Whiskey wasn’t just a favorite drink in the Old West—it was big business.

Back in the 1870s, a gallon of whiskey cost about $2.25 (roughly $55 in today’s money). Saloons could then sell that same gallon by the pint for $1.00 per pint, or around $24 today. With eight pints in a gallon, that meant they were turning a $2.25 purchase into $8.00—more than tripling their money. No wonder whiskey became a cornerstone of frontier commerce.