By Jennie Merrill, Director of Education, Southern Food & Beverage Museum

When troops came home after World War II, they brought their international experiences with them—including their taste for liquor widely excluded from the American market. Tiki bars popped up in city centers and burgeoning suburbs alike; while bar carts, swizzle sticks, and shakers bloomed in homes of Americans looking to take a collective breath after the war. Aided by the advent of plastics and high fructose corn syrup, and paired with rising international trade, American drinking culture underwent massive changes due to World War II. In this program, join Jennie Merrill, Director of Education at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, as we explore just how the war made such a far reaching impact on this piece of American culture.