Try the Traditional Cocktails of New Orleans

Along with the Famous Bourbon Street Drinks, New Orleans is filled with pubs, bars and restaurants which are known for creating some of the city’s most notorious cocktails.  Some, like the Sazerac are considered the first cocktails in the country.  The event planning staff here at NOLA Adventures is familar with a lot of traditions here in the French Quarter and across the city, but none are more traditional that this list of Traditional Cocktails.

Traditional New Orleans Cocktail Drinks (InfoGraphic)

Sazerac

In 1838, Antoine Amedie Peychaud, owner of a New Orleans apothecary, treated his friends to brandy toddies of his own recipe, including his “Peychaud’s Bitters,” made from a secret family recipe. The toddies were made using a double-ended egg cup as a measuring cup or jigger, then known as a “coquetier” (pronounced “ko-k-tay”), from which the word “cocktail” was derived. Thus, the world’s first cocktail was born!

By 1850, the Sazerac Cocktail, made with Sazerac French brandy and Peychaud’s Bitters, was immensely popular, and became the first “branded” cocktail. In 1873, the recipe for the Sazerac Cocktail was altered to replace the French brandy with American Rye whiskey, and a dash of absinthe was added.

Today, the Sazerac is best enjoyed in many of New Orleans’ finest restaurants and bars, most notably the Sazerac Bar in the Fairmont Hotel, where celebrities, locals, and tourists enjoy the drink.

Hurricane

The hurricane is an extremely sweet alcoholic drink made with fruit juice, syrup or grenadine and rum. It is one of many popular drinks served in New Orleans.

The creation of this passion fruit-colored relative of a Daiquiri drink is credited to New Orleans tavern owner Pat O’Brien. In the 1940s, he needed to create a new drink to help him get rid of all of the less popular rum that local distributors forced him to buy before he could get a few cases of more popular liquors such as scotch and whiskey. He poured the concoction into hurricane-lamp-shaped glasses and gave it away to sailors. The drink caught on, and it has been a mainstay in the French Quarter ever since. It is more commonly served in a disposable plastic cup, as New Orleans laws permit drinking in public and leaving a bar with a drink, but prohibit public drinking from glass or metal containers.

Mint Julep

A mint julep is traditionally made with four ingredients: mint leaf, bourbon, sugar, and water. Traditionally, spearmint is the mint of choice used in Southern states. Proper preparation of the cocktail is commonly debated, as methods may vary considerably from one bartender to another. By another method, the mint julep may be considered as one of a loosely associated family of drinks called “smashes” (the mojito is another example), in which fresh mint and other ingredients are muddled or crushed in preparation for flavoring the finished drink.

Traditionally, mint juleps were often served in silver or pewter cups, and held only by the bottom and top edges of the cup. This allows frost to form on the outside of the cup. Traditional hand placement may have arisen as a way to reduce the heat transferred from the hand to the silver or pewter cup. Today, mint juleps are most commonly served in a tall old-fashioned glass, Collins glass, or highball glass with a straw.

Ramos Gin Fizz

A Ramos gin fizz (also known as a Ramos fizz or New Orleans fizz) contains gin, lemon juice, lime juice, egg white, sugar, cream, orange flower water, and soda water. It is served in a large tall glass.

Henry C. Ramos invented the Ramos gin fizz in 1888 at his bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloonin on Gravier Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. It was originally called the New Orleans Fizz, and is one of the city’s most famous cocktails. Before Prohibition, the bar was known to have over 20 bartenders working at once, making nothing but the Ramos Gin Fizz – and still struggling to keep up with the demand. During Mardi Gras of 1915, 32 staff were on at once, just to shake the drink. The drink’s long mixing time (12 minutes) made it a very time consuming cocktail to produce.

Creole Bloody Mary

Bloody Marys are a quintessential New Orleans beverage. And if you enjoyed a few too many other traditional New Orleans concoctions the night prior, locals will often advise you that a big glass of Bloody Mary will perk you back up. Keeping that in mind, remember, everything in New Orleans is a little spicier, so why would our Bloody Marys’ be any different?

Many different bartenders and restaurants add their own amount of spice, zest and “add ins” to this drink, so you can either trust their good judgment or request that your drink be prepared with a little less (or a little more, if you’re daring) “creole flame” than usual.

Absinthe Frappe

About a century ago, the Absinthe Frappe had a mighty following thanks to its cooling qualities and rich but delicate flavor. And it didn’t hurt that it happened to be an effective hangover remedy too. The drink even lent its name to a 1904 hit song, from the musical It Happened in Nordland. The 1912 ban on absinthe pretty much wiped out the frappe–though an Herbsaint version lingered in New Orleans until the absinthe ban was lifted. Now that new bottlings of absinthe are all over, and it’s high time to rediscover this pleasant drink.

Milk Brandy Punch

The Brandy Milk Punch (or simply Milk Punch) is one of the true classics of the cocktail world. It dates back to sometime around the 1600-1700′s when brandy and rum punches were a must at any party. Many other variations of this Milk Punch can be found: some add rum and some egg for a eggnog-like drink. One things is for sure, this drink is intoxicating and even if it seems soft, it does pack a punch.

Café Brulot Diabolique

Café Brulot Diabolique, or “Devilishly Burned Coffee,” was invented at Antoine’s Restaurant by Jules Alciatore, the son of the restaurant’s founder and became especially popular during the Prohibition as a means of concealing alcohol. The concept of flaming coffee may sound frightening, but this traditional post-dinner libation is the perfect ending to a memorable meal at some of New Orleans’ most historical dining establishments.

The preparation is a spectacle in itself – all ingredients are artfully combined tableside in ornate bowls. Once the alcohol is added, the waiter adds flame to the concoction, ladling the flaming liquid into cups and in some cases, onto the table to create a fiery display. Today, the drink is found at only a few restaurants, such as Antoine’s, Galatoire’s and Arnaud’s.

Pimm’s Cup

While this drink was born in a London bar at the hands of a bartender named James Pimm, the Napoleon House has taken his creation, put a slight twist on it, and placed it down in one of the city’s most charming watering holes. Hey we here in New Orleans have a fantastic way of putting new twists on old favorites.

The cocktail is perfect for New Orleans Summer evenings – cool, light, and refreshing, the drink takes Pimm’s original recipe and adds lemonade, Sprite and a cucumber garnish.

Mimosa

Like a lot of things in New Orleans, our drinks are traditions of the past Spanish and French influences and the Mimosa is no exception. Mimosa cocktail is a French import that has made its way into the city’s tradition and onto breakfast and brunch tables.

Mimosas are a cool and light alternative to New Orleans’ other favorite brunch beverages such as the sugary-sweet Brandy Milk Punch and the spicy Creole Bloody Mary. While Mimosas are not specific only to New Orleans, it seems to have truly met its match alongside the traditional Breakfast and Brunch staples in the Big Easy.

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