Friday, November 9, 2018

Las Vegas’ Mob Museum Opens Prohibition Inspired Distillery, Brewery and Speakeasy

The Underground's Still and Condenser

    The Mob Museum, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, has reinvent the way guests experience history when they visit The Underground, a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of Prohibition, that first opened in April 2018.   Guests touring The Underground will learn about Prohibition-era bootlegging and rum running. Prohibition shut down thousands of breweries and distilleries across America, but it could not eliminate the public’s desire for alcohol. It simply forced the brewing and distilling of booze into the shadows, where it became the purview of organized crime syndicates. Indeed, Prohibition led directly to the rise and proliferation of the Mob in America.

Ther Underground Speakeasy
     The Underground will take visitors on an uncommonly vivid journey back in time: Situated discreetly in the basement of the Museum, The Underground houses a real working distillery and speakeasy. While visiting these vibrant, immersive environments, guests will be compelled to ponder the time when consuming alcohol was not only a criminal act, but also bred secret watering holes that became the most glamorous places to be. 

      Numerous artifacts found in the distillery and speakeasy will add depth and context to the experience. Items to be on display include a beaded chiffon dress, ca. 1926, which is an example of the new and bolder fashions that became popular during the Prohibition era due to the rise of flapper culture, as well as a 5-gallon whiskey still, one of the smaller home stills used to make alcohol during Prohibition.  Complete with luxurious Art Deco-inspired design motifs, and a distinctive sense that something illicit is afoot, The Underground speakeasy will feature The Mob Museum’s own house-distilled spirits and house-brewed beer, as well as tempting Prohibition-era cocktails. Genuine Moonshine made onsite from corn mash will be the centerpiece of the cocktail collection, which will also feature a full bar including the Museum’s proprietary vodka, gin and rum.   Tickets for the Mob Museum’s distillery tour cost $12 per person.