The March of Booze Through Time

[Lan4Dawg]

I remember as a waiter/bar tender serving an awful lot of bloody mary's, screwdrivers, cape cods (& variations of same) during the 1980's to the point where you could make the drink of choice for that era a vodka and some sort of fruit juice. I know it might not be specific enough for your list but I would say vodka/fruit juice out sold every thing else by a wide margin & not just at Sunday brunch. The only thing that even came close (& you included it) was the margarita.

[mixtress]

Dave, I think we have forgotten the ever popular apple martini. As much as I would like the rye manhattan to be the cocktail of the 2000's, I was behind the bar for much of 00-05 and have recieved more orders for the apple martini than I care to admit. So many that we created a house infused apple martini at Flatiron so that we did not have to succumb to pucker. The rye manhattan is very popular with my staff, and those who are in the loop!

[Splificator]

Let the haters hate, let the doubters doubt, I stand by my list and my life.

But seriously. Clearly, the Rye Manhattan isn't the most popular/trendy drink going, and not by a long shot. But I think that it, along with maybe the Aviation, can be used as a benchmark test for a bar that's hip to the resurgence of mixology--at least, to the traditional school of it. That, however, may not be the winning school this decade; we're only a little more than halfway through, after all. I suspect the vodka school will win on points (and through marketing), but I couldn't think of one drink that encapsulated what that school was doing. Then came Mixtress (I knew I shoulda asked my bartender).

So. The vote of hope:

2000s Rye Manhattan (or Aviation)

Or the vote of despair:

2000s: Apple Martini

I'm going with hope. I could be wrong.

[slkinsey]

Actually, Dave, I think the Aviation is an even better drink for the 2000s than a rye Manhattan. This is for a couple of reasons: First, I think it's a drink that is closer to the mainstream of what's going on in contemporary mixology. But I think it's an especially good choice because the Aviation is a drink that has achieved widespread recognition and popularity among contemporary cocktail enthusiasts largely via the internet, and the 2000s is the first decade in which the internet really became a powerful influence on the "real world."

To a certain extent, it's hard to say things about the 2000s. I have long felt that the accepted zeitgeist of a decade doesn't actually correspond to the calendar decade, but rather from something like the third or fourth year of one decade to the third or fourth year of the next. Looking at it that way, we're only two or three years into the zeitgeist of the 2000s.

[lostmyshape]

sam has great reasoning for the Aviation. to add to his insightful comment on the internet, it's only the smallest step away from the cosmo, your drink of the 90's. but boy, is there more flavor and sophistication.

it's a look back to the last decade and a precursor to what's (hopefully) to come, no?

(edited to add: still can't get one of these outside of NYC, though. can't even get the cheap marichino liqueur in PA.)

Edited January 12, 2006 by lostmyshape (log)

[Sneakeater]

Actually, Dave, I think the Aviation is an even better drink for the 2000s than a rye Manhattan.  This is for a couple of reasons:  First, I think it's a drink that is closer to the mainstream of what's going on in contemporary mixology.  But I think it's an especially good choice because the Aviation is a drink that has achieved widespread recognition and popularity among contemporary cocktail enthusiasts largely via the internet, and the 2000s is the first decade in which the internet really became a powerful influence on the "real world."

To a certain extent, it's hard to say things about the 2000s.  I have long felt that the accepted zeitgeist of a decade doesn't actually correspond to the calendar decade, but rather from something like the third or fourth year of one decade to the third or fourth year of the next.  Looking at it that way, we're only two or three years into the zeitgeist of the 2000s.

←

For whatever little it's worth, I agree completely with both paragraphs of this extremely insightful post.

[Splificator]

So the Aviation it is.

Good point about the internet, Sam--although I think that the same argument applies to rye as well. With no advertising whatsoever, this is a category that, rather than dying from semi-benign neglect, has struggled back to life and is showing signs of breaking out. I think that's due to the internet's ability to turn isolated people with a curiosity about something into active and educated consumers, and also due to its ability to prime the pump for the traditional media. Six or seven years ago, when I began writing about spirits and cocktails, you were lucky to see rye mentioned in the press twice a year, and that usually only in passing. Now, it's getting the feature article treatment all over the place, and that's not because the journalists who write these things posess a lifelong appreciation for America's drinking heritage.

