Hello from Texas!

[Cocktologist]

Hello eGForums! My name is Nathan. Originally from the DFW metroplex, my journey began behind the bar of an upscale chef owned kitchen. This is where I found a love for food & drinks, but gravitated more towards imbibing. Two openings later and nearly moving to across country to pursue “the next level”; I find myself working for a motivated young chef far far outside the metroplex & creating original craft cocktails with an abnormally motivated bar staff. Who would have thought the next step was in a small Texas town? Anyway. I am digging through The Savoy Cocktail Book, a gift from a close friend, when notice “Hercules” listed as an ingredient several times. What is this Hercules mentioned over and over? Turns out this community also had the same question back in 2007! I am honored to introduce myself & look forward to listening, learning & exploring alongside equally motivated users on this forum.

[C. sapidus]

Dunno anything about ‘Hercules’, but welcome!

[TdeV]

Me neither. But there are plenty of good and interesting people here. Hope you make fast friends! Welcome.

[Kerry Beal]

Found other's have been looking too - the mystery of Hercules

 

Here's more

Edited April 22 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Dave the Cook]

1 hour ago, Cocktologist said:

Anyway. I am digging through The Savoy Cocktail Book, a gift from a close friend, when notice “Hercules” listed as an ingredient several times. What is this Hercules mentioned over and over? Turns out this community also had the same question back in 2007!

 

Here's a link to that 2007 discussion. If that group of peeps (including Erik Ellestad, who's @ejehere, and one of the peeps who runs savoystompflannestad.com that Kerry linked to) can't figure it out, I'm not sure what your chances are.

 

Seriously, best of luck. And as @TdeV said, welcome!

[Katie Meadow]

1 hour ago, Dave the Cook said:

 

Here's a link to that 2007 discussion. If that group of peeps (including Erik Ellestad, who's @ejehere, and one of the peeps who runs savoystompflannestad.com that Kerry linked to) can't figure it out, I'm not sure what your chances are.

 

Seriously, best of luck. And as @TdeV said, welcome!

An aperitif with yerba mate? No wonder it wasn't a keeper. Hercules used yerba mate to kill the Nemean Lion. He didn't slay the lion; one taste of tea was enough to make the lion run for the hills.

[liuzhou]

I rather suspect "Hercules" is Xanthoxylon Clava-Herculis, a relative of Sichuan peppercorn but native to North America, sometimes called hercules-club or the toothache tree, in reference to its mouth numbing effect.

 

I've had Sichuan peppercorns in cocktails in Shanghai's legendary Peace Hotel cocktail bar, so not so unlikely.

 

Don't quote me in court, though.

[Katie Meadow]

5 hours ago, liuzhou said:

I rather suspect "Hercules" is Xanthoxylon Clava-Herculis, a relative of Sichuan peppercorn but native to North America, sometimes called hercules-club or the toothache tree, in reference to its mouth numbing effect.

 

I've had Sichuan peppercorns in cocktails in Shanghai's legendary Peace Hotel cocktail bar, so not so unlikely.

 

Don't quote me in court, though.

Why not? Because you made that up!

[liuzhou]

16 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

Why not? Because you made that up!

 

What? I didn't make anything up. I haven't seen a  direct reference to Xanthoxylon Clava-Herculis being what the OP is seeking. I merely suspect it could be, as I said.

 

If not directly used, it may bean ingredient in whatever is or was  used.

 

Edited April 22 by liuzhou (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

@Cocktologist Welcome!

As others have said, @eje has done quite a bit of research on Hercules and published his own recreations on this blog, Savoy Stomp. Here is his recipe. Some people just use Punt E Mes as a substitute. Interestingly, The Savoy Cocktail book is the only cocktail book that has recipes made with Hercules. I am guessing this was some kind of clever product placement.  

In 2022, The American Bar at the Savoy brought it back, but there aren't much details other than it is a vermouth type ingredient that was recreated by this distillery. 

 

Edited April 22 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[Katie Meadow]

4 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

What? I didn't make anything up. I haven't seen a  direct reference to Xanthoxylon Clava-Herculis being what the OP is seeking. I merely suspect it could be, as I said.

 

If not directly used, it may bean ingredient in whatever is or was  used.

 

I was kidding! I know you are a storehouse of knowledge and your explanation of Hercules is the only even half plausible one yet, except of course for mine about the lion! I don't blame anyone for making stuff.up. I have a good friend who is also a fount of information, arcane or otherwise, and gets teased about the fact that if she doesn't know the answer she tells you anyway-- ESPECIALLY when it sounds sort of good. .Have you ever played the Dictionary Game? You chose a word from the dictionary that people with you swear they don't know and you write the definition on a piece of paper.. Then everyone writes down what they think is a good definition of the word. The answers get read out loud and everyone tries to guess the real definition. Some people are really great at sounding like their absurd idea is convincing.