Savannah drinks meet speakeasy-style lessons. In the American Prohibition Museum’s 1920s setting, I liked learning historic cocktail ratios and making two full-sized cocktails, then sipping a few more. One watch-out: the room can run hot, so plan for that.

This is a hands-on 2-hour class led by the bar team at Congress Street Up, a speakeasy-style theater space inside the museum. You’ll work with authentic bar tools, get snacks and water, and leave with a recipe booklet feel-good momentum you can recreate at home.

Key things to know before you go

• Congress Street Up inside the American Prohibition Museum sets the mood fast, before you even shake a thing
• You create two full-sized cocktails during the class, not just watch demonstrations
• You learn two historic ratios you can use to scale drinks and follow classic styles
• You sample additional cocktails as part of the tastings, so the class feels like more than one round
• Small group size (max 16) makes it easier to ask questions and keep the experience interactive

Congress Street Up: the Prohibition Museum speakeasy you start in

Your evening begins at 220 W Congress St, Savannah, right in the orbit of the American Prohibition Museum. The class happens in Congress Street Up, their 1920s-style speakeasy area that feels like a theater space when you’re inside.

What makes this start special is that you’re not doing a generic bar class. You’re doing it in a setting built for the story: Prohibition-era vibes, speakeasy lighting, and that sense that you’re stepping into a different Savannah. If you like experiences where the location does half the work, this one has you covered early.

Practical note: you need to bring a photo ID and be 21+ to attend. It’s also worth planning to arrive a few minutes early, since you’ll want a smooth start before the 7:00 pm session settles in.

The 2-hour class flow: what you’ll make and sample

This is a hands-on cocktail-making experience built around learning through doing. The structure is simple and drink-focused: you’ll create a couple cocktails yourself, then you’ll sample more so you can compare styles and flavors.

Here’s the core of what you can expect for the alcohol and tastings:

• You’ll create 2 full-sized cocktails
• You’ll sample 3 additional cocktails

In other words, it’s not just one drink and done. Even if you’re new to cocktails, you’ll taste enough to learn how different ratios and ingredients shift the end result. If you’re more experienced, you’ll still get value from seeing how these classics are built and why they work.

During the class, the bar team teaches two historic ratios. The value of ratios is that they turn cocktail-making from guesswork into a repeatable method. Instead of memorizing one fixed recipe, you start learning how base math leads to balance: strength, sweetness, and dilution all become easier to understand.

You’ll also use authentic bar equipment. That matters more than it sounds. Using the right tools for measuring, mixing, straining, and serving helps you build the muscle memory that makes cocktails taste like cocktails, not like mixed drinks that were thrown together.

The historic ratios lesson: why it sticks after you leave

I like classes where you learn a tool you can carry home. In this one, the “tool” is the ratio approach. You’re not only learning what goes into a drink; you’re learning how a historic method creates consistency.

When you understand ratios, you can:

• Adjust for taste without breaking the style
• Scale a recipe for different batch sizes
• Explain what you like about a cocktail to friends using the same language

That ratio language is where you get the real payoff. You’ll also get context while you’re mixing, since the class is tied to the Prohibition-era setting and classic cocktail traditions. You might even leave with a specific drink name in your head, like people talking about classics such as Chatham Artillery Punch after the class.

And because you also sample multiple cocktails, the ratios don’t stay abstract. You taste how the method shows up in the glass.

Your instructor and the speakeasy pacing: interactive, with a few real-world caveats

A big part of any cocktail class is the instructor’s pace and personality. In the classes hosted here, you’ll see a mix of entertaining, story-driven teaching and practical bar technique. Names you may encounter include Connor, Daphne, Leah, Jackson, Val, Chandler, and Blake.

From what I see in the overall style of the program, the best sessions feel like a combo of:

• Clear steps for making the two cocktails you’ll produce
• Quick course-corrections as you mix
• Plenty of conversation so you don’t feel like you’re stuck in a lecture

That said, there are occasional issues that you should keep in mind. Some people noted moments where the class felt slower or more like a lecture than a truly free-flowing mixology lab. In a few cases, the room conditions were also a problem, with at least one comment calling out that it was extremely hot.

