The Daily Tippler

So how does Cocktail go from being one of many drinks to being “the” Drink. This is two part story and here goes part one:

All though no one knows the exact where’s and when’s of the story there is a lot of evidence to suggest that Cocktail originated in the Northeast and spread from there. In it’s early days it was looked down on upon as it transitioned from morning tonic to all-day and evening drink. During this time two things were incorporated that helped boost the reputation and popularity of Cocktail: Ice and Vermouth.

Ice had been used in various drinks like the Julep for decades before it made it into the Cocktail in what seems to be the 1860’s. The Italians (sweet) & the French (Dry) had been trying to penetrate the American tippling market with Vermouth since the early 1800’s. It does, however, not seem to take hold until finding it’s way into the Manhattan. Around the 1890’s we start to see the role of bitters diminish and the use of Vermouth and ice skyrocket; bringing the Cocktail a little closer to what we are used to today.

Manhattan, Formula #1 (Old Standard)
How to Mix Drinks – Barkeeper’s Handbook, 1884

-2 or 3 Dashes Peruvian Bitters
-1 or 2 Dashes Simple Syrup
-1 1/2 oz. Whiskey
-1 1/2 oz. Sweet Vermouth

Fill Mixing glass 3/4 with shaved ice, stir, strain into a Fancy cocktail glass.

It is, I’m totally serious…

No I’m not. Nobody really knows where the name came from and there are a lot of stories floating around. Here’s one that at least involves fowl:

A tavern near Elmsford, New York was popular with the officers of the Revolutionary soldiers of Washington and Lafayette. The American troops preferred whiskey or gin, the French preferred wine or vermouth. All enjoyed a bit of brandy or rum. Sometimes late in the evenings, in a spirit of camaraderie, the spirits were mixed from one cup to another during toasts. A soldier stole a rooster from the tavern owner’s neighbor, who was believed to be a Tory supporter of George III of the United Kingdom. The rooster was promptly cooked and served to the customers, with the tail feathers used to adorn the accompanying drinks. The toasts accompanying this meal were “vive le cocktail” and the mixed drinks were so called ever after. (Wikipedia)

Westbrook Cocktail:
Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930
Serves 6.

-5 1/4 oz gin
-2 1/4 oz sweet vermouth
-1 1/2 oz whisky
-2 bar spoons sugar

Shake with ice and strain into 6 cocktail glasses

World Cocktail Week Starts Today!

In honor of world cocktail week 2010; I’m going to try to distill (pun intended) the history of the drink into seven posts. Because this will be brief at best, and because I make no effort to hide my plagiarism, for anyone who wants more info I highly recommend “Imbibe” by David Wondrich.

One supposes that I would start with the inventor of the cocktail, but trying to figure that out is like trying to figure out who decided to drink water first. Cocktails by today’s definition have been around as long as distilled beverages; since they consist of mixing any distilled beverage with something else. As early as 1880 there was scholarly, albeit inconclusive, research about the invention of the cocktail. Therefore, from a purely organizational standpoint, I offer the following incomplete time line:

-Wine Punch: wine being the earliest of spirits and made by every know civilization mixed with something

-Punch: wine gives way to other stronger spirits as the base for punch

-Collins, Fizz, Sour: the punch bowl behind the bar gives way to the single drink mixed on the bar

-Slings, Juleps, Toddies: Enter Sugar

-Cocktails: Enter Bitters

The word cocktail starts to appear in print at the very beginning of the 1800s; one can assume it had been around for a decent time before that. In the beginning and for awhile it is used to refer to drinks with Spirit, Sugar & Bitters; all though that is no longer really the definition I’ll leave it at that for today.

Plain Cocktail:
Jerry Thomas 1862

-3 or 4 dashes Simple Syrup
-2 Dashes Bitters
-1 Wine Glass (2 oz.) Spirits
-2 Dashes Curacoa

Squeeze Lemon Peel in a glass; fill 1/3 with ice and stir.

So, most people are now familiar with the terms Mixology & Mixologist as the creation of cocktails and those who create them. Seemingly these words have been coined for the current cocktail revival. However, they actually date back to the pre-prohibition days, showing up as early as the 1850’s. But, here’s one you may not have heard: Mixicologist. It is the title of Cincinnati bartender C.F. Lawlor’s 1895 guide; well more accurately: “The Mixicologist.” From my research I can’t seem to find anything differentiating a Mixicologist from a Mixologist, so we can assume the former fell out of favor because it is harder to say. However, judging from Lawlor’s text there maybe a difference. On top of drink recipe’s “The Mixicologist” offers dinner menu ideas, rules for young bartenders and even a recipe for shoe polish; which I think is not for consumption. The following is my favorite recipe form the volume, it requires very little in the way of actual mixing, but the last step can’t be beat

Rock & Rye:

-Whiskey
-1 Barspoon Simple syrup.

Add Syrup to a high ball glass and serve with a stirring spoon. Let customer help himself to Whiskey.

