Jacques Straub

c. 1870–1920

Compiled one of the main drink references of the early 20th Century

Straub was born in Switzerland to a distilling family, and became one of the most famous wine and spirits experts of his era. Straub ran the beverage program for The Pendennis Club in Louisville prior to moving to Chicago’s Blackstone Hotel. Straub wrote “Straub’s Manual of Mixed Drinks” (1913) and “Drinks” (1914); the latter is the better known, and follows the pocket reference format of John Applegreen’s book, while tersely cataloguing a vast number of mixed drink recipes probably seeded by his friend Oscar Tschirsky at the Waldorf-Astoria.