Henry’s Bar
Chic and exclusive art-gallery cocktail bar inside Bremen Musical Theatre. Select range of wines and spirits. Entrance to the right of the main entrance to the musical theatre.
Henry's Bar is the perfect place to meet friends for an hour or two for a pre-show cocktail. It also serves light snacks. An insider tip: you can often meet the actors, actresses or musicians here after the show.
Entrance to the right of the main door to the musical theatre.
Opening hours
On request and for events.
How to get there
Get in touch
+49 421 3080010 by email
“not your mainstream cocktails”
The bar is associated (but not connected) w/ the "StäV" restaurant next door, and if the place is well attended by patrons, it might be that temporarily no cocktails are served since it slows the (one or two) barkeepers down too much. There are also selected special beers on tap.
We got a chance to move to the bar itself and saw how the drinks where being made. That was really cool and they do know what they do, for sure. The gin drinks we had where spot on and they do have a creative selection where anyone can find a twist of a classic drink. As another poster mentioned before: It's a smart move to ask the bartender for a recommendation.
Certainly a place that deserves a great tip :-) Can't wait to be back!
Probably the best bar I´ve ever visited!
Located In a beautiful area of Bremen city center, you can really enjoy cocktail and the preparation . You should pay also for that one.
Located In a beautiful area of Bremen city center, you can really enjoy cocktail and the preparation . You should pay also for that one !!
Best Bars in Bremen, Germany
Cities
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- Open Now
- Good for Groups
- Full Bar
- Outdoor Seating
- Full Bar
- Beer & Wine Only
- Happy Hour
- Street
- Garage
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- Private Lot
- Validated
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- Paid
- No
- Outdoor Area / Patio Only
- Yes
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Alcohol
1. Blauer Fasan
Germany Phone number 0421 40896781
2. Paddy’s Pit
Germany Phone number 0421 12310
By far the best Irish Pub in Bremen, Germany! Great atmosphere and great people. You are guaranteed a fun time at this place any day of the week. If this pub gets a bit too "wild"… read more
3. Schlachthofkneipe
Germany Phone number 0421 371661
I've lived in Bremen for a year and eat out plenty but there's no place that I could recommend for food until I came here last night. I got the burger and it was amazing (i'm… read more
4. Brill No.6
Germany Phone number 0421 17868922
Wow! I thought I've found a" little" nice and stylish bar. But.. I've found a "big" nice and stylish bar!! U won't assume that there are 2 more floors o_O even a smoking lounge!… read more
5. furchtbar
Germany Phone number 0421 5975337
This is a heavy metal bar with nice patrons.. we stayed a few days across from this bar and had to stop in..For one last beer. totally funny. When you walk into the "Fear Bar" you… read more
Germany Phone number 0421 38039162
7. Onkel Heinz
Germany Phone number 0421 3783536
8. Lemon Lounge
Germany Phone number 0421 5148855
Germany Phone number
10. Wohnzimmer
Germany Phone number 0421 1632064
Perfect place to relax after a big day or to meet friends. Or for a first date! This is an authentic bar and you feel like you're back to the 70's. The name of this bar is… read more
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Restaurants and nightlife
Kale and pinkel, labskaus and knipp – granted, Bremen specialities do sound like they might take a bit of getting used to. But that doesn't make them any less tasty. The city's proximity to the sea combined with its connections to rural life have shaped traditional cuisine in Bremen.
Bremen has a wide range of culinary specialities for you to sample.
After a foray into the world of culinary delights, why not sample the Bremen nightlife and paint the town red?
Achim's Beck'shaus
A Bremen beer institution since the late 1970s, this bar pairs local brews with international cuisine and tasty regional snacks.
Alexander von Humboldt - the ship
The lovingly restored Alexander von Humboldt has room for up to 200 guests. Come and enjoy this historical hotel ship and the unique charm of its restaurant.
Restaurant in Bremen’s Atlantic Grand Hotel serving gourmet specialities from the grill and tartare dishes – fantastic creations in a unique setting.
Beck's in'n Snoor
A cosy restaurant in Bremen’s pretty old quarter serving an extensive range of food and drink on three floors.
Blauer Fasan
A laid-back bar where you can relax over a sophisticated dring or a creative cocktail ranging from classic tipples to inventive concoctions.
