There are different versions of how the term "cocktail" came into being. One is that the first cocktail was served during the American Revolution. In 1776, Betsy Flanagan, a tavern owner, served a concoction of rum, rye and fruit juices to Washington's officers. She would garnish each drink with a rooster feather. A Frenchman came up with the toast, "Vive le coq's tail" which later became "cocktail." Another story claims that mixed drinks were served to horse-racing fans in the early 1800s who made the connection in the belief that horses of mixed blood had cocked tails. Whatever story is true, they all become believable after a few cocktails.
