The Daily Tippler

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.

Bourbon & Ginger Ale is a really simple but great cocktail. But in the interest of better blogging; try making your own Ginger Ale.

Ginger Ale:
yields 14 ounces

-4 Teaspoons Ginger Juice
-1 Tablespoon Sugar
-2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
-10 oz. Cold Club Soda

Stir Ginger Juice, Sugar & Lime Juice in a mixing glass until Sugar is dissolved. Add Club Soda and chill.

Horse’s Neck:

-2 oz. Bourbon
-Ginger Ale to fill

Build in a high ball glass over ice and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Today’s recipe is the one that got me drinkin. That’s not exactly true; but I was trying to trace back the roots behind my interest in Tippling and before I met this drink I was mostly a Frat Boy Drinker (i.e. Beer, Wine, Shots and the occasional Vodka Martini or Rum & Coke). There is nothing special about the recipe below and I have only ever seen it at my local bar; which has, in fact, changed the recipe from the one that caught my palette some years ago.

The Academy Roberts:

-3 oz. Maker’s Mark Bourbon
-Juice of 4 Lemon Wedges
-Splash of Orange Juice
-Dash of Grenadine

Combine ingredients in a shaker over ice. Serve in an ice filled Highball glass garnished with a cherry and a lemon wedge.

Grenadine, yes grenadine, it is a syrup and no it does not have cherries in it, and yes you can make it yourself. The name “grenadine” comes from the French word grenade meaning pomegranate, as grenadine was originally prepared from pomegranate juice.

Grenadine:

-6 oz. Aged Spanish Brandy
-1 Liter Pomegranate Juice
-1 Cup Sugar

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and reduce over medium heat until thick. Let cool and transfer to a squeeze bottle.

The Oscar Robertson:

-3 oz. Maker’s Mark Bourbon
-Splash of Triple Sec
-Dash of Grenadine
-Juice of 4 Lemon Wedges

Fill a Highball Glass with Ice and add all ingredients. Shake to a froth and garnish with a cherry.

The Julep Strainer
Patent #404,204 by Charles P. Lindley Patented May 28, 1889

The strainer is hands down one of the most important things to happen to the cocktail since ice. Bartenders had been working with Strainers before 1889, but this patent is of particular interest because:

“While listed as a “Julep-Strainer”, this patent brings into the design the encircling spring which
would become the key differential feature of what would later be called a “Hawthorne” strainer.
This then is perhaps the missing link between these two styles of strainers and illustrates the
evolution of design which was happening in the late 1800’s.”

That’s from the Museum of the American Cocktail, where you can check out the full Patent. All though not important only to the Mint Julep it seems only fitting to provide that recipe when discussing Julep Strainers.

Mint Julep:

-3 oz. Bourbon
-1/2 oz. Superfine Sugar
-1 oz. Hot Water
-7 Mint leaves and 1 Sprig

In the bottom of an old-fashioned glass dissolve the sugar in the water. Add the 7 mint leaves and press lightly with a spoon. Add spirits, fill glass with finely crushed ice and stir. Poke a straw and the mint sprig into the Julep and serve.

With July 4th coming up this weekend I thought I would take this opportunity to celebrate the Blender for all your BBQ/Party needs.  Long disdained by bartenders the Blender has recently returned to the bar along with the Tiki Drink. Despite what classical bartenders say the home bartender has no need to hide the Blender, however if these cocktail aren’t your thing check out BBQ week. And now to the Blender, according to Wikipedia:

It is popularly believed that Dr. Oliver Johnson Schofield, an English engineer and entrepreneur, invented the first electric blender in 1921. However, Stephen J. Poplawski, owner of the Stevens Electric Company, patented the drink mixer in 1922 to make Horlicks malted milk shakes at soda fountains. He also introduced the liquefier blender in 1922.  Stevens Electric was sold to Oster Manufacturing, a manufacturer of barber equipment, in 1946. Oster commercialized the liquefier blender under the trademark Osterizer.

I’m not sure when someone decided to throw ice and booze in the thing but I imagine it didn’t take long. The following is a great recipe for the 4th because it has Bourbon, which is American, and Cherries, which are in season (be sure to get fresh cherries) .

Cherry Crush:

-2 oz. Bourbon
-2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
-2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
-3 Pitted Cherries
-1 Tablespoon Sugar

Mix all ingredients with 1 1/2 cups ice in a blender and blend until smooth, about a minute or two. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with a mint sprig.

“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. 

In 1964 the United State Government legally recognized Bourbon as an American Whiskey with distinct character; much like Champagne in France. The definition of Bourbon is that is must be produced in the US from a grain mash of at least 51% corn (most producers use 65%-70%). After distillation it must be aged a minimum of 2 years in new, charred, oak barrels which impart flavor & color. The longer the Bourbon is aged the the darker the color and the more mellow and complex the flavor. After aging it is diluted to a minimum of 80 Proof, with the aforementioned Branch Water, and bottled. The Sour Mash process is an important aspect of Bourbon distilling. In the process an older batch of Mash, with an all ready active strain of yeast, is used to start the fermentation in the next batch of Mash.

OK, but were did they get the very first batch from?

Remember the Maine:

-2 1/2 oz Bourbon 
-1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
-Splash Maraschino Liqueur
-1 Bar Spoon Absinthe
-Dash Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Corn Whiskey was one of the early products of the United States and the corn growing regions around the Ohio River. Early on it was probably just called whiskey. But, the main port on the river from which the whiskey shipped was within the Old Bourbon county. The barrels were often labeled with the place of origin, ‘Old Bourbon.’ Because it was the first corn whiskey most people had ever tasted, and because they liked it enough for it to stick around, ‘bourbon’ became the name for all corn-based whiskey.

The American Whiskey-Old Fashioned:

-3 oz Bourbon Whiskey
-1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
-1 Bar Spoon Angostura Bitters

In a Highball glass dissolve sugar in bitters. Add Bourbon fill ice and stir. Garnish with a lemon Twist.