Get in touch
+49 421 3080010 by email
Be Fascinated
High level innovative cocktails and extraordinary service, combined with intimate sorroundings and a distinct music profile will ensure the remarkable party.
Be Fascinated
High level innovative cocktails and extraordinary service, combined with intimate sorroundings and a distinct music profile will ensure the remarkable party.
Blume nightclub
Blume is located in the heart of Copenhagen, hidden away from the busy streets with a secret entrance. Our hosts will always give you a warm welcome, and make sure you are directed toward the center of attention. Whether you want an delicious cocktail, a cozy night out with you loved ones or a late night party, don't worry, at Blume we provide everything
Blume cocktails
Extraordinary cocktails - all night
Blume cocktails
Extraordinary cocktails - all night
Blume Music
Step through the entrance to the enchanted land of Narnia and experience a party that will keep you bedazzled all night long
Blume Music
Step through the entrance to the enchanted land of Narnia and experience a party that will keep you bedazzled all night long
The Profile
Disco, funk and electronic combined.
Come to Blume and you will experience a broad variety of the club classics you love, the disco bangers that were forgotten, as well as the newest sounds within the electronic world.
Forget about suburban pop music and taggy dancefloor anthems, at Blume the music profile aims toward an original, and sustainable vibe provided by the everlasting genres of disco, funk and electronic music.
Expect to hear your regular club classics, the funky vibes, some forgotten treasures from the past and the newest electro in a clever mix all night long.
We strongly advice not to make requests and let the DJ do his thing, and suddenly it happens that you will the perfect music for the night.
Sooooooo.. Stop by, and make sure to wear shoes suitable for dancing.
Top 10 Bars in Bremen, Germany
Areas
Price
- Open Now
- Good for Groups
- Full Bar
- Outdoor Seating
- Full Bar
- Beer & Wine Only
- Happy Hour
- Street
- Multi-storey
- Valet
- On-Site
- Cashcard
- Free
- Paid
- No
- Outdoor Area / Patio Only
- Yes
General Features
Alcohol
1. Blauer Fasan
Germany Phone number 0421 40896781
2. Paddy’s Pit
Germany Phone number 0421 12310
By far the best Irish Pub in Bremen, Germany! Great atmosphere and great people. You are guaranteed a fun time at this place any day of the week. If this pub gets a bit too "wild"… read more
3. Brill No.6
Germany Phone number 0421 17868922
Wow! I thought I've found a" little" nice and stylish bar. But.. I've found a "big" nice and stylish bar!! U won't assume that there are 2 more floors o_O even a smoking lounge!… read more
4. Schlachthofkneipe
Germany Phone number 0421 371661
I've lived in Bremen for a year and eat out plenty but there's no place that I could recommend for food until I came here last night. I got the burger and it was amazing (i'm… read more
5. Lemon Lounge
Germany Phone number 0421 5148855
6. Wohnzimmer
Germany Phone number 0421 1632064
Perfect place to relax after a big day or to meet friends. Or for a first date! This is an authentic bar and you feel like you're back to the 70's. The name of this bar is… read more
7. furchtbar
Germany Phone number 0421 5975337
This is a heavy metal bar with nice patrons.. we stayed a few days across from this bar and had to stop in..For one last beer. totally funny. When you walk into the "Fear Bar" you… read more
Germany Phone number 0421 38039162
Germany Phone number 0421 14464
I have had a drink at many, many places on my visits to Bremen, but Loft always seems to be my favorite. I think you have to be in the right mood to enjoy it, and the weather has to… read more
10. Bermuda
Germany Phone number
More Bars in Bremen
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Top Bars in Bremen, Germany
Areas
Price
- Open Now
- Good for Groups
- Full Bar
- Takes Reservations
- Full Bar
- Beer & Wine Only
- Happy Hour
- Street
- Garage
- Valet
- On-Site
- Validated
- Free
- Paid
- No
- Outdoor Area / Patio Only
- Yes
- Pubs
- Cocktail Bars
- Dive Bars
- Sports Bars
- Nightlife
- Bars
- Restaurants
- Pubs
- German
- Cocktail Bars
- Cafes
- International
- Dive Bars
- Italian
- Arts & Entertainment
- Sports Bars
- Tapas Bars
- Clubs
- Lounges
- Breakfast & Brunch
- Bistros
- Spanish
- Wine Bars
- Music Venues
- Burgers
- Shisha Bars
General Features
Alcohol
1. Blauer Fasan
Germany Phone number 0421 40896781
2. Paddy’s Pit
Germany Phone number 0421 12310
