The forgotten cocktail categories you should know
Since the beginning of the nineteen-century, in both America and Europe, mixed drinks have been prepared according to precise written recipes.
A family of Cocktails is defined according to tree criteria- a given mixture of ingredients, a specific method of preparation (direct in the glass, shaker or blender) and the way the resulting mixture is served.
Although there are hundreds and hundreds of different cocktails, many of them may be grouped together in “Families”, based on a common recipe.
Cobblers
It was a cocktail invention from the early 1800s in America. The actual term “Cobbler” is thought to derive from the word ‘cobler” meaning innkeeper or brewer.
Filling a glass with crusheds ice makes the modern cobbler, then adding a wine, liqueur or spirit base directly to the ice in the glass. Other ingredients such as soda water and sugar syrup may be added, and in the case of cherry cobbler, lemon juice, it should be served with a straw, and garnished richly with seasonal fruit and a spring of mint.
COLLINS
Fairly similar to a cooler or a sling, a Collins is a long drink made in a tall glass with spirit, lime or lemon juice, sugar syrup, ice, and then usually topped up with soda water. The name probably came from a certain John Collins, who was a headwaiter at Timmer’s in Conduit Street, London, which was a hotel and coffee house around the turn of the 18th century. The original Collins drink was made using Genever(Dutch gin), and then later using old tom gin, at which point the ever popular Tom Collins was born.
COOLERS
A Cooler is a long drink fairly similar to a Collins, but containing a spiral of citrus peel, which should trail over the edge of a tall glass. Any base liquor can be used, along with other ingredients such as lemon juice, soda water or sparkling citrus drinks. The mixture is almost always stirred, rather than shaken unless the recipe contains egg white.
CRUSTAS
A crusta is a cocktail prepared from any spirit base served in a large sugar-rimmed wine glass lined with a spiral of lemon peel. A small quantity of lemon juice may also be included. This type of cocktails is thought to have been invented in the mid 19th century by, the owner of Santina’s saloon, a Spanish café in New Orleans, USA
DAISIES
A cocktail invented in the mid 19s, any base spirit can be used along with lemon or limejuice and some fruit syrup (classically, Grenadine) a small amount of soda may also be added, served with crushed ice in a old-fashioned glass and then garnished with seasonal fruit.
FIXES
Fairly similar to a cobbler version, a fix is made adding spirits, citrus juices, fruit syrups (grenadine, pineapple, and raspberry), or either sugar syrup to crushed ice, and should be garnished with richly seasonal fruits.
FIZZES
A fizz is a long drink fairly similar to Collins version, any spirit used along with lemon or limejuice, sugar syrup, shaken and poured unstrained into a frosted glass and topped with soda water.
FLIPS
Flips are cocktails prepared with any sort of liquors, along with whole eggs or egg
Yolk.
Sangarees
Sangarrees are based on the traditional Spanish cocktail made with red wine( sangria) Blood drink. On the other hand since their creation in the USA during the 19th century, they have developed to include soda water and sugar syrup, and fortified wines, or other spirits could substitute the red wine. The ingredients are added to an ice filled highball glass and garnished with dusted nutmeg.
Sours
The sour cocktail was recognized in the mid 19th century and consists of any type of spirit alongside lemon juice and sugar syrup, and in some variations included egg white. This drink is served in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice
Martinis
A Martini is a cocktail that is traditionally made with gin and dry white vermouth in a ratio of 5:1. However, since its creation in the second half of the nineteenth century, many variations have developed, with differing ratios of gin to vermouth to make a sweeter or drier drink. Vodka is also commonly used to replace the gin.
Although the exact origins of the Martini remain somewhat a mystery, many believe that the recipe was influenced by the Italian-American immigrant population who may well have introduced Martini Rosso vermouth to America. The drink gradually developed, becoming drier and drier, with the Martini Rosso eventually becoming replaced by dry white vermouth.
Smashes
Fairly similar to a short julep, made by crushing mint leaves, sugar and any type of spirit together in the base of a rocks glass, which is then filled with crushed ice.
Slings
The term “Sling” derived either from the name of a device used to handle barrels, or from the German word “schlingen” meaning “to swallow quickly”.
A sling is made with any type of based spirit alongside lemon or limejuice, sugar syrup or a sweet liqueur. The ingredients could be simple added to an ice filed Collins glass, or may be shaken and strained.
Frappes
Frappes are short-drinks made with any type of liqueur or spirit, pored over crushed and served with a short straw.
Toddies
Toddies are made with a spirit based, with spices, a sweetener (honey), and slices of citrus fruits (or its juice) and served hot. The name is derived from the word “tarrie” a drink that was made in the East Indies from fermented palm tree sap or other substitute was “Tod’s well” which was an important source of water in Edinburgh at time of the drink’s creation, which had become popular for the harsh Scottish winters.
Highballs
The term “highball” comes from the 19th century railroad practice of raising a ball on a pole to urge a passing train driver to speed up. A New York bartender named Patrick Duffy created this cocktail. He used this term to describe his method of quickly mixing a drink by simply adding the ingredients to a tall glass filled with ice.
He used one spirit, one mixer (ginger ale or soda) and simple garnishes such as a twist of lemon.
Juleps
Juleps are thought to derive from the Arabic word” Julab”, meaning rose water. Juleps should be made in an ice-cold Collins glass, springs of mint are crushed in the glass with sugar syrup, and then a range of spirit (traditionally bourbon) then crushed ice is added to the glass and stirred gently.
Coladas
The Colada family of cocktails consist of white rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream. The most famous member of the family is the Pina Colada, possibly one of the most popular types of cocktails in the world. Its name comes from the Spanish term for ’strained pineapple, and was created in Puerto Rico, either in 1954 by Ramon Marrero Perez of the Caribe Hilton, or in 1963 by Don Ramon Portas Mingot of La Barrachina Restaurant Bar.
Daiquiris
A Daiquiri is a drink made from rum, lime and sugar, invented in 1896 by an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox, who was living in Cuba. It is named after the nearby town of Daiquiri.
