By Timothy Long

This year marks the 250^th anniversary of American independence from England, a milestone we will always remember. But some of us still remember the 200^th anniversary, the bicentennial, in1976.

Yes, my Millennial and Gen Z readers, we are still alive. And we’re doing quite well, thank you. And a lot of us were your age or even younger when that banner year came around. But life was different then. I don’t mean to imply that it was different in a bad way, it wasn’t. It was simpler in some ways, and harder in others. Our definitions of quality weren’t what they are today. It was a different time, a different America.

The price of gas was 59 cents in 1976. And I remember my father complaining about it at the pump.

“How could they charge more than 50 cents?! Price gouging SOBs!”

His outrage was understandable if you consider that the average household income was only $16,000 per year.

Ladies, your wardrobe would have consisted of bell bottom or flared jeans, halter tops, peasant blouses, wrap dresses, platform shoes or wedge sandals, large sunglasses, scarves, and chunky jewelry.

Gentlemen, yours would have been leisure suits (I remember the one my parents bought for me. It was light blue. I thought I was so hip.), wide collar shirts with brightly colored patterns or colors, platform shoes or boots, aviator sunglasses, and, if you were cool, a turtleneck under your sport coat.

The number one song that year was Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)”, even though disco music ruled at the time. Songs like “Funky Town”, “Disco Lady”, and “Get Up and Boogie” would haunt us until 1979 when the Disco Era finally died at an anti-disco rally in Chicago that turned into a riot. Soft Rock was also big, much of it is now called Yacht Rock. But back then, it had nothing to do with yachts. The music scene of the mid-seventies was not one of our best. But there was a musical light at the end of the tunnel; The Ramones released their self-titled first album that year.

If you missed your favorite television show, like “All in the Family” or “Charlies Angels”, you missed it forever. There was no streaming or DVR. The VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) wouldn’t hit the American market until the next year.

Only 15% of Americans had cable, so you probably only had 4 channels to choose from, and one was PBS. Your phone was hanging on a wall, not sitting in your pocket. And all it did was make calls. Plus, the family shared the phone line, so if your sister was on it all night, you missed calls.

Sounds terrible? Well, it wasn’t. The advent of technology has changed us and made life much more convenient in many ways. But you have to remember; you can’t miss what you never had. People in 1976 would have laughed if you mentioned a phone that sat in your pocket, took pictures, and was connected to the entire world. And as my father once said, “Why the hell do we need 20 television channels?” Yep, that was early cable, 20 channels. “The whole family will just watch TV all day!”

He wasn’t far off on that remark. Screen time is a current problem.

But Tim, you might ask, what about beer, whiskey, and cigars? What would I be drinking and smoking?

Oh, you’re going to love this.

The World War II generation was still a large part of the population at the time. Having survived the war, and the Great Depression before that, they were quite frugal. High end beers, liquor, or wines were considered a waste of money. Their children, the Baby Boomers, were young adults, many just starting families. So, the frugality would linger nationally until the mid-1980s.

When it comes to beer, you probably would have been drinking Budweiser, Miller High Life “The Champagne of Beers”, Miller Light, which was a new brand and growing rapidly, or Schlitz, which was still Budweiser’s biggest competitor.

Let’s pause for a moment of silence. Schlitz went out of business a few weeks ago.  It was an American classic.

There were some local breweries, but they didn’t produce a variety of styles. In the Pittsburgh area, we had beers like Hamms, Rolling Rock, Old German, Stroh’s, and Iron City. They were all bitter American lagers, just like Schiltz. That was the American beer style at the time.

In 1976, America was just not making beer that we would have considered “good” today. Good beers back then came from other countries. The import beer movement, the predecessor to the craft beer trend, was in its infancy in 1976. Heineken, Becks, Molson, Bass, and Guiness were slowly gaining in popularity. But lagged far behind American domestic beers.

The white spirits were all the rage at that time. Vodka, gin, or rum were the preferred choices. If you did drink whiskey, you would probably have chosen Canadian blended whiskeys; Seagram’s Seven, Seagram’s VO, Canadian Club, or Crown Royal if you were classy, or pretentious. The single malt scotch era was just starting. And bourbon was dwelling in the pit of despair. It was considered your father’s or grandfather’s whiskey.  The bourbon industry would not be saved until 1984, with the release of Blanton’s, the first single barrel bourbon on the market.

Riuniti was considered to be a good wine back then. Riuniti On Ice is Nice! Try swallowing that fact.

Cigarettes were still very much in fashion in 1976; 36% of the population smoked them, compared to 10% today.  People still lit up at the breakfast table after eating. Your cigar, if you dared to smoke one, would have been machine rolled and made with mostly American tobacco. So, it smelled horrible and wasn’t welcome in most social situations. You would have bought it in the local grocery or convenience store from the cigarette rack. Dutch Master, White Owl, Tiparillo, and Swisher Sweets were big sellers. However, a growing group of enthusiasts sought out premium hand-rolled cigars from Cuba, Jamaica, Honduras, and the Canary Islands. Monte Cristo, Partagas, and H. Upmann were beginning to be known and cherished.

The lesson here is simple; cherish the things you enjoy today. America’s palate has changed over the last fifty years, and mostly for the better. Great wine, fine cigars, masterfully brewed beer, and terrific whiskeys are commonplace now. So don’t take them for granted. Think about how good we have it today when you’re relaxing with one of your favorites in your hand. And thank the past generations for setting us on the path that got us here. They deserve it.

Cheers to you, America! Happy Birthday!

About the Author: Timothy Long is an educator, writer, consultant, and experienced restaurant operator. Email: tlong@belmarinnovations.com. Instagram and Twitter: @wvutimmy. Blog: What is that fly doing in my soup? http://whatflyinmysoup.com

Tim’s Whiskey and Cigar Recommendations

Makers Mark Cask Strength “Made for the Brave” Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Bottled directly from the barrel, this bourbon is not as intense as one might think. My technique with cask-strength whiskeys is to use a big cube and let it melt for about ten minutes. This brings out flavor while lessoning the heat. The nose here gives caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and honey, with hints of cinnamon, baked apples, and brown sugar. On the palate, layers of toffee, butterscotch, wheat, and vanilla emerge before the notes of oak, black pepper, and baking spices come through. This bourbon is a bold and wonderful expression that showcases the distillery’s signature wheated mash bill. The finish is long and flavorful, with caramel, oak, and spice flavors. It’s quite affordable at around $50 a bottle. But remember, it’s 110.5 Proof. So, drink it slowly and easily.

Camacho Broadleaf

Camacho makes affordable, flavorful cigars, and its consistency is one reason it remains one of my favorite brands. This medium-to-full-bodied cigar opens with notes of dark chocolate, espresso, earth, and black pepper, followed by hints of leather and sweetness. As you get into the smoke, flavors of cocoa, roasted coffee, and oak, become more pronounced. It has a long and flavorful finish. This cigar will blend perfectly with the Maker’s Mark Cask Strength bourbon in your hand. And at around $11 a stick, it doesn’t break the bank. Enjoy.

This cigar, and many other fine cigars, are available at John Crouch Tobacconist at 215 King St. in Old Town Alexandria. Mention this article and get 10% off the purchase of this month’s recommended cigar.