Where Did the Term “Blind Pig” For a Bootleg Joint Come From and What Does the Phrase Mean?

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Karen Hill

In 1838, Massachusetts outlawed the sale of hard liquor, causing drinkers to find creative ways to buy and sell booze.

One entrepreneur set up a booth with a sign offering, for a small fee, a glimpse of an amazing striped pig.

Those who paid to enter found a glass of rum standing next to a painted clay pig.

The pig saw nothing, so the transaction was safe, and the expression “blind pig” was born.

That’s why a bootleg joint is called a “blind pig”.

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