[3] A sailor, he was left by his ship in San Francisco in 1861 to recover from a broken arm and hip.

Now a celebrity, Johnson gave lectures and wrote articles and recipes for local newspapers.

In 1869, he claimed that he had challenged the five best American bartenders in New Orleans and won, becoming "the champion of the United States."

Their rivalry peaked in 1880, when Thomas threw a bowl of Tom and Jerry on the floor of Johnson's bar, calling him an amateur because that drink should only be served when the temperature drops below zero.

However, what made it seminal were its detailed instructions on how to become a proper bartender,[3] such as: "The opening of a new place", "How ale and porter should be drawn", "Hints about training a boy to the business", "Handing bar-spoons to customers", "To keep ants and other insects out of mixing bottles" etc.