the alchemist says...

No School Like Old School

The name Mamie Taylor…once common and famous, rings quant in an era of Brittanys, Heathers, and Lindsays.

The Mamie is a highball, a drink in a tall glass (highball) served with ice, spirit and sparkling mixer. It is mainly remembered from The Bartenders Book by Jack Townsend (1952), highlighting the growing / declining popularity of drinks that were then considered ubiquitous. The Mamie Taylor had suited a trend away from classical cocktails and toward the simplification of the popular American mode of drinking. i.e. Gin & Tonics. 

“It was while Miss Taylor was the prima donna of an opera company playing at Ontario Beach, near Rochester, in 1899,” he said, “that she was asked with a number of other members of the company to go out sailing on the lake. As the day was hot and the breeze rather strong, the party returned after a few hours longing for some cooling refreshments. When Miss Taylor was asked what she would have she expressed the wish for a long but not strong drink–in fact, a claret lemonade. When the drink was served it was very evident that it wasn’t a claret lemonade, for it looked like a delicious long drink of sparkling champagne. On tasting it Miss Taylor found it much to her liking, but asked to have the flavour softened with a piece of lemon peel. When this was done the new combination drink was declared a complete success. Bystanders had been watching the proceedings and noticing the evident enjoyment with which Miss Taylor and a few of her friends relished in new drink they finally asked the hotel keeper what drink it was that was being served to them and without hesitation the hotel man replied “a Mamie Taylor” and the name seemed to meet with instantaneous favour and has become famous all over the country.”

The Original Mamie Taylor highball commemorated a Broadway singer and actress who, like the drink, is all but forgotten. Her time centre stage straddled the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and light opera was her forte. The drink reflected the fame of its namesake and was considered a fancy drink, commanding both respect and price.

I’ve served all the fancy drinks you can name over the brass railing…Nowadays, when a fellow gets smart and asks for a Mamie Taylor, I charge him a Mamie Taylor price” Amusingly, it was neither that the drink was especially complex nor that the ingredients that rarefied, simply trendy, and a fine example of consumer psychology ~ Mary Roberts Rinehart, Where There’s a Will, 1912

By the time Mary Roberts Rinehard novel debuted, ironically, the Mamie Taylor cocktail was already passé as a pet of the privileged, thirsty elite. It debuted circa 1899 and passed from vogue around 1902, as if a summertime fad. Yet at the dawn of the twentieth century, the Mamie Taylor stood as proud as the statue of liberty. The Daily News extolled during the arid July of 1900, “The latest bit on these hot days is a nice cool “Mamie Taylor.”’

Thousands were consumed that year. They were advertised by name in newspaper ads. Poems were written about the drink, jokes were told and articles written using Mamie to illustrate au courant sophistication. 

Although it remained a posh drink of the privileged class for a few mere years, to the common man, the Mamie Taylor was synonymous with “swank refreshment” until 1920 and Prohibition. The desire to streamline drinking and the trend toward lighter spirits, leading eventually to vodka and the Moscow Mule (Vodka, Lime, Ginger Beer)evidently was directly based on the Mamie Taylor - brought about this drinks popular revival in the 1940’s, and the search for interesting, discernible, balanced flavours lead us back to it today.

Ingredients:

60 ml Scotch Whisky

20 ml freshly squeezed lime juice

Spicy ginger ale / ginger beer

Method:

Pour the Scotch and lime juice into an ice filled highball glass and fill with ginger ale / ginger beer

Stir and garnish with a lime wedge.

Adapted from Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh

…the alchemist says

The Sort of Precision that Gave One Confidence:

By Gaz Regan

Casper placed a napkin on top of a silver shaker and rattled it good.  Then he carefully began to pour.  First, he filled my glass to the brim.  The liquor was so cold and pure it gave the impression of being more translucent than water.  Next he filled Eve’s glass.  When he began filling Tinker’s, the flow of alcohol from the shaker slowed. And then trickled.  For a moment it seemed as if there wasn’t going to be enough.  But the gin kept trickling and the surface kept rising until with the very last drop Tinker’s Martini reached the brim.  It was the sort of precision that gave one confidence.  

Rules of Civility: A Novel, by Amor Towles, 2012.

Source: Gazregan.com

The Global Bartender Exchange Programme

Previously on the alchemist says… we interview Belvedere Global Brand Ambassador Ali Dedianko in our local segment of Two Bartenders Walk into a Bar, the Worlds Best Smallest Mojito…in the world, Shrubs ?, Repeal Day and National Bartenders Appreciation Day which was celebrated on the 8 /12 /12, coincidentally the same day in which the alchemist says… was created in 2011. 

Recently we caught up with Hannah Keirl, founder of the Global Bartenders Exchange Programme (GBE) who recently visited South Africa.

…from what I had witnessed, stock, tools and ingredients, that many bartenders take for granted, are often not readily available in South Africa. This has made up and coming bartenders in the region exponentially creative and technically aware. I would love to see South Africa included in more global competitions, and more Global Brand Ambassadors visiting the country. The bartenders I was lucky enough to meet are without a doubt ready to raise the bar.