By far the best Irish Pub in Bremen, Germany! Great atmosphere and great people. You are guaranteed a fun time at this place any day of the week. If this pub gets a bit too "wild"… read more
3. Brill No.6
Germany Phone number 0421 17868922
Wow! I thought I've found a" little" nice and stylish bar. But.. I've found a "big" nice and stylish bar!! U won't assume that there are 2 more floors o_O even a smoking lounge!… read more
4. Lemon Lounge
Germany Phone number 0421 5148855
5. Schlachthofkneipe
Germany Phone number 0421 371661
I've lived in Bremen for a year and eat out plenty but there's no place that I could recommend for food until I came here last night. I got the burger and it was amazing (i'm… read more
6. Wohnzimmer
Germany Phone number 0421 1632064
Perfect place to relax after a big day or to meet friends. Or for a first date! This is an authentic bar and you feel like you're back to the 70's. The name of this bar is… read more
Germany Phone number 0421 38039162
8. furchtbar
Germany Phone number 0421 5975337
This is a heavy metal bar with nice patrons.. we stayed a few days across from this bar and had to stop in..For one last beer. totally funny. When you walk into the "Fear Bar" you… read more
Germany Phone number
Germany Phone number 0421 14464
I have had a drink at many, many places on my visits to Bremen, but Loft always seems to be my favorite. I think you have to be in the right mood to enjoy it, and the weather has to… read more
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If the business you're looking for isn't here, add it!
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Cocktail of the Week: A Hopped Gin Fizz at New Image Brewing
At New Image Brewing Co., Sean Fisher is making cocktails for beer drinkers. Even before the four-week-old brewpub opened, Fisher began to think about how a beer could be deconstructed into components that could be used to flavor cocktails. As he toyed around with syrups made from boiled-down ales or a variety of beer-flavoring hops, he realized that he could create cocktails that would appeal to beer lovers. One of the recipes on his drink menu is the Citra Fizz ($11) — based on a gin fizz — that contains gin, lemon juice, lavender syrup, hopped bitters and, of course, hops.
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“I like bringing new people into the cocktail realm where they try new stuff,” Fisher says. To get his beer cocktail program started, he looked to the classics, using them as templates. “I bring a beer flavor or component to that classic cocktail and make something that people haven’t experienced yet.”
Here’s how he transformed a gin fizz into the Citra Fizz:
2 ounces Clearheart gin
.75 ounce lavender simple syrup
.75 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 bar spoon of Citra hops
3 dashes Bittermen’s hopped grapefruit bitters
Fisher begins by dropping a few pellets of Citra hops into a shaker tin and muddling them with a few drops of bitters. Citra hops are used by brewers to add citrus and tropical fruit flavors to a beer. He chose a gin that was also citrus-forward to complement the hops. “We’re using Clearheart gin because it’s a great pairing for citrus, and it really highlights the hops that we’re using," he explains. "It brings some of the same flavors to the table.”
Clearheart is made in Iowa by Cedar Ridge Distillery, where it’s distilled with only five botanicals: juniper berries, coriander, orris root, cucumber and fresh orange zest.
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Fisher blends the brightly flavored gin with fresh lemon juice and a lavender syrup that he makes in New Image’s kitchen. After heating water to just below the boiling point, he adds lavender flowers and lets them steep for about thirty minutes. After straining out the flowers, he adds white sugar and stirs until the sugar is dissolved.
New Image is a brewpub, which means there’s a full bar and also a full kitchen. Fisher recommends trying the Spanish shrimp ($12) with the Citra Fizz. It features six shrimp in Spanish paprika, olive oil and garlic served with bread. “The citrus in this cocktail does a really good job of cutting through that garlic,” he explains.
Fisher plans to showcase a different hop with each new cocktail menu. Citra hops are rather hard to come by these days, he says, since they’ve become so popular with both commercial and home brewers. Therefore, he may look to other hop varieties such as Galaxy as possible future cocktail ingredients. He also plans to make his own bitters.
