Atomic (cocktail) facts for kids
The Atomic cocktail was a special drink that became popular in Las Vegas during the 1950s. At that time, Las Vegas was sometimes called the "Atomic City." This was because atomic bomb tests were happening nearby.
The name "Atomic cocktail" was also used for many other drinks created around the same time. These drinks often had names that referred to atoms, nuclear science, or rocket flights. This showed how much the "Atomic Age" and "Space Age" influenced popular culture.
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What Was an Atomic Cocktail?
An Atomic cocktail was usually a mix of different drinks, often topped with champagne. Sometimes, people even added dry ice to make it bubble. This made the drink look like a science experiment! It was often served with an orange slice.
The "Atomic Age" and Popular Culture
The "Atomic Age," "Jet Age," and "Space Age" were exciting times. They greatly influenced how people designed things, from buildings to furniture and fabrics. This era also led to many new cocktail names.
For example, a book called Atomic Cocktails (written in 1998) talks about drinks from this period. Some names included the Rocket Man and Apricot Fission. Another drink was the Ray Gun cocktail, which used colorful liquids and champagne. Even a scientist named J._Robert_Oppenheimer supposedly had his own version of a martini.
In Las Vegas, the Sky Room at the Desert Inn hotel was a popular spot. It had the best view in the city. People there could watch atomic bomb tests in the distance. They would sing songs and enjoy the unique view.
Tiki bars were also popular during this time. Sven Kirsten, who wrote The Book of Tiki, called tiki bars "the emotional bomb shelter of the Atomic Age." Many tiki bars served drinks with names like the Flying Saucer and Star Fire. Some older tiki drinks had names related to planes, like the Q.B. Cooler and Test Pilot. Later, new drinks appeared with names like Space Needle and Milky Way.
How Did the Name "Atomic Cocktail" Start?
The name "Atomic cocktail" might have come from a few different places:
- In nuclear medicine, an "atomic cocktail" is a real radioactive mixture. Patients with a thyroid condition called hyperthyroidism drink it. This medical use was discovered in 1941.
- A song called "Atomic Cocktail" was released by Slim Gaillard in 1945. The lyrics included:
"It's the drink that you don't pour, now when you take one sip you won't need anymore
You're small as a beetle or big as a whale, Boom! Atomic Cocktail"
Atomic Liquors Bar
Atomic Liquors is a famous old bar in Las Vegas. The owners, Joe and Stella Sobchik, changed their bar's name to Atomic Liquors in 1952. They still sell Atomic cocktails there today.
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