You can’t beat the classics, but every year there’s change within their ranks somewhere. Hamish Smith rounds up this year’s top 50
In an industry whose stars regularly jump from job to job, whose bars open and close with frequency, and whose creativity seemingly knows no bounds, the anchoring role of the classic cocktail has never been so important. These routine serves are the bar industry’s foundations – the thread that connects modern bartenders to their occupational ancestors, and to each other around the world. Wherever you are in the fast-expanding bar community, there is a common language – the Old Fashioned, Negroni or Daiquiri are words everyone speaks.You might expect, then, that our list of 50 of the bestselling classics would be something of a static ranking. Well not so – our sample of bars regularly make more than 100 classics, from the well-worn to the less common.
While the top 20 cuts a similar figure year to year, the shifts happen lower down the order, with neo-classics such as the Tommy’s Margarita, Pornstar Martini and older classics including the Last Word and Southside making inroads this year. We’ve seen classics drop out of favour – this year the likes of the White Russian, Long Island Iced Tea and Hanky Panky were made less than the year before. So, while slow moving, there is an evolution in the classics that are frequently made. This is interesting to the drinksmaker, but critically important to the brand.
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50. Blood and Sand
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First made in 1922 the Blood & Sand was inspired by the eponymous film. Fast forward 98 years and it’s still found, with a cluster of top bars telling us it is among their top-10 bestselling classics. It is also only the second scotch drink in the top 50. Made with scotch, cherry brandy (the blood), sweet vermouth, and orange juice (the sand) this drink is possibly a little sweet for more discerning palates.
49. Irish Coffee
The slightly less mainstream sibling of the Espresso Martini (how times have changed), the Irish Coffee can increasingly be found in cocktail bars. It is thought to have been created by Joe Sheridan, the head chef of Foynes flying boat terminal, Ireland, but for a more up-to-date rendition try Dead Rabbit’s recipe: 1½ parts Bushmills Original Irish whiskey, ¾ parts demerara syrup, four parts hot brewed coffee and heavy cream, lightly whipped.
48. Brandy Alexander
It’s the first time the Brandy Alexander has appeared in this list, but it scrapes in – just. This cocktail is actually a development from the gin-based Alexander, and is thought to date to the 1930s. The recipe sees brandy (likely cognac) mixed with crème de cacao and cream and is not on your Weight Watchers plan.
47. Old Cuban
This cocktail was invented by New York legend Audrey Saunders in 2004 and is one of two of her drinks on this list (a third, the Earl Grey Marteani, fell just short). Something of a cross between a Mojito and a French 75, the Old Cuban takes in aged rum, lime juice, mint leaves, Angostura bitters and sparkling wine.
46. Bamboo
Sherry is loved in the bar world, so it’s no surprise to see a sherry classic make the 50. The stories behind the origins of this cocktail are quite conflicting, from songs about bamboo to bartenders in Japan… anyway, it’s 1½ parts sherry, 1½ parts dry vermouth, two dashes Angostura bitters, two dashes orange bitters.
45. Sidecar
Brandy and cognac aren’t the coolest spirits among the world’s top influencers (the category sits eighth among the most-used spirits in our poll) so it makes sense that the most famous brandy drinks are languishing at this end of the league. This brandy, triple sec and lemon drink has Parisian roots but the original creator has never come forward – or at least not in the singular.
44. Vodka Martini
Bartenders may tend to prefer their Martinis with gin, but the Vodka Martini (aka Kangaroo and Vodkatini) still has a presence in the world’s best bars. If you’re a real vodka enthusiast, this is the best way to partake of your poison – there is only vermouth as a buffer. Wimpy vodkas don’t work here – you’ll need one with muscle as, in the glass, it’s almost naked.
43. Ramos Gin Fizz
This half milkshake, half Gin Fizz concoction was named after the New Orleans bartender who created it in 1888 – Henry Charles Ramos. The original saw silky-smooth cream and orange flower put a new spin on the Fizz. While this cocktail has dropped five places from last year, you’ll still find the occasional Ramos at the world’s best bars.
42. Caipirinha
Brazil’s national cocktail, the Caipirinha stays at number 42. Although the origins of this drink are unknown, this is the most important cocktail for cachaça. In recent years the availability of high-quality cachaça has increased outside of Brazil and this has certainly boosted the appeal of this mintless, squat Mojito.
41. Gin Gin Mule
Created by Audrey Saunders at New York cocktail mecca Pegu Club, the Gin Gin Mule is among a small number of cocktails considered modern classics. The Gin Gin is down to the ginger and gin, not a double helping of gin, though as the only alcohol in the recipe, two shots will be necessary. Known to some as the Ginger Rogers, the Gin Gin Mule is closely related to the Moscow Mule – but with superior kick from muddled ginger.
With bar communities across the globe suffering from shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, bartenders are finding themselves in unchartered territories.
So we turned to some friends and mixologists from around the world to find out how they are coping – and getting creative – during these unprecedented times.
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Yael Vengroff, The Spare Room
Los Angeles, CA
“The quarantine has been most devastating in that it has deleted the two areas where I derive all of my self worth from: physicality and my career. On the bright side, I am teaching myself how to find peace without them,” explains Vengroff, Bar Director at LA’s Spare Room.
“The physical constraints of the quarantine have been the most challenging for myself and my team. I am fortunate enough to have two poles in my house and a roommate who is teaching virtual [pole dancing] classes so I get to participate and feel good about any kind of movement I accomplish in a day,” says Vengroff. “Beyond that, I’ve literally been doing every exercise video and app I come across, taking every style of dance class that is out there.”
