14 US Presidents And Their Favorite Cocktails

The stresses of being president can more than put a few grey hairs on one's head. After long days of political maneuvering, many of our presidents turned to an alcoholic beverage to unwind. If it was Thomas Jefferson, you could expect fine French and Italian wine on the menu, while John Adams could always be found with some quality hard cider. Of course, Franklin Pierce, who would eventually die of liver failure, would drink a little of everything. For some presidents, though, only a strong cocktail would do the trick.  

This list will tackle some of the cocktail recipes, history, and lore behind some our presidents signature drinking habits. Find out which classic tipples topped the U.S. presidents' bartender list (spoiler alert: A lot of our commander in chiefs loved a good martini to help wind down) and which drinks were a unique favorite of the most powerful man in the country.

George Washington was a known lover of Madeira wine, having barrels of the stuff sent directly from the Portuguese island to his home in Virginia and at his presidential residency in Philadelphia. He was fond of port, too, but did the first president of the United States ever enjoy a cocktail? Well, rumor has it that he once drank Fish House Punch cocktail to excess, but official records show that he liked another cocktail in particular. His mixed drink of choice was a brandy and cherry cordial called Cherry Bounce. Washington noted that he carried a canteen of the beloved mixture on a long journey through the Allegheny Mountains in 1784. 

Back in the day, a large batch of Cherry Bounce began with pounds of mashed sour Morello cherries — the juice of which was then sweetened with sugar, spiked with brandy, and spiced with cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. After a quick simmer on the stove top, the cordial would get ladled into jars for a nice long sit in the cellar. After two weeks (with occasional shaking of the cordial), this cocktail was ready to pour.   

President Theodore Roosevelt was many things: a skilled orator, a big game hunter, and a staunch conservationist. That being said, one thing he wasn't was a heavy drinker. In fact, Roosevelt was touchy enough on the subject that he would be willing to sue for libel if a newspaper claimed as much. Such is the case in 1912, when Roosevelt sued the editor of the Iron Ore paper, which had written an article with the following claim: "He gets drunk, too, and that not infrequently, and all his intimates know about it." 

During the trial, Roosevelt himself testified that he only drank one type of cocktail on rare occasions and never to excess — he even went so far as to admit he couldn't finish the said cocktail one time. This was a mint julep, styled with mint grown at the White House garden. Made with rye whiskey, brandy, sugar, and oodles of fresh mint leaves, the mint julep has been a beloved health remedy since the 1700s. Though Roosevelt may not have always been able to finish the drink, he would often use it to entice his fellow cabinet members to play tennis with him. 

John F. Kennedy loved a good cocktail, and there is debate about whether he preferred the rum-spiked Daiquiri or the tomato-rich Bloody Mary more. Really, it just depended on what time of day it was. The story of JFK and the daiquiri goes back to the 1940s, when the drink exploded into favor, thanks to the cheap and plentiful availability of rum during World War II rationing. As Kennedy was a World War II vet, he was sure to have come in contact with the drink at some point in his career, but he really fell in love with First Lady Jackie Kennedy's signature recipe for it. While the traditional daiquiri features lime juice, white rum, and simple syrup, Jackie was known to toss in a few drops of Falernum, a sweet liqueur that had notes of lime, ginger, cloves, almonds, and nutmeg.  

As for the Bloody Mary, it come to prominence in the '50s and '60s, when Smirnoff stated pushing the recipe alongside it's signature vodka. Kennedy was not immune to his charms, and would often served many at his get-togethers with his cabinet. Unfortunately, Kennedy had to significantly cut down on drinking either cocktail, as it mixed poorly with the medication he took to manage chronic back pain.  

The president who helped repeal Prohibition definitely deserved to be toasted in his heyday. If he was joining in on that toast, chances are, Franklin D. Roosevelt would have lifted up an ice cold gin martini.Though Roosevelt was a wealthy man of privilege, he would often craft the cocktails himself when visiting cabinet stopped by for "Children's Hour," his end-of-day discussion with his advisors. That didn't mean his martinis were particularly enjoyed by said guests. 

Roosevelt was known to mix and match garnishes in his martini, combining the briny olive with the floral lemon for decidedly mixed results. Heck, he even threw in fruit juice, absinthe, and bitters on occasion (Although to be fair, the original martini had orange bitters as well). He also committed one of the grandest martini sins out there: adding too much vermouth. Even his grandson has said that these martinis were "truly awful." Of course, Roosevelt seemed to just be a fan of the "reverse martini," which basically means he preferred a martini with more vermouth than gin or vodka. If you want to order a martini like this, just tell your bartender you'd like a wet martini, rather than a dry one. 

