Swizzle Sticks, Bartenders Buddies

Swizzle Stick With Fruit

The sizzle stick was once as essential part of cocktails as liquor and ice. They came in infinite variety of interesting shapes and colors. They were placed in cocktails served over ice so that a person could stir the ingredients of their drink. Today unfortunately, they have been mostly replaced by simple non-descript 4 inch straws. How dull!

According to historians, they first appeared on sugar plantations in the West Indies in the 1800 hundreds. They were a branch that used to stir one of the locals favorite cocktails made with rum and sugar. Originally they were referred to as a stirring rod. It’s said that Queen Victoria used them to stir the bubble out of her champagne. It seemed she was embarrassed by the bubbles. What a waste!

With the advent of prohibition in 1920, they were used to thoroughly mix the terrible taste of bootleg liquor with all types of mixes. The famous Gibson girls or the roaring 20′s used glass swizzle sticks. In 1934 Jay Sindler, came up with the idea to put an olive on his swizzle stick so he wouldn’t have to put his fingers in his martini to get the olive out. He drew a sketch on a cocktail napkin where he placed a paddle on the top of a short stick. The paddle would be used as miniature advertising bill board with the establishment’s name. The bars loved the idea. It was a cheap form of advertising their name and location. Sindler was granted a patent for his idea in 1935. His invention and his company, Stir-it, Inc. are still in business.

It wasn’t until the 1980′s that the popularity of swizzle sticks began to wane. The popularity of fancy cocktails took a nose dive when people became more calorie conscious preferring light beer and white wine. Bars and restaurants switched to cheap unappealing straws to save a few pennies. What a shame!