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With retro cocktails rising in popularity, long forgotten gin classics are now making their way into the hearts of a new generation. So a crash course in old school gin favorites is in order.Gin has been an important staple of cocktail evolution, being used long before vodka ever made it to our shores. Gin shaped the way Americans viewed cocktails. It was usually low quality and therefore the driving force behind the mixing of juice into the alcoholic beverage. Shaking it with some bitters and juice made it more palatable and an easier sell…and the cocktail was born.
The ‘forgotten’ classics are now making appearances on menus all over the world. Ramos Gin Fizzes, Gimlets, Negronis, and Brambles are all making big comebacks, especially now that Molecular Mixology (MM) has become such a big part of the bartending industry. Let’s get into why the Ramos Gin Fizz was the beginning of the MM movement as it is known today.
The Ramos Gin Fizz, created by Henry C. Ramos in 1888, is the epitome of MM in action. It calls for the drink to be vigorously shaken for up to 5 minutes! Can you imagine shaking a cocktail for 5 minutes? Shaking it for that long emulsifies the texture and creates a heavenly foam, which, when constructed correctly, will create a mouth feel that is out of this world. Henry created this cocktail when he opened the Imperial Cabinet Bar in New Orleans. He kept the recipe a secret until his brother Charles published it in a full-page advertisement. From that day forward the Ramos Gin Fizz became world famous.
The Gimlet is a simple mix of gin and Rose’s Lime Cordial. Simple but effective in its conception. Originally created to ward off scurvy on Naval vessels, with the introduction of Rose’s Lime Cordial it soon became a staple cocktail at the trendy London nightspots of the 1880s. In 1867, Lachlan Rose, a shipyard owner in Leith, patented Rose’s Lime Cordial, a mixture of citrus preserved with salts of sulphur, and then sweetened to make it more palatable and appealing. The Gimlet is said to get its name from one of two things: the small tool used on naval ships at the time to tap kegs of spirits, or the more popular story of Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette, who was said to mix lime with gin “to help the medicine go down”. Whichever story you choose to believe, the Gimlet is a simple, delicate classic enjoyed all over the world.
The Negroni was a twist on an already popular drink from the 1920’s, the Americano. The Americano was originally called a Milano-Trentino, after the regions from which Campari and Cinzano originated. It was later named the Americano because of all the post-war Americans enjoying it in fashionable eateries across the city of Florence. There was a trend-setting Count by the name of Camillo Negroni who would come down from his villa and order the latest drinks to show that he was up with the times. Always one to set the trends, one day he ordered an Americano with a kick. The bartender, aware of the Count’s need to one-up everyone, decided to add an ounce of gin. The Count approved and the Negroni was born. The Negroni is a bitter cocktail that is not to everyone’s taste, but it’s complex, refreshing, and perfect before dinner.
The 80's in London was a time for cocktails to make a comeback after the dreaded 70's and the rise of the shooter. Dick Bradsell, while working at Fred’s Club in Soho, created the Bramble. Technically not really old enough to be considered a classic yet, it definitely shows the stamina to be around for a long time. The drink itself is simple in its elegance: a mixture of Plymouth Gin, lemon juice, and blackberry liqueur. With the 80's producing so many blended, layered, and downright disgusting drinks, the Bramble stands out as a classic cocktail that rose above a lot of the rubbish being served at the time. Dick Bradsell looked at mixology and took it to another level, defining the current movement.
Retro classics are making a big splash on the mixology scene. It’s easy enough to go to any bar and order the latest infusion, MM creation, or secret ingredient cocktail, but to find a classic cocktail that is done right is a rare treat.
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THE RAMOS FIZZ
Before you even start this, remember you have to shake this for 5 minutes. Try to use soda from a siphon to make it a bit more authentic.
THE NEGRONI
This is a variation on the Negroni, created by Angus Winchester. It’s not the exact way of making a traditional Negroni but it gives an interesting dimension to the drink.