What is the Global Bartenders Exchange Programme, who are the founders and how did you/why did you initiate such a programme?

The Global Bartender Exchange is a social network for bartenders and bar industry professionals. The goal is to connect these individuals and communities in cities across the globe. It is open to all professionals, we are hoping it will be seen as a resource for communication, education, and a medium to improve community facilitation and engagement.

It was founded by Hannah Keirl and Fraser Campbell, two bartenders based out of Melbourne, Australia. We created the GBE because there was a gap in Melbourne in terms of lack of staff, doubling up of events and no easy way of finding limes when you’re short on a Wednesday night. We originally started with facebook groups as a one stop shop with about 120 bartenders. There are now over 900 participating in the Melbourne Exchange alone.

How many countries has the programme been implemented and where do you see the programme within the next 5 years? What are your aspirations with regards to the programme?

We currently have members in over 15 countries, and growing. We are so easily able to add countries and cities (all one has to do is ask), that we are hoping to have representation in over 30 countries within the next 5 years. From here? Whilst it should be noted that the ‘Exchange’ currently refers to the exchange of information throughout communities locally and internationally, we are looking forward to this being able to help facilitate international bartender exchanges on a  monthly basis to continue the development of this evolving industry.

Having experienced and observed bartenders on an international segmentation, where do we as South African bartenders fair?

South Africa is an incredibly fascinating country. Through traveling to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, I had met some wonderfully passionate bartenders and experienced unsurpassed hospitality. My thoughts are that bartending in South Africa is still in its infancy – bartenders internationally should keep a close watch on the progression currently being made. From what I had witnessed, stock, tools and ingredients, that many bartenders take for granted, are often not readily available in South Africa, this has made up and coming bartenders in the region exponentially creative and technically aware. I would love to see South Africa included in more global competitions, and more Global Brand Ambassadors visiting the country. The bartenders I was lucky enough to meet are without a doubt ready to raise the bar.

Which city upon your recent travels have you seen a prominent rise in the craft of bartending?

Johannesburg, Cape Town and New Delhi are all cities I have recently visited that are seeing a rise in cocktail culture and indeed an emergence in the craft of bartending. All cities with a strong influx of foreigners and a greater education of locals, those who are pushing this movement have been exposed to the bartending cultures of Australia, UK and United States (in particular) which, it appears, has brought inspiration to bring their own influence.

…the alchemist says

National Bartenders Appreciation Day:

Here is to those who dedicate their evenings so that we may enjoy ours. Who listen to our stories and make our drinks without hesitation. We honour their hard work, vast knowledge and their unwavering patience. 

…the alchemist says

The Daily Bitters:

Extra Extra Read All About It…Prohibition Ends At Last

Today marks the 79th Anniversary (1933) of the ratification of the 21st Amendment (Repeal) 

The turn of the twentieth century was a dark period in American history. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which had been promoting Prohibition for many years, believed alcohol was the cause of many, if not all, social afflictions. The truth was misconstrued. Lines were drawn. Bars and taverns were vandalised, people were killed.

On January 16th, 1919, Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment, outlawing alcohol and ostensibly putting an end to drunkenness, crime, mental illness, and poverty.

Ironically, America’s appetency for alcohol increased during Prohibition, and organised crime escalated to replace formerly legal methods of production and distribution. While proponents of Prohibition argued that the amendment would be more effective if enforcement were increased, respect for the law waned and alcoholism, civil delinquency organised crime and resentment towards the federal government ran rampant.

Over the course of the next thirteen years, support for Prohibition waned as the nation awoke to the widespread problems Prohibition had caused. The number of repeal organisations - many of which were comprised of former Prohibitionists - increased, and in 1932 Franklin Delano Roosevelt ran for President on a platform that included the repeal of Prohibition.

On December the 5th, 1933, Utah, the final state needed for a three quarters majority, ratified the 21st Amendment, repealing Prohibition and restoring the American right to a celebratory drink. While the amendment still allowed for state and local levels of Prohibition, by 1966 there were no state laws banning alcohol.

We celebrate Repeal Day because December the 5th marks a return to the traditions of craft fermentation and distillation, the legitimacy of the American bartender as a contributor to the culinary arts, and the responsible enjoyment of alcohol as a sacred social custom.

…the alchemist says

The Daily Bitters:

“The current friction between those who prefer ‘bartender’ and those who prefer ‘mixologist’ is nothing new, as this brief excerpt from the testimony in an 1898 New York City criminal case (as reported in the New York Post) proves:

“Harry N. Field was next called.

Worlds 50 Best Bars by Drinks International

Shrub it Off

Above: I am turning a blind eye to smuggling. Care for a shrub?

Words by Nick Koumbarakis

The first mention of the word ‘shrub’ in the English Dictionary was in 1747, which defined it as “any various acidulated beverage made from the juice of fruit, sugar, and other ingredients, often alcohol”. 

Shrubs…I would hazard to speculate that you the reader are stringing a sentence ending with the latin word punctus interrogativus.#questionmark.We are referring to an acidulated beverage…not the latter.