Following Roosevelt's death, Harry S. Truman took charge of the country and the presidential liquor cabinet. Gone were the questionable martinis, and in came the bourbon. It was well known that Truman liked to start his mornings with a shot of bourbon followed by orange juice, a double dose that he called his "medicine." After a brisk morning walk, he'd then proceed to have a real breakfast, finished with a glass of milk. Two of the gifts he received from his cabinet revolved around this love of whiskey, with the first being a fine bourbon and scotch crystal decanter set and the second a case of Old Grand-Dad Whiskey, one of Truman's favorite brands.  

Naturally, Truman continued his love of whiskey imbibing for cocktail hour with his wife and First Lady Bess, opting for a very simple version of the Old Fashioned cocktail. The orange, cherry, and much of the other background noise associated with the best modern Old Fashioned, are lacking from Truman's tipple. Both he and Bess liked it not too sweet and, more importantly, not too weak. If you want to try to make it like they would like it, try using only a half teaspoon sugar, a teaspoon of water, and just a dash of bitters — and don't you dare include that cherry, else First Lady Bess will accuse you of making fruit punch.

Though he was fond enough of whiskey to drink it neat, Andrew Jackson is probably most famously associated with a particularly potent batch of whiskey punch. This revolves around an infamous incident that occurred during Jackson's inauguration. Following a particularly bitter presidential race, Jackson was taking the White House amidst a personal tragedy. His wife, Rachel, had just died from a heart attack — a hideous blow considering she had just learned of terrible rumors spread about her during the campaign. Fanatic supporters were waiting for Jackson at the Capitol, ready to celebrate a hard won battle. 

Ready to welcome the common man who had elected him, he served cake and jugs of whiskey punch to the public on his inauguration day. The drink itself probably comprised of plenty of oranges, spices, and either cognac, brandy, or whiskey (as Old Hickory was an ardent whiskey drinker, many have suggested that bourbon was the base). What happened at the inauguration is up for debate. Most famously, some claimed that these average Americans became drunk and disorderly enough to trash the White House. The very same whiskey punch allegedly also saved the day, as some smart staff then stationed the remaining barrels of it on the White House lawn, coaxing the boisterous crew out of the hollowed presidential residence.  

As the former governor of California, Ronald Reagan often brought some of his beloved home state products to national prominence during his tenure in the White House. Most notably, Reagan was the first to serve California Merlot and Zinfandel wine varieties. First Lady Nancy's affinity for Kendall-Jackson, a Golden State brand of wine, helped noticeably boost sales. As for cocktails, Reagan put a spotlight on a drink that made use of another classic California export: oranges. 

Known as the Orange Blossom, this cocktail featured a refreshing blend of vodka, vermouth, and orange juice. It first gained popularity during Prohibition era, as sweet ingredients like orange juice and vermouth could help mask the less-than-palatable flavor of bootleg gins. Though the original blossom classically relies on gin as its booze of choice, the Gipper preferred the smooth hit of vodka, which basically makes his Orange Blossom taste like a Screwdriver accented with a the herbal, sweet tones of vermouth.  

Lyndon B. Johnson held the oval office during a particularly tumultuous time of the United States, weathering storms like the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. Unsurprisingly, he was known to enjoy a nice strong drink when he could have it. Though Lady Bird often tried to curb his excessive drinking, Johnson's cocktail of choice was a classic scotch and soda, usually comprised of Cutty Sark Scotch and a plain seltzer. 

In his early years as a Senate majority leader, Johnson would use his favorite cocktail as a weapon of sorts. When hosting politicians for cocktail hour, Johnson's staff was told to serve him weaker scotch and sodas than the others so that he could keep sharper than the rest. Once out of office, Johnson was allowed to resume heavier drinking, usually enjoying straight Cutty Sark in a styrofoam cup as he road around on his Texan ranch. He merely had to stop and hold out his cup for the Secret Service to come running with a refill.   

Perhaps one of the oddest cocktails is favored by the President from Arkansas, Bill Clinton. One part cider and one part lager, the ominously titled snakebite is the epically sudsy drink that Clinton loved to wind down with. The drink has British origins, and some bartenders are known to add a bit of blackberry liqueur to the mix to impart extra sweetness and booze. In America, it normally just swaps the lager for a darker stout variety, and leaves out the blackberry part completely. 

Ironically, it was in England when President Clinton was refused his typical drink order. According to an article in the Harrogate Advertiser, a pub worker in Harrogate refused to serve the snakebite to the president as it was illegal in the UK. This, of course, isn't really true. It's not illegal to serve the beverage (although it's illegal to serve half a pint of snakebite per measuring laws), but some bartenders refuse to serve it because they find the cocktail to be deceptively smooth, which can lead to binge drinking.  