[BlairF27]

Dave,

Thanks for giving me the heads up on this discussion. In the two years since, I wonder if the seminal drink of the 2000's has changed. I'd tend to agree that the Aviation is the drink of choice for many discerning mixologists, but as for the general public, most of them have never heard of it (or Creme de Violet for that matter). I do feel that Rye has had a great resurgence in the past few years with great ones being produced like Sazerac and Ri1. But, to be honest I think the most popular drink of the new millenium is the fruitini. Virtually every menu devotes a 1/3 of their drinks to some variation on this theme.

On another note, I'd vote for a spirit based drink to represent the 1970's (pina colada, mai tai or even a Long Island iced tea). Granted, the wine cooler was huge, but mainly pre-bottled, and even that became malt liquor based. Also, if the wine spritzer is to be included on your list, it would be the only drink which has no spirits. The 1840's Sherry cobbler, is of course fortified and thus makes it by a whisker.

This list will definitely be a help for the NYE party I have to throw together.

Cheers!

Blair

Good Spirits News

[Splificator]

In the two years since, I wonder if the seminal drink of the 2000's has changed.  I'd tend to agree that the Aviation is the drink of choice for many discerning mixologists, but as for the general public, most of them have never heard of it (or Creme de Violet for that matter).  I do feel that Rye has had a great resurgence in the past few years with great ones being produced like Sazerac and Ri1.  But, to be honest I think the most popular drink of the new millenium is the fruitini.  Virtually every menu devotes a 1/3 of their drinks to some variation on this theme.

On another note, I'd vote for a spirit based drink to represent the 1970's (pina colada, mai tai or even a Long Island iced tea).  Granted, the wine cooler was huge, but mainly pre-bottled, and even that became malt liquor based.  Also, if the wine spritzer is to be included on your list, it would be the only drink which has no spirits.  The 1840's Sherry cobbler, is of course fortified and thus makes it by a whisker.

As I said in the thread-starter, to me the point of a list like this is to capture the zeitgeist of a particular decade, not just list the most popular drink. If you do that, you'll end up with the same few drinks decade in and decade out. The vast majority of drinkers drink what they grew up with and rarely change their habits.

I'd be comfortable with the x-tini as the drink of the '90s, but not now. Sure, it's still popular. So is Canadian whisky. But neither is leading the culture. To pick it as the drink of the decade would be like picking Lawrence Welk as the characteristic musician of the 1960s, because of the vast viewership of his TV show.

For the same reason, I'd still go with the Spritzer as the drink of the 1970s (actually, late '70s and early '80s), because of the way it captures the way the style leaders of the time turned their back on good old American hard liquor and embraced the "healthier" wine. (And, BTW, bottled wine coolers were a product of the '80s.)

Totally agree about the creme de violette and the inability to get Aviations in most bars. But isn't it's presence a sign that you're in a joint that's paying attention to what's going on?

[slkinsey]

Still sticking to my idea that the commonly understood culture of a decade typically starts about 2-3 years in and extends another 2-3 years into the following decade (which would put us now just past halfway into the aughts), I think an interesting case could be made for the Last Word Plus Variants and Derivatives being the cocktail of the decade. Like the Aviation, it came to prominence and cocktailian ubiquity very rapidly and argely via the internet. It features two popular and resurgent cocktail ingredients (maraschino and Chartreuse). And it has been featured in a number of popular variations via the "theory of unified substitutions."

[BlairF27]

I'd be comfortable with the x-tini as the drink of the '90s, but not now. Sure, it's still popular. So is Canadian whisky. But neither is leading the culture. To pick it as the drink of the decade would be like picking Lawrence Welk as the characteristic musician of the 1960s, because of the vast viewership of his TV show.

You are too funny!

For the same reason, I'd still go with the Spritzer as the drink of the 1970s (actually, late '70s and early '80s), because of the way it captures the way the style leaders of the time turned their back on good old American hard liquor and embraced the "healthier" wine. (And, BTW, bottled wine coolers were a product of the '80s.)

