Have you ever wondered how bartenders come up with cocktail names? Some are a play on the restaurant's culture, like King + Duke's literary themed "Mexico City Blues" inspired by Jack Kerouac. Others use ingredients or colors to guide their naming conventions. We sat with Jonathan Turner, Cibo e Beve's bar manager, as he created a cocktail using Broker's Gin. Here's the breakdown on his naming process.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces Broker's Gin
- ¾ ounce Lillet vermouth
- ½ ounce Aperol
- ¼ ounce Green Chartreuse
"This drink has some of the classic ingredients that you find in a Negroni. It has no mixers, it's all spirits. Instead of using any citrus in the drink, I rub an orange peel around the rim of the glass which gives an aroma that you taste during the entire time you are sipping the cocktail."
Once we have the drink made, we think of how we want to name the cocktail.
The Elements:
- Lillet- brings sweetness
- Aperol- is less bitter and lighter than Campari, which is traditionally used
- Green Chartreuse- brings herbal flavors
- The color- ruby
I geek out and think of magic- Dragon's Blood? But would someone drink a cocktail with the word blood in it?
We stick with the mythical theme. Dragon's Bane, Dragon's Tongue…
Jeremy Edgar, a sales representative with National Distributors, throws out "Beowater", a play on Beowulf. No.
Turner is inspired by the sorcery too and comes up with a much more thoughtful name: "Lady of the Lake." She is an Arthurian legend, who played a role in literature giving King Arthur his sword Excalibur.
"In this drink the gin really stands out, much how the sword in the stone stood out to King Arthur in "Merlin." Then you have the element of sacrifice of the "lady in the lake." That's the Lillet, because a Negroni is typically not sweet. Aperol is brightly colored so it represents the positive side of the story. When King Arthur is told to throw the sword into the lake, a hand emerges to catch it. Then you have Green Chartreuse, a herbaceous taste, that signifies how this story took place in nature."
Who would have known such a literary backstory was involved in cocktail creation! Here I was just enjoying a boozy gin cocktail. Have you ever been curious to know how the cocktails you drink got their name?
About the Author