If you’re the type who gets impatient with long pauses, you may want to manage expectations: you’ll mix a couple core cocktails, but you’re also sampling other drinks and getting instruction. Also, if you plan to drink water often (you should), ask during the class if you need more, since refills may not always be automatic at your seat.

Snacks, water, and Georgia’s alcohol rule you should respect

This class includes snacks and alcoholic beverages, plus water during the experience. The snacks are a smart inclusion. Cocktail class drinks add up quickly, and having something salty or starchy helps keep the experience enjoyable.

One important reality: Georgia law prohibits serving alcohol to anyone who appears already intoxicated. If someone seems overly intoxicated, service can be denied without a refund. That’s not a “small print” detail you want to ignore.

My advice: eat before you go. The class itself includes snacks, but treating it like you’re starting from an empty stomach is the fastest way to feel off your game. If you want to pace yourself, drink water between cocktails and don’t try to “power through” for the fun photo.

If you prefer not to drink alcohol, there is a mocktail option available with prior notification. That’s a good call if you want the full class experience and the ratios concept, just without alcohol in the glass.

Value check: is $85.60 worth it in Savannah?

Let’s talk money. At $85.60 per person for about 2 hours, you’re paying for three things at once:

1. Hands-on teaching with a bar team
2. Authentic equipment and guided steps
3. Multiple drinks included (2 you make + 3 you sample), plus snacks and water

If you break it down like a traveler, you’re getting an evening with roughly five cocktail servings built in, not counting any water or snacks. You’re also getting time in a themed Prohibition speakeasy setting, which isn’t the same as paying for a drink at a random bar.

What makes it feel like good value is that you’re not just consuming. You’re learning the method behind the glass. That’s what lets you recreate at home later, especially because you’re taught two historic ratios rather than only following one fixed recipe.

The one reason it might not feel like a perfect deal for everyone: the class time spent physically mixing can be limited, because you’re also tasting and receiving instruction. If your dream is a long, heavy-duty lab where you mix many different drinks yourself, you may wish you had more mixing time. But if you want a fun evening with real technique plus enough drinks to make it memorable, the math usually works out well.

Who should book this cocktail class (and who should consider alternatives)

This experience fits well if you want:

• A fun adult activity in Savannah that doesn’t feel like a museum lecture
• A hands-on lesson where you make actual cocktails
• Prohibition-era atmosphere without doing the guesswork of figuring out where to start

It also suits different drink styles. People show up for all sorts of reasons. Some are first-timers. Some are seasoned drinkers. One review-style theme that comes through is that even a wine-focused crowd can still enjoy the class because the instruction is about structure and taste, not just speed.

If you’re traveling as a couple or solo, the small group size (max 16) makes it easier to connect and ask questions. If you’re doing something social, it can also work well as a group activity because everyone gets hands-on time and samples.

Two “maybe” situations:

• If heat inside small indoor spaces is a deal-breaker for you, plan to dress accordingly.
• If you want to mix more than two cocktails yourself, treat this as a guided tasting-and-learning class first, not a high-volume bartender workshop.

Should you book Cocktail Class in Congress Street Up?

If you’re deciding based on value and vibe, I’d book it if you want a speakeasy setting plus hands-on instruction plus enough included drinks to make the night feel complete. The mix of making two cocktails, sampling more, and learning historic ratios is exactly the kind of combination that turns an evening out into something you can reuse later.

I would think twice only if you know you get uncomfortable in hot rooms or you’re specifically chasing a long, heavy mixing session. In that case, you might look for a different format with more time behind the bar tools.

For most adults visiting Savannah, this is a smart, enjoyable way to spend a couple hours: equal parts playful and practical, with just enough Prohibition drama to make the cocktails taste like more than a drink.

FAQ

How long is the cocktail class?

The experience runs for about 2 hours.

Where does the class start?

It starts at 220 W Congress St, Savannah, GA 31401, USA, and ends back at the meeting point.

How much does it cost?

It costs $85.60 per person.

What is included in the price?

You’ll get alcoholic beverages and snacks. You’ll also participate in the hands-on class activities and tastings described for the session.

Who can attend?

You must be 21 years of age or older and show a photo ID.

Is there a mocktail option?

Yes. A mocktail option is available if you notify them in advance.

How big is the class group?

The class has a maximum of 16 travelers.

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