Photo by Casey Schumacher
Prohibition’s Aviation gets its name from its color. First published in 1916, the drink is gin-based, with lemon, Luxardo and Creme Yvette.
You might not have to give a password at a darkened door, but if you’re out around town in Columbus, you might notice a certain speakeasy-like glamour surrounding a few establishments.
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This time around, the liquor is legal, but the era’s culture serves as inspiration for drinks, interior design and more.
Temperance Row Brewing Company
Set in a room behind the deli portion of Uptown Deli and Brew in Westerville, Temperance Row Brewing Company certainly gives off the exclusivity appeal of a speakeasy.
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Even the name pays homage to Westerville’s rich history as a dry capital. A collage of old black-and-white photos gives the place a vintage feel.
The beer selection is a mix of brews made on-site and by local breweries including Barley’s Brewing Co., Elevator Brewing Co., Columbus Brewing Co., North High Brewing and Weasel Boy Brewing. Temperance Row’s suds include a pilsner, pale ale, Scottish ale, IPA and porter.
Four Thieves Thirst Parlor
Columbus residents Annie Williams and Luke Pierce, partners who make up the Four Thieves Thirst Parlor, have expanded on the concept of the speakeasy via a cocktail pop-up project.
Tickets are given out for each event. Events are held every couple of months and advertised via social media and the Four Thieves website, www.fourthievesthirstparlor.com.
The duo’s latest event was a holiday-themed affair at Land-Grant Brewing Co. in Franklinton. Always interested in reinventing common themes, they favored unique holiday tastes such as pear, walnut, sweet potato, cherry and cardamom.
Prohibition Gastro Lounge
Even before it was renovated, the space that would become Powell’s Prohibition Gastro Lounge looked like a speakeasy.
“I felt like I had gone back in time,” says Cris Dehlavi, who was the bar consultant for the establishment.
The structure was built in 1890 and previously served as a general store, says owner Elton Sargent. The building’s number, 21, also holds significance: The 21 Club was a famous speakeasy in New York, and the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition.
The menu is a combination of classic and custom cocktails. Some of the drink names, such as Temperance Punch and Mobster Manhattan, were inspired by history.
Sarah Sole is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