Vengroff continues, “One of my bartenders, Cait Pfeiffer is a very talented roller skater and has been skating daily in and outside of her house while creating content in video form with her partner which has been very rewarding for her. For others without these niche activities, I recommend a calming yoga flow in the morning when you wake or at night pre or post-dinner and some form of HIIT or cardio training three times a week. There are so many studios doing live classes as well as apps that are quite affordable or free altogether.”
To satisfy her need to learn and grow, Vengroff is honing her culinary skills. “Believe it or not, I actually do not know how to cook,” she explains. “I have leaned on a few friends with high capacity in this area to guide me on this journey and it’s been incredibly rewarding. I’ve learned that I have an innate need to serve and take care of people as I’m constantly trying to feed my roommate or drop off food for my friends. So basically, the apocalypse is turning me into a hot housewife because all I do is cook things and do workout videos.”
To stay active and positive as a bartender, Vengroff recommends enjoying the break. “I believe the best thing I could possibly be doing right now is to STOP. I have not stopped for 11 plus years and I can see the effects so clearly now that I am paused,” she admits. “There’s so much inside of me that wants to work on things that I know will need to be done when we emerge from this crisis, but I am actively saying “no” to that part of the brain that has kept me from becoming a more well-rounded, creative, intelligent human because all it wants to do is work. I’m trying to fill myself with cultural knowledge that I previously did not have time for. At the moment, I’m quite fascinated by the no-wave scene in both music and film, and have been rabbit-holing in that direction when I feel the urge to be productive popping up to say hello.”
Bob Peters, Grinning Mule
Charlotte, NC
“The Covid-19 virus has rocked the Charlotte hospitality industry to its core,” says Bob Peters, social media influencer and Head Mixologist at Charlotte-based restaurant and bar, Grinning Mule. “Most of the restaurants have closed, except for a handful that are still doing take out or curbside delivery. Meanwhile, delivery services like Grub Hub, Door Dash, Postmates and Uber Eats are also helping some places to stay afloat. Unfortunately, I think that we are still relatively at the beginning of this catastrophe. It is hard to say how badly the virus will affect our industry until it is over.”
Peters and some of his fellow bartenders in Charlotte have started doing a virtual happy hour, which is sponsored by a local digital food publication called Unpretentious Palate. “Each happy hour is presented by a different bartender who gets to choose their own topic – my talk was on punch,” Peters explains. “We talk about ourselves, the history of the cocktail and then field questions, so it’s a way to brush up on our skills and maybe learn something new while we are not working. People pay $10 to watch each session online, and the presenter is given a share of the money, so it’s also a way to earn some extra money.”
To keep his creative juices flowing for when things go back to “normal,” Peters has been exploring new cocktail art techniques. “I’ve been working with Ripples to create content for that beautiful day when we can all get back to work,” he says. “The Ripple Maker is an amazing device that allows you to imprint logos, photographs and inspirational quotes onto the top of cocktails. It’s my favorite tool to add something special and unexpected to the garnish of a featured cocktail. I think that when we all are able to celebrate in person with friends again, providing extra touches like this will help during the healing process. This is especially true at Grinning Mule, which is a new venue and was actually due to open for business the day after Charlotte went into lockdown. I predict that when we do eventually get to have our opening night, it’s going to be a very big party!”
Kate Boushel, Barroco Group
Montreal, Canada
“What a time to be alive. Think about it this way: we’re currently being forced to witness and participate in a global revolution. As with any change, it will be met with a lot of fear and a great deal of pain, but we can also choose to focus on the potential positive outcomes while bracing ourselves for its impacts,” explains Boushel, the Beverage & Education Director for Montreal venues including Atwater Cocktail Club, Fugazzi and Milky Way Cocktail Bar. “We are forced to reevaluate the value of community and are being driven to revisit our personal and social constructs.”
Boushel admits that “all in all, Canadian bartenders are among the more privileged right now. Our access to universal healthcare and multiple government assistance programs, that have been put in place to help workers affected by the pandemic, is alleviating much of the stress that is often linked to personal finances, thus allowing many the opportunity to focus on ways to deal with the current issues facing the industry and our communities, and providing that little extra bandwidth to help each of us deal with the various personal issues triggered by these unusual and difficult times.”
In order to make sure everyone receives the help they need, says Boushel, “we’re banding together to help those in need and putting in place mutual aid systems across the board. On a national scale, we’re operating assistance programs of our own, such as the Bartenders Benevolent Fund (www.bartendersbenevolentfund.ca) and the Emergency Relief Fund that is part of the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association (www.canadianbartenders.com), and many local initiatives have also popped up across the country. From Bartender Fantasy League (which is probably one of the most fun and geekiest industry-related initiatives), virtual “happy hours” or simply check-ins to discuss more delicate personal and emotional struggles; we continue to find ways to connect with our peers and cultivate morale.”
Despite all of the efforts, Boushel acknowledges that rebuilding will take time. “It’s safe to say the road ahead is long. I recognize that a large number of establishments will not survive these hardships, but we can and will find creative ways to turnaround and rebuild together,” she says. “For those who are ready and willing, let us set egos aside and hone our communicable and transferable skills, just in case we should need to find jobs outside our field in the meantime. As is key in all change management: know more, do better, let us think about what changes we could bring to our current structures to help our industry better emerge from this pandemic; and let us be kind and allow ourselves the celebration of all our small successes because each small one contributes to our greater success. Most us “rangers from the north” are looking to each other and realize that it will take our communal efforts to steer through this storm – and come hell or high waters – a community I’m proud to fight for is ours.”