Naming Cocktails After Movies, Plays, TV, Books...

[Chris Amirault]

I just made a Blood & Sand Cocktail (Heering, Famous Grouse, Punt e Mes, if you care about such things), and it got me to thinking about the practice of naming cocktails after movies and plays. There's a long list of 'em, and a wide range of quality. I'm interested in when this practice started, how it worked, when it all came to a halt, and why.

I'm also wondering if there isn't a good reason to do it again -- and to include TV. I mean, given the attention paid to such things on the show, surely someone needs to create a suave, manly tipple AMC can market as a "Mad Men Cocktail."

[Alchemist]

What I meant to say about mad-Men.

I think that it would be "trying to hard" to Retro-Make a cocktail for Mad-Men. It was set in the 60’s so people were drinking cocktails that people drank in the 60’s.

TV I think is often considered lowbrow. I can see naming some silly drink after Desperate House Wives, served in some silly bar. But what show would you name a cocktail after that is served in D&C, PDT, M&H?

I find a lot of cocktails named after books or literary figures, seems more dignified.

Toby

[Splificator]

I just made a Blood & Sand Cocktail (Heering, Famous Grouse, Punt e Mes, if you care about such things), and it got me to thinking about the practice of naming cocktails after movies and plays. There's a long list of 'em, and a wide range of quality. I'm interested in when this practice started, how it worked, when it all came to a halt, and why.

With the occasional exception, the practice didn't really come into play until the cocktail explosion of the 1890s. Before then, there were very few cocktail recipes in circulation. After that, thanks to gents like "The Only William," who invented a new drink every day, there were many. In general, it died out with Prohibition.

I totally agree with Toby about TV. It just doesn't feel right. While I'd have no problem ordering a "Corrections" or even a "Kite Runner," an "American Idol" would be rather less enticing--although I could probably be persuaded to nibble on a "Family Guy."

Oh, and a "Maddow"? Straight up, please. Twist.

[Chris Amirault]

Perhaps it would work with select films. An "Ice Storm Cocktail," say: white booze (gin, triple sec?) stirred until very, very cold; starts sweet and easy but ends with those four dashes of orange bitters on your tongue.

[bostonapothecary]

I just made a Blood & Sand Cocktail (Heering, Famous Grouse, Punt e Mes, if you care about such things), and it got me to thinking about the practice of naming cocktails after movies and plays. There's a long list of 'em, and a wide range of quality. I'm interested in when this practice started, how it worked, when it all came to a halt, and why.

a year ago on the cocktail list i had the "fitzcarraldo" which was a pisco sour that subbed pimms for a percentage of the sugar... the drink was well liked but few people understood the movie reference. opera in the peruvian jungle was the idea... people that new the movie didn't seem to know what pisco was or sometimes even pimms.

times were different in the early 20th. humor and novelty worked differently. the late 20th/21rst century equivalent of the "marconi wireless" in being novel and amusing is probably the "red headed slut" shot etc... i blame it on tv.

[Chris Amirault]

times were different in the early 20th.  humor and novelty worked differently.  the late 20th/21rst century equivalent of the "marconi wireless" in being novel and amusing is probably the "red headed slut" shot etc... i blame it on tv.

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A vamped up Red Headed Slut served as a Sprite highball could probably be a Desperate Housewife.

[RoyalSwagger]

I dunno, the marconi wireless was a brilliant name as shown in a previous thread. If you name it they will ask, one of my fellow bartenders named one of our house "nut infused" drinks after the first asylum to treat inebriation as a form of disease. When a customer orders the drink, 75% of the time I am asked about the name and I have a good/ intelligent story to tell as opposed to a blatant "hey let's get fucked up" name such as a screaming orgasm.

I'm red headed and the first time someone ordered a red headed slut at my bar I was definitely pretty confused.

By the way, I really like the Herzog reference.

[newbie21]

Do tell, as I've never heard of it: What is a red-headed slut?

I would tolerate a Flaming Moe as a TV reference, but not sure I's be able to stomach the cough medicine.

[RoyalSwagger]

Jagermeister, Peach Schnapps, and cranberry juice usually served as a shooter. I shudder to think. I actually like the challenge of mixing with Jagermeister, it's just the combo of all the above, especially bottled cranberry juice... no thanks.

Back to topic, I've been trying to make a drink that I can name after a Twin Peaks character. We serve hibiscus iced tea at the bar I work at and the combination of deep red hibiscus tea and lemonade made me laugh at the idea of calling it the Laura Palmer ala Arnold Palmer. I was trying to make an Audrey Horne the other day; Rye, "Fresh Squeezed" Grapefruit, Honey Heffeweizen Syrup, and egg white served in a coupe with one drop of angostura on the top representing her beauty mark. The drink fell flat sadly, oh well back to the drawing board.

[mkayahara]

I actually like the challenge of mixing with Jagermeister [...]

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At the risk of drifting off-topic, I have to ask: any success?

[vice]

I can name after a Twin Peaks character. We serve hibiscus iced tea at the bar I work at and the combination of deep red hibiscus tea and lemonade made me laugh at the idea of calling it the Laura Palmer ala Arnold Palmer. I was trying to make an Audrey Horne the other day; Rye, "Fresh Squeezed" Grapefruit, Honey Heffeweizen Syrup, and egg white served in a coupe with one drop of angostura on the top representing her beauty mark. The drink fell flat sadly, oh well back to the drawing board.

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Surely an Agent Cooper would have to involve espresso and some fruit brandy standing in for a slice of Norma's pie. Or maybe something with Clear Creek's Douglas fir eau-de-vie. He loved the smell of those trees.

[RoyalSwagger]

Oh definitely, Jager can be used basically like a sweeter amaro or Zwack Unicum Bitters, I made a drink called the Stag Horn Cobbler which included (the recipe is at work so I'm not positive) Mount Gay, a medium bodied sherry, Jagermeister in equal parts with half a lime and sugar served as the Sherry Cobbler ala Splificaters Imbibe. Mi-T-Fine if I do say so myself.

Vice, excellent idea I hope you don't mind if I try and run with the idea, that's brilliant. Maybe some Cherry Heering and a Pine infusion with some espresso is in order.

[vice]

Vice, excellent idea I hope you don't mind if I try and run with the idea, that's brilliant. Maybe some Cherry Heering and a Pine infusion with some espresso is in order.

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Oh, I definitely don't mind. Maybe zirbenz stone pine for something a little less spendy than the clear creek. Cooper hopefully will forgive us for swapping conifers. If I could throw a cocktail party with a drink inspired by each major character, I know several people whose heads would explode. Twin Peaks is like that.

[Alchemist]

I am a big fan of Deadwood. I think the writing is so beautiful a layman’s Shakespeare. It’s impossible not to like Swearengen (if that is not an appropriate name…) while at the same time being glad not to ever have to be around him. In his honor I want to make a libation called a G*ddamn Fk!ng C@^kS$ck%r. I am not sure if I should put it on The Violet Hour list or maybe on the list Down here in Nashville. You know make a statement on the first menu at The Patterson House.

It would have to have Bulleit, as that is one of the bottles on the bar at The Gem. That is as far as I have gotten.

Toby

[Chris Amirault]

I'm a big fan as well and this is a brilliant idea. Thinking of the mess that is the main street of Deadwood, what about some take on the Mud Slide that includes a tiny bit of your housemade Irish cream and a tiny bit of espresso syrup, plus a boatload of bitters?