“I picked Citra as our first hop to play with, just because it’s very popular,” Fisher says. “It’s a comfortable hop for people who generally like cocktails. It’s not a far-out hop or anything like that.”
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Climate and best time to visit Bremen
Although Bremen is a place to visit year round, the best times to arrive are often late spring or early autumn, when the weather is usually warm, and the city is not overrun with visitors. Prices are also often lower. Winters can be bitterly cold, and summers hot, but it is best to come prepared for anything in all seasons. In October and November the Bremen Friemarkt fair transforms the city centre into a colourful two-week-long party, with street entertainers, music, beer and general revelry. The pre-Lent Carnival, usually in February, is also a big event in town.
Climate & best time to visit Germany
As with most European countries, Germany is a year-round destination but not especially dependable weather-wise. In general terms though, it’s temperate throughout the country with warm summers and cold winters – prolonged periods of frost or snow are rare. Rain falls throughout the year, with much of Germany experiencing its maximum rainfall over the summer months. So unpredictability is a major factor. The average daytime temperature in January is 3°C (38°F) and in July, 22°C (72°F). Extremes commonly reach -10°C (5°F) in winter and 35°C (95°F) in the summer months.
While Munich might be considerably further south than Berlin, the fact that the Bavarian capital is at a much higher altitude means the two cities have broadly comparable summers. The highest annual temperatures tend to be in the southwest, where there’s almost a Mediterranean feel to the landscape at times. Unsurprisingly, this is where much of Germany’s wine is grown.
May through to September are the most popular months in terms of tourist numbers, and they certainly hold the most appeal for visitors aiming to spend much of their time outdoors. However, the spring and fall shoulder seasons also hold real attractions for those who want the promise of decent weather without the tourist levels. The winter holidays are also a big draw in their way, due in no small part to their attendant Christmas markets. Peak season for ski areas is from December through to the end of March.
Away from the mountains, January through to April will appeal to those who enjoy the benefits of uncrowded attractions, although be aware that cities like Berlin rarely witness “slow” periods at any time of year. Prices tend to be slightly higher over the summer months. One other thing to bear in mind is that hotel rates can increase when big trade shows are in town (potentially a problem in Frankfurt, for example).
Flight and accommodation
Phone calls & Internet
Mobile telephony and Internet
Since June 2017, EU citizens traveling within the EU, and also in Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein have been able to use their cell phones and surf the Net without incurring any extra charges: In other words, customers pay the same price for phone calls, text messages and data volume as they do at home. Restrictions do apply to the constant use of SIM cards abroad, however, and caps may be set on data packages. For full details, contact your mobile telephony provider in your country. Travelers using a SIM card from a non-EU state do not benefit from the new arrangement.
Free Internet access via Wi-Fi is possible in many busy tourist spots. When using public Wi-Fi networks, it is a wise precaution to ensure encryption of all passwords, credit card details and banking TANs entered. Use of a VPN app or security software to check the safety of a hotspot is recommended.
Flight and accommodation
Shopping in Bremen
The streets to the north and west of the central Marktplatz Square – Obernstrasse, Knochenhauerstrasse and Sögestrasse in particular – are lined with shops where you will find everything you need from chic designer label boutiques to simple high-street chains. The atmospheric old Schnoor district has become a magnet for artists, and numerous small galleries have opened up in the area. Böttcherstrasse is the place to find arts and crafts stores.
There’s a colourful daily flower market on the main square. An antiques and flea market sets up on the Schlachte promenade each Saturday morning, and reconvenes on Bürgerweide on Sundays.
Shopping Centres
Waterfront Bremen is a large shopping mall and leisure complex in a rejuvenated docklands area just west of the city centre. Bremen’s biggest shopping mall is Weserpark, in an eastern suburb, home to over 100 shops as well as numerous restaurants and cafés.
Flight and accommodation
Traveller etiquette
Handshaking is customary in Germany, and it is considered rude to address people by their first name unless invited to do so. Normal courtesies should be observed. Before eating, it is normal to say “guten Appetit” to the other people at the table to which the correct reply is “danke, gleichfalls” (“Thank you, the same to you”). If you’ve been invited to eat at a German house, it is customary to present the hostess with unwrapped flowers (according to tradition, you should always give an uneven number, and it is worth noting that red roses are exclusively a lover’s gift).
In shops and other businesses, courtesy dictates that visitors should utter a greeting, such as “guten Tag” (or “grüß Gott” in Bavaria) before saying what it is that they want; to leave without saying “auf Wiedersehen” or “tschüss” can also cause offence.
Similarly, when making a telephone call, asking for the person you want to speak to without stating first who you are is impolite. Casual wear is widely acceptable, but more formal dress is required for some restaurants, the opera, theater, casinos and important social functions. Smoking is prohibited where notified, on public transportation and in most public buildings.
Flight and accommodation
Main emergency number: 112
There’s nothing to mark out German products as particularly risky to general health (although it has a partly founded reputation for being high in fat). Tap water is safe to drink.
Tick-borne encephalitis is present in forested areas of southern Germany; vaccination is advisable. Rabies is present; look out for ‘Tollwut’ signs. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered.
During the summer months, sunburn can be a problem. The southwest generally has the highest temperatures. The usual precautions apply: Use a generous amount of sunscreen and be sensible about how long you spend in direct sunlight. Be aware that a breezy day can sometimes mask high temperatures.
If walking over a long distance in warm weather, it’s advisable to drink – and carry – plenty of water and wear appropriate clothing, including a sun hat. Blisters can be another problem for hikers. These can often occur if new walking shoes are being worn over a long distance. Ideally, footwear should be worn in before the trip.
As a counterpoint to the balminess of the summer, German winters can be fairly severe. This is generally truer the further east you travel. If you’re arriving during the coldest months of the year, make sure you have adequate clothing. At any time of year, in fact, temperatures can be unpredictable – even in July and August it makes sense to have a sweater (and maybe an umbrella, too) to hand.
Other health problems that inexperienced travelers might reasonably encounter are the various knock-on effects of consuming too much alcohol. The risk, unsurprisingly, is particularly prevalent among those attending Munich’s Oktoberfest. Be aware that some beers have ABV levels of as much as 6 or 7% and should therefore be treated with respect.
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10 Famous Cocktails and Where They Were Born
Stirred, shaken, neat, on the rocks, straight up, with a kick, or dirty. However you order them, everyone (save for maybe some Mormons and recovering alcoholics) loves a good cocktail. They have inspired world leaders, famous artists and poets, the title for a cheesy 1988 Tom Cruise film, socialite parties, a genre of above-the-knee dresses, business executives and bar tenders’ creativity. The cocktail has infused itself into our popular, historical and literary culture, often becoming as iconic as the famous men and women who drank them.
Can you imagine Churchill without a Martini in hand or a book by Hemmingway that didn’t describe copious cocktail variations? But, have you ever wondered where and when your favorite 5 o’clock drink came from? Was a Manhattan truly invented in Manhattan? Where do Mojitos really come from? Who was Tom Collins anyway? Is a Mai Tai really Hawaiian? From the classic Martini to the lesser known Singapore Sling, here is a list of 10 classic cocktails and the often-controversial stories behind them.
Read away and the next time you are downing your drink at your favorite watering hole or politely sipping your drink at a fancy cocktail party, you can impress your friends with your knowledge of where that delightful (or not so delightful) mixture of alcohols really originated.
1. The Mojito
The drink of sailors? Traditionally made using white rum, sugar or sugar cane juice, lime, carbonated water and mint muddled together, many believe the Mojito is quite possibly world’s first cocktail. Although the image of hardened sailors drinking rum mixed with mint, lime and sugar may not match your vision of straight-from-the-bottle gulping pirates, the Mojito has been enjoyed as early as the 16th century.
One story traces the origins of the Mojito back to 16th century Cuba, where the drink was called the “El Draque” in honor of explorer and sailor Sir Francis Drake. Legend has it the drink was first created as a means of covering up the often harsh taste of tafia/aguardiente, a primitive form of rum. The drink improved greatly during the 19th century with the introduction of copper stills that led to the modern (and much better tasting) form of rum. The contemporary name for the drink probably comes from a Cuban sauce called mojo, which is made from garlic, olive oil and citrus juice. Perhaps in reference to lime as a main ingredient, the drink became known as a cocktail with “a little mojo” or, in Spanish, a “Mojito.” While the Mojito may be one of the world’s first cocktails, it certainly has not waned in popularity over the years. In fact, the drink first invented to make bad rum tolerable is now a widely popular cocktail around the world and is an especially popular and refreshing summer drink.
2. The Singapore Sling
A classic cocktail often appearing in various forms on drink menus around the world, the Singapore Sling was appropriately first concocted in Singapore. While the exact year this cocktail was created is open to some debate, most agree that the cocktail was first created by a Hainanese-Chinese bartender named Mr. Ngiam Tong Boon at the Raffles Hotel’s Long Bar in Singapore. It is believed the bartender first mixed up the cocktail sometime between 1910 and 1915.
The cocktail, which is made from a mixture of gin, cherry brandy and Benedictine in equal parts with a dash of bitters and Cointreau and finished off with pineapple and lime juice and grenadine, was modified in the middle of the 20th century by the original creator’s nephew. The newer recipe has been used since and is the base for the modern Singapore Sling. In the Raffles Hotel Museum, visitors can view the safe where Mr. Ngiam locked away all of his secret cocktail recipe books.
Included is also a hastily written recipe for the Singapore Sling, which was jotted down in 1936 by a visitor who asked the bartender for the recipe. Today, the drink is served on all Singapore Airlines flights and is mentioned in many popular culture movies and books, including Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, in which lead character Raoul Duke talks about drinking “Singapore Slings with mescal on the side.” You can also still order an original Singapore Sling at the Raffles Hotel’s Long Bar, where icons like Rudyard Kipling and others would once sip this famous, fruity cocktail.
3. The Sidecar
A classic cocktail dating back about 100 years, the Sidecar mixes equal parts brandy or Cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice. The origin of the Sidecar is largely debated, but popular wisdom is that the drink was probably first created in Paris sometime during or just following WWI. In the 1948 book by David A. Embury, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, the author credits the invention of the drink to an American Army captain in Paris during WWI.
Supposedly the drink was named after the motorcycle sidecar “in which the good captain was driven to and from the little bistro where the drink was born and christened.” Harry’s Bar in Paris is the “little bistro” in which the author is referring to and is often credited as the birthplace of this sweet yet tangy cocktail. Supposedly the mixture of ingredients was first blended when the American captain asked for pre-dinner cocktail that would help ease the chill he had caught outside. The French bartender was faced with a dilemma. He knew brandy would be the best liqueur to take off the chill, but he also refused to serve the traditional after dinner drink alone as a pre-dinner cocktail. The result was the bartender mixing brandy with the orange flavored Cointreau and adding fresh lemon juice to make an appropriate pre-dinner cocktail, and Voila – the Sidecar was born.
This cocktail was especially popular in England and France, where ex-pats like Hemmingway would sip Sidecars at the bar. Although you may have an eyebrow raised if you are under 70 and ordering this drink today, the Sidecar is regaining popularity and making a resurgence on contemporary bar menus.
4. The Pisco Sour
Another cocktail on the list with a controversial history is the Pisco Sour. A drink made from Pisco (a regional brandy from South America), lemon juice, bitters and egg whites, many debate whether the national origin of this drink is Peruvian or Chilean.
Pisco itself dates back to the 16th century. The liqueur distilled from grapes by Spanish colonialists in South America in an attempt to make an inexpensive version of Spanish brandy. In Peru, the creation of the Pisco Sour is attributed to American expatriate Victor “Gringo” Morris at the Morris Bar in Lima, who blended up the drink as a variation of a whiskey sour. The drink immediately became so popular that other major hotels began serving it in their bars also, quickly popularizing the cocktail with a international crowd.
In Chile, it is believed the birth of the Pisco Sour can be attributed to the English steward of a sailing ship, which was stopped at the then Peruvian and now Chilean port city of Iquique in 1872. It was the steward, who by mixing the regional liqueur with limes grown in the area, created the first Pisco Sour. Whatever the origins of the famous drink, the Pisco Sour is the iconic cocktail of both Peru and Chile. In fact, both countries celebrate the famous cocktail with National Pisco Sour Days (Peru’s in the first Saturday of February and Chile’s is celebrated May 15th) and there are many variations of the original cocktail found around the world today.