Gerald Ford's drinking days were much more colorful when he was merely a congressman. During that time, it was well known that Ford loved a good strong gin martini or two to accompany his working lunch. Gin and tonics also made the rotation, but martinis seemed to be his one true love. Once he took office following Nixon's resignation, his staff urged him to cut down on his martini habit considerably, as the country's confidence in the presidency had been shaken enough by the Watergate scandal. It was a hard for him to give up, but he'd quit the drinking entirely once he left office for a very different reason.   

First Lady Betty Ford was very forthcoming about her struggle with both alcoholism and addiction to prescription pain medication. After her daughter staged an intervention, Betty went on to open up the now famous Betty Ford Center, a rehabilitation center helping to provide treatment for a terribly stigmatized disease. In solidarity, Ford quit drinking about a year after Betty did, claiming he got tired of drinking alone. Instead, the two liked to drink a nice virgin cocktail of tonic and limes. 

Rutherford B. Hayes had a complicated relationship with alcohol during his presidency, mostly due to his wife, First Lady Lucy Hayes' devotion to the temperance movement. Though they initially served wine at one diplomatic event, the Hayes would go on to ban alcohol completely for all other White House parties. It should be noted that Hayes himself liked a glass of wine and beer on occasion, but respected his wife's strict edict and became a lemonade man. It was a drink that became quite popular during the Temperance Movement, thanks to clever campaigns by Sunkist. 

The press were not so respectful of "Lemonade Lucy's" ways. This gave rise to a story mostly based in rumor, that forever tied the president to a cocktail known as "Roman Punch." During a press meeting, it's rumored someone in his staff spiked Lucy's sorbet punch of lemons, oranges, water, egg whites, and sugar with oranges soaked in rum, making it Roman Punch. Hayes himself claimed it was a lie and that, in reality, he'd asked the chef to flavor the punch with spices one could find in rum, fooling the press into thinking it was alcoholic. We'll never know the exact truth, but Roman Punch remains a tasty reminder of the incident. 

Though his son was a noted teetotaler in office after over-imbibing in his college days, George Bush Sr. did not abstain from liquor while acting as president. Indeed, when not drinking the Southern soda Cheerwine, Bush enjoyed a vodka martini as a good stress reliever at the end of a long day. He supposedly picked up his love of martini's while attending Yale in New Haven, though he indulged in some whiskey when he made the initial pilgrimage to Texas. 

In 2018, Bush would famously celebrate his Memorial Day Weekend with oysters and martinis, even though he was at the ripe old age of 93. His son Jeb Bush commented that his dad's later years were fairly relaxed, filled with massages, watching television, and, you guessed it, a daily six o'clock martini. Even in the touching last days of his wife's life, Bush enjoyed a final cocktail hour with Barbara. In his hand was a martini; in hers, a bourbon. 

President Woodrow Wilson served during Prohibition, a fact he tried desperately to avoid by vetoing the Volstead Act, but to no avail. Of course, that didn't stop him from imbibing in plenty of Scotch and Sodas, his favorite cocktail of record. In fact, Wilson used a popular Wilson Whiskey slogan — "Wilson–that's all!" — in his campaigning in the 1910s. To be fair, this is well before Prohibition became a legal standard, but it's ironic, nonetheless. 

In a particularly privileged move, once Wilson left office in 1921, his vast wine and spirit collection were allowed to be transported to his private home in D.C. This transportation of alcohol, of course, was illegal under typical Prohibition laws, but the president received a special get-out-of-jail-free card from Congress. You can still view some these very same bottles (albeit empty) at the now historic Woodrow Wilson House.  

Herbert Hoover served during a doubly dark time, tasked with guiding the country through the Great Depression and Prohibition. Alas, he wasn't much help on ending either fronts, but he at least wasn't known to be a hypocrite. Though Hoover was particularly fond of martinis and had an extensive wine collection, his wife, First Lady Lou, supposedly poured all that down the drain when Prohibition was enacted. Hoover was the man to coin Prohibition as " The Noble Experiment," which seemed to hint that he knew it was an idealistic, but impractical law. 

Out of the White House, Hoover was allowed again to indulge in his favorite cocktail once Prohibition was repealed. In fact, even in the midst of a health crisis, Hoover couldn't completely relinquish his two-martini-a-day habit. When he conceded to drinking just one a day, he asked it be served in a much bigger glass. Today, Hoover's beloved Martini making set can be seen enshrined at his presidential library in Iowa. While you're there, you can also purchase Herbert Hoover monogramed martini glasses, so that you can cheers the president with his favorite cocktail in style.