In the 19th and early 20th centuries, whether one sidled up to the bar in San Francisco, Chicago, New York or anywhere else in the U.S., the cocktail was king. Today, in our age of backward-glancing and Americana-mania, the latest cohort of St. Louis mixing whizzes has combed the bookshelves and brought us four classic recipes, revisited and revised.
The bartender: Steve Boulch, bar manager, Hendricks BBQ
The drink: Stan’s Last Swing
The inspiration: The Manhattan Cocktail No. 1 from How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon Vivant’s Companion, 1862
The headline ingredients: JJ Neukomm Missouri malt whiskey, Cocchi Americano Bianco, Cocchi Americano Rosa
The theory: “By using a locally distilled product as the base, I’ve brought the St. Louis aspect to the Manhattan. The JJ Neukomm is a single malt whiskey, aged with a cherry-based malt. It brings out the (cherry flavor) in a subtle fashion.”
The bartender: Nate Weber, general manager, The Libertine
The drink: Elvis Costello Lost in Missouri
The inspiration: Pimm’s No. 1 Cup from The PDT Cocktail Book, 2011
The headline ingredients: Pimm’s No. 1, Pinckney Bend gin, house-made citrus soda and mint tincture
The theory: “A Pimm’s Cup was a no-brainer to complement chef (Josh) Galliano’s Southern-inspired cuisine. A bit of gin brings up the proof just slightly, and cucumber ice melts as you sip on the drink to add more and more cucumber flavor.”
The bartenders: Joe Duepner, bar manager, and Drew Lucido, bartender, Juniper
The drink: Old Pal
The inspiration: Old Pal from The Art of Mixing Drinks, Helpful Hints for the Hostess, 1935/36
The headline ingredients: Buffalo Trace bourbon, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, Campari
The theory: “I’ve made the (original) version. It tastes terrible,” Duepner said. “(Our version) is bottled and carbonated, which elongates the finish as well as dries it out, while at the same time feeling crisp and clean.”
The bartender: Joel Clark, bar manager, The Purple Martin
The drink: Jack Rose
The inspiration: Jack Rose Cocktail from The Cocktail Book, 1926 Reprint
The headline ingredients: Broker’s gin, Domaine Dupont Calvados Fine Reserve apple brandy, house-made grenadine
The theory: “What jumped out at me here is you can go to any cocktail bar in the country (for a Jack Rose), but it won’t have gin in it. It ends up being this really sweet, cloying flavor. What I’m trying to dry out here is the grenadine.”
This article appears in October 2014.