In the context of the 1970s in Great Britain, a pony drink referred to a specific brand of sherry called Pony. However, it’s important to note that the term “pony” can be used more broadly to refer to a small serving size of various alcoholic beverages, particularly beer.
Now, focusing on the Pony drink of the 1970s, it was a type of sherry that was quite different from traditional, high-quality sherries. It was often considered a “bastardized” version of sherry because it deviated from the traditional production methods and ingredients. Instead of being made from pure grape juice and aged in oak barrels, Pony sherry was made from grape juice, sugar, and neutral spirits. This combination of ingredients resulted in a sweeter and less refined taste compared to authentic sherries.
The name “pony” likely derived from the small nip-sized bottles in which this sherry was sold. These bottles were typically smaller than the standard serving size, holding around 1/4 to 1/3 of a standard wine bottle. The small size allowed for convenient individual servings, but it also reflected the lower quality and cheaper nature of the product.
One factor that may have contributed to the demise of the pony glass and the Pony brand itself was the overall lack of enjoyment when drinking from these glasses. The pony glasses were not particularly designed for enhancing the drinking experience. They were often simple and unadorned, lacking the elegance and craftsmanship of traditional sherry glasses. As a result, people may have found them less appealing and preferred other types of glassware for their drinking pleasure.
It’s worth noting that the popularity of Pony sherry declined over time, and the brand eventually disappeared from the market. This could be attributed to various factors, including a shift in consumer preferences towards higher quality and more authentic products. As people became more interested in exploring the diverse world of wine and spirits, they began to seek out more refined and traditional options, leaving behind the mass-produced and artificially sweetened Pony sherry.
A pony drink in the 1970s referred to a brand of sherry called Pony, which was a cheaper and less refined version of traditional sherry. It was made from grape juice, sugar, and neutral spirits, and sold in small nip-sized bottles. The decline in popularity of Pony sherry could be attributed to factors such as the lack of enjoyment when drinking from pony glasses and the overall shift in consumer preferences towards higher quality products.