There are two variations/styles of shrubs that are: fruit preserves made with vinegar, usually lengthened with carbonated water /soda, and a fruit cordial / syrup, made with alcohol that in itself is not distilled. (liqueur)

Once upon a time…

A Brief history on shrubs:

The word “shrub” derives from sharbah, an Arabic word for “drink,” Interestingly, sherbet and syrup also stem from Arabic origins. Essentially, shrubs are complex yet balanced syrups/cordials made from fruit, sugar and vinegar, imparting an abundance of flavours and delicious acidity to a cocktail.

Shrubs have been in existence as early as the 16^th century. Citrus drinks were a commonplace many centuries ago, and lemon juice based shrubs remained essential to proper punch into the 17th century. (alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, tea /spices)

At the time, due to scarcity, not everyone could acquire lemons. People then would substitute vinegar for lemon juice. Romans would add date vinegar to water, making a beverage called “posca”.

Modern advances in the form of refrigeration have allowed consumers to extend the lifespan of ones produce, shrubs, were also a way to extend the harvest back then. Colonial Americans would utilise fruit, sugar and vinegar to make dense, intensely flavourful syrups that could preserve the pleasing bite of the fruit into the winter months and beyond.

…They became alcoholic medicines used to revitalise the heart, body and spirit and to cure disease. Colonial-era sailors would transport these shrubs, rich with Vitamin C on board their ships to prevent the outbreak of scurvy.

The prevalence and growth of shrubs throughout England was mainly due to the rise of smuggling in the late 1600’s when there were high taxes imposed on luxury imported goods such as tea, brandy, rum and genever. 

While it was used mainly as an accompaniment to smuggled rums and genevers, it was most likely used to guise the briny flavour of spirits spoiled by contact with saltwater and the flavour of inferior quality distilled spirits at the time, just as the development of the cocktail during Prohibition. 

Prior to gaining popularity during the Temperance movement (Prohibition), Jerry Thomas Bartenders Guide on how to mix drinks included an array of shrub based recipes.

There are three types of methods: 1:1:1 Ratio

Stove-Top Method: 

Add equal parts sugar and water to a saucepan, heat gently, stir until all sugar has dissolved. Add fruit and steep until all the juice has bled from the fruit and the syrup is well flavoured. Allow to cool, strain contents. Add vinegar, stir well, and decant into a clean container. Cover and refrigerate.

*Cold Process:

Add fruit and sugar in a clean container, combine ingredients well. Cover and allow ingredinets to macerate at room temperature for several hours (24 – 48 hours). Strain and press to extract as much juice as possible.Add vanilla seeds and pod. Alternatively, fruits like apples, even peaches can be pureed and then strained. Add the vinegar, stir well, pour into a clean container, and refrigerate.

Vinegar Infusion:

Place desired fruit in a clean jar. Add enough vinegar to cover the fruit. Cover and refrigerate for roughly four days, occasionally shaking the jar. Strain solids, pressing on them to remove/extract as much juice as possible. Measure the vinegar and juice mixture, and then place in a saucepan. Add an equal quantity sugar. Heat and stir gently until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool, bottle and refrigerate.

Barrel Aged Sherry Shrub:

Recipe by: Nick Koumbarakis

Method: Cold Process (Refer to above method)

Ingredients: 1:1:1 Ratio, bearing in mind this may vary according to the type of fruit (sugar content and acidity) one utilises.

250 grams fresh black cherries

250 grams of organic sugar (granulated)

1 x vanilla pod (prepare, add seeds and pods)

250 ml Capirete Sherry Vinegar, barrel aged for 8 years in American Oak Barrels utilising a Solera process (Sistema Solera process was first developed more than 500 years ago in Spain for the aging of sherries, a traditional yet dynamic process in which rums of different ages and personalities are blended, and then subsequently stored in selected barrels to continue the maturation process.)

Note: Because vinegar is high in acid, it does not support / promote the growth of the bacteria that produces botulism. Bearing in mind, a number of vinegars may support the growth of other harmful bacteria, therefore hygiene and proper storage is important. (Mason Jars)

I recommend you visually monitor the shrub during this period for signs of fermentation. If it appears to start fermenting you may add up to 125 millilitres of the sherry vinegar to arrest / retard the process.

Note: Some slight froth is normal. This does not indicate “fermentation”. That would be indicated by observing the formation and rise and the build-up of CO2 gas in the jar. Though slight fermentation is not a bad thing, you do not want this process to get out of control as you are not making “wine”.

Once you have the finished product, add 37.5 ml of the Barrel Aged Sherry Shrub with 25 ml, with either: Bombay Sapphire gin / Tanqueray No 10. gin / Grey Goose vodka / Ciroc vodka to a mixing glass with ice. By controlling the rate of dilution, stir and pour ingredients into a coupe glass. Lengthen with either Perrier water / Champagne, finish with an orange zest

For a non alcoholic variation, omit the alcohol and lengthen with Perrier water, finish with an orange zest. 

…the alchemist says