Harry Johnson wrote and published “Harry Johnson’s Bartenders’ Manuak and a Guide for Hotels and Restaurants.” Harry was a contemporary of Jerry Thomas and it is believed that he actually purchased his Saloon, The Little Jumbo, from the Professor. Unlike Jerry, Harry seems to have been a little more business minded; the main evidence for this lies in his guide. The “Bartenders’ Manual” goes beyond a collection of recipes and provides almost 160 pages of  ’how to’s’ for the hotel and restaurant entrepreneur. A business book of this nature was a groundbreaking addition to the growing trade of spirits in America. Furthermore the guide is illustrated, and if the photos of the Bon Vivant are Harry himself, he has one of the most bad-ass moustaches you will ever see.

Whiskey Daisy:

-2 oz. Whiskey
-1/2 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
-1/2 Tablespoon of Sugar
-2 Dashes of Lemon Juice
-1 Dash of Lime Juice
-1 Splash of  Soda

 In the bottom of a mixing glass dissolve Sugar in Lemon Juice, Lime Juice and Soda. Add Whiskey & Chartreuse, fill with ice and stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

With all the rain this summer in the New York area we have had a great crop of Peaches and these can be great for drinks. Try this one from Dale Degroff

Whiskey Peach Smash:

-2 oz. Canadian Whiskey
-1/2 peach, cut into thick slices
-3 or 4 fresh mint leaves
-1 lemon wedge
-1 oz. water
-1/2 oz. simple syrup

Muddle all ingredients except whiskey in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and whiskey. Shake and strain into an ice-filled old fashioned glass and garnish with a peach slice and a sprig of mint.

So after making my purchase of Dolin Blanc last week, for the benefit of The Tippler, I got a lot of ideas about cocktails it could work in. I had thought about giving three recipes on Friday, but why make so much extra work for myself. Instead, I realized I could probably stretch it to 5; so all this week original recipes featuring Vermouth Bianco.

I mentioned last week that, all though not great in a Martini, the Bianco slides nicely into the Manhattan; giving it a lighter edge for Summer:

The Summer Manhattan

-3oz. Sazerac Rye Whiskey
-Splash Dolin Blanc
-Splash Luxardo Maraschino
- 2 Dashes Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass over ice and stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a Bing Cherry.

What’s more New York then Brunch… not much. Enjoy this Beer Based Bloody Mary Recipe from Buttermilk Channel.

The Otis

-2 oz. Jameson Irish Whiskey
-6 oz. Bloody Mary Mix*
-Six Point Otis Stout to top

Combine Whiskey and Mix in a Pint Glass over Ice. Top with Stout.

*I do not have The Buttermilk channel recipe for Bloody Mary Mix so here is my own:
-28 oz. Tomato Juice
-4 oz. Frank’s Red Hot
-1 oz. Clam Juice
-1 oz Lemon Juice
-2 Tablespoons Green Olives
Mix all ingredients in a Pitcher and chill. Yields 6 Drinks.

“When American meets American then comes the Whiskey Sour.”

Atlanta Daily Constitution, 1879

I don’t think I have already mentioned this; Bourbon is the official Spirit of the USA, by act of congress. It was part of the 1964 resolution and they actually declared it: “America’s Native Spirit.” Furthermore, just this week Congressmen Yarmuth & Gurthrie of Kentucky established the “Bourbon Caucus” in the House of Representatives. Seventeen other Reps. have signed on as members of the caucus which pledges to support the concerns of the bourbon industry and to protect Bourbon’s image around the world. I’m totally serious, you can’t make this stuff up, it was on the news, here check it out: CNBC. Seriously though the Bourbon industry has been an integral part of our economy for a long time and provides a lot of needed jobs.

So, with that I give you the Whiskey Sour to end out the week. This drink was really popular in the US up until some time in the 1960’s. Around the decade when bars probably started to make them with bottled sour mix or even worse sweet & sour mix. Below is how it should be made and if you have never had it with Bourbon give it a shot.

Whiskey Sour:

-2 oz. Bourbon
-1 oz. Lemon Juice
-3/4 oz. Simple Syrup
-Soda Water to top

Combine in a shaker over ice and strain into a chilled Sour glass. Top with Soda Water and garnish with a lemon.

Jack Daniel’s, and also George Dickel, are Tennessee Whiskey. Jack Daniel’s meets all of the US Government requirements to be a Bourbon, but it under goes an additional stage called the Lincoln County Process (named for Lincoln County in Tennessee). In the process the unaged Whiskey is filtered through a column of charcoal; in the case of Jack Daniels the charcoal is made from Sugar Maple trees. The US government only says that Bourbon has to be made in the America from 51% Corn mash, aged at least 2 years and bottled at a minimum of 80 Proof. It does not say that it must be made in Kentucky or that it can’t be charcoal filtered. In most cases, out of respect, Bourbons made outside of Kentucky are sold under the label of American Whiskey. All though there are some excellent Corn Whiskies being produced in the Hudson Valley one of which is sold under the moniker “Hudson Valley Baby Bourbon.” As for the filtering Bourbon people will tell you it shouldn’t be done and Jack Daniels people will tell you they are Tennessee Whiskey not Bourbon, so no harm no foul.

Lynchburg Lemonade:

-1 1/2 oz. Jack Daniel’s
-1 1/2 oz. Triple Sec
-1 oz. Lemon Juice
-1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
-Lemon-Lime Soda to top

Build in an ice filled Highball glass and stir once. Garnish with a lemon wedge.