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

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”.