I understand your point, but I'd have to say that the "health conscious" drinker was such a relatively late bloomer as to have little influence over the whole decade. Remember the excess of the disco era? Which is why I would recommend the Long Island Iced Tea as the ultimate in excess. It contains virtually every spirit, plus caffeine!

Totally agree about the creme de violette and the inability to get Aviations in most bars. But isn't it's presence a sign that you're in a joint that's paying attention to what's going on?

Definitely! A sign of good things to come!

Blair

[BlairF27]

Still sticking to my idea that the commonly understood culture of a decade typically starts about 2-3 years in and extends another 2-3 years into the following decade (which would put us now just past halfway into the aughts), I think an interesting case could be made for the Last Word Plus Variants and Derivatives being the cocktail of the decade.  Like the Aviation, it came to prominence and cocktailian ubiquity very rapidly and argely via the internet.  It features two popular and resurgent cocktail ingredients (maraschino and Chartreuse).  And it has been featured in a number of popular variations via the "theory of unified substitutions."

←

Don't virtually all post-prohibition cocktails subscribe to the "theory of unified substitutions"? Gary Regan posits this in The Joy of Mixology.

My main problem with suggesting drinks like the Aviation or the Last Word is that they were created decades before they became "popular" in the new millennium. Has there even been a singular cocktail since the Cosmopolitan that has caught the public fancy? I blame flavored vodkas for the lack of ingenuity.

Blair

[KatieLoeb]

As both a professional and a home cocktail enthusiast, I have to contribute and show some love in this thread. First of all, the topic itself is fascinating. Clearly things have changed quite a bit in the past century or so, in terms of availability (or even unavailability) of some spirits, and certainly in marketing and distillation technology. I have little doubt that absinthe would still be unavailable in this US market, were it not for better distillation technology (things have changed quite a bit since Van Gogh cut off his ear - you'd be likelier to die of alcohol poisoning before the hallucinations set in) and the ability to describe the thujone content of modern (and now legal) versions of absinthe in parts per million. How cool is it that we have the inner circle, a veritable Cocktail Mafia discussing this as an academic pursuit here on eGullet? How much fun is it to be part of it?

As for the modern era, I have to agree with Sams's point about the Internet. Certainly it's contributed mightily to my understanding of the old school and the drinks and recipes that are now part of my daily existence. Yes - you can get a rye Manhattan or an Aviation in my bar. But I only have one kind of rye at my disposal. There's another bar here in Philly that has an enviable rye selection. Probably one of the best in the land. And most of the time I spend on the customer end of the bar I'm there. And that's just fine. I have the additional hurdle of having to work within a state run monopoly to stock my bar. I prefer to make my own mixers and work with that end of the spectrum of possibilities instead. Perhaps that's the trend of the future. More thinking slightly "outside of the box" of the old school, hopefully still showing some respect for it and influence from it. I'm very much looking forward to the day when I can order an Aviation almost anywhere and not have to tell the barkeep the recipe.

[Mattmvb]

Being in and from the UK I'm not really placed to comment on the popularity of cocktails in the States...

I can though fairly confidently say the cocktail of the 2000's over here is the Mojito. It seems to have been the biggest seller on most peoples lists for a good few years now, even in the middle of winter it's still my biggest seller by some way.

I gather from the fact it hasn't been mentioned here that it's not such a big drink in America?

[jmfangio]

This is a great topic, and I'm really enjoying the discussion.

For the current age, though, I think there's an argument to be made that we could split this in two, into the dedicated cocktail enthusiast community, and into the broader mainstream (which is slowly catching up - perhaps by the next decade, this point will be moot).

For the former, I agree with the nods given to the Aviation and The Last Word. But, and please correct me if I'm wrong, I don't see anyone is going out and ordering these unless they're already a cocktail geek, or have been turned on to the drink by a trusted bartender.

For the latter, however, I'll flip Sam's argument and say that sometimes the culture of a decade can start 2-3 years before the decade mark, and pin this one at 1997. Why 1997? That's the year Grey Goose was brought to market, launching the premium vodka craze, which we're still going through today. Don't hate me for saying this, but I think the drink of this decade may not be a cocktail at all, but a plain spirit. The plainest spirit, at that.

[Tristan Stephenson]

In the UK the drink of the last decade has without doubt been the Mojito.