5. White Russian
Not named for the country of its origin, but rather for the vodka used in the recipe, White Russians have recently made a booming resurgence in part due to the cult movie classic The Big Lebowiski. The movie’s main character, The Dude, drinks a steady stream of White Russians throughout the film. The use of the word Russian in the name of this drink was mostly due to the fact that when it was first invented sometime in the 1930s, prior to the huge vodka marketing campaign of the 1950s, when vodka was a little known liquor in the United States usually directly associated with its nation of origin, Russia.
The White Russian did not get its current recipe (the drink combines equal parts cream, vodka and Kahula) or moniker until the 1960s. In 1961, the Diner’s Club Drink Book, gave a recipe for a “Black Russian” without cream, implying that the same cocktail with cream would therefore be named a White Russian. Today White Russians have inspired a drinking game among college students, who try to keep up with The Dude in their consumption of the cocktail while watching The Big Lebowski.
The drink is also the favorite drink of lightweights and lushes, as White Russians effectively obfuscate the hefty dose of alcohol in them that they go down the hatch with ease. That’s great for those who rarely drink or for those who drink a little too much (i.e. The Dude, who gets most of his daily nutrition from these creamy little cocktails).
5. The Manhattan
Often called the “King of Cocktails” or the “Drinking Man’s Cocktail,” The Manhattan is a very potent drink and one of the legendary six classic cocktails included in David Embury’s famous book, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. The Manhattan is a cocktail made with a mixture of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters and garnished most often with a maraschino cherry.
Regularly regarded as one of the best cocktails ever created, the Manhattan has a long and debated history. The cocktail was supposedly first invented at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the early 1870s. Legend has it that the drink was invented for a banquet hosted by Lady Randolph Churchill (Winston Churchill’s mother) in honor of presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden. The success of the banquet quickly made the cocktail fashionable in New York City’s powerful circles and prompted many people to request the drink by referring to the name of the club where it originated, calling it “the Manhattan cocktail.”
However, like with almost every cocktail on this list, there is great debate as to the truth behind this account of the Manhattan. In fact, some claim that while the drink may have first been mixed at the Manhattan Club, Lady Churchill had nothing to do with the banquet honoring Samuel Tilden and, in fact, was in England at the time giving birth to her soon-to-be famous son. Another legend says that a bartender with the last name Black invented the Manhattan at a bar on Broadway in New York City sometime in the 1860s. Whatever the true story, this cocktail does indeed bear the name of the island from which it came.
6. The Mai Tai
The fruity, tropical Mai Tai is another cocktail with conflicting stories of origin. The drink, which is made of a mixture of white and gold rum, pineapple juice, orange and/or lime juice, is of American origin despite its Polynesian name. The favored history, however, is that the drink was first created by Victor Buergon, better known as “Trader Vic” who invented the cocktail at the Polynesian-style restaurant in Oakland, California that bore his name.
Supposedly, Buergon created the first Mai Tai in honor of some friends who were visiting from Tahiti in 1944. After mixing rum with just the right combination of fruit juices and orange flavored liqueur, he served the new cocktail to his friends who cried out, “Maitai roa!” (which literally means “very good”), and the cocktail was born. However, like most popular cocktails, the Mai Tai’s history is not without controversy.
Trader Vic’s amicable rival, founding father of tiki restaurants, bars and clubs Donn Beach (of Don the Beachcomber restaurants), also claims to have created in the first Mai Tai in 1933 at his newly opened restaurant in Hollywood. Donn Beach (the founder legally changed his name after the success of his tiki restaurant chain) is known as the originator of Polynesian style restaurants that became a popular culture craze following WWII. While both men claim to be the original creator of this drink, the Mai Tai’s huge popularity can be mostly owed to both men, who sold the drinks in their wildly popular restaurant chains and forever associated the fruity drink with Hawaii – despite its California origins.
7. Tom Collins
There are a few different legends surrounding the name of the famous and classic Tom Collins cocktail. While many assume the drink was named after a real person, there is much debate whether there ever really was a Tom Collins and whether he lent to his name to this cocktail of gin, lemon and lime juice and soda water. One popular account says the cocktail was named after not a Tom, but a John Collins who was a headwaiter at a London Hotel in the early 19th century. The cocktail’s name was changed to a Tom Collins when Old