of independence from Spain at the turn of the 20th century. Coca-Cola first cameto Cubain the bags of U.S.troops who invadedthe islandas part of the Spanish-American War in 1898.In 1900, the colastarted beingexported to Cuba. According to CharlesA. Coulombe, author ofRum: The Epic Story of the Drink That Conquered the World, a bartender in Havana namedFausto Rodriguez first served thedrink toa U.S. troopnamed Barrio who frequented his bar. Yes, this is a rum & coke, but its so much more.Recipe1 ounce Bacardi Gold Rum3 ounces Coca-ColaBuild in a tall glass over fresh ice. Lime wedge garnish.3. GunfireA much less popular drink, this concoction was served to the lower ranking members of the British Army in the 1890s to give them a bump of courage before a morning attack. More recently, British troops in the Korean War would give it out to U.S.military policemen after recovery missions. Some UK troops still consume Gunfire on special occasions, especiallyChristmas when officers serve it to their troops.Bombardier Zoltan Harper receives his gunfire Drink from Warrant Officer 1 Dave Travis. (NATO)Recipe1 cup of hot, black tea1 shot of rum4. SidecarLegend has it the Sidecar was created when a WWI Army Captaincouldnt beat a cold. At his favorite bar in Paris, the bartender made this libation and named it after the motorcycle sidecar in which he was usually chauffeured.Recipe1-3/4 ounces Cognac3/4 ounce Cointreau1/2 ounce Fresh Lemon JuiceOrange Twist GarnishCombine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist.5. French 75World War I fighter pilot Raoul Lufbery was of French and American descent, flying with the Lafayette Escadrille, American aviators who wanted to fight against Germany, even though the United States had not yet entered the war. For French pilots, champagne was the drink of choice. For Lufberys American side, that wasntenoughso he spiked his champagne with cognac, a mix he said made him feel like he was hit by a French 75mm howitzer.(Wikimedia Commons: Muse d lArme)Recipe:1-1/4 ounce Hennessy Cognac3/4 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice1/2 ounce Simple Syrup (or a tad less)Brut ChampagneLemon Twist for GarnishCombine Hennessy, lemon juice, and bar syrup in a cocktail shaker filled one third full of ice. Shake thoroughly for ten to fifteen seconds. Strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top off with champagne. Garnish with lemon twist. Note:If using Courvoisier rather than Hennessy, up the amount to 1-1/2 ounces of cognac to achieve the balance of flavor.SEE ALSO:Here's a video of a soldier jumping out of an airplane while solving a Rubik's CubeJoin the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: China has been upgrading its military and is now stronger than ever
Click here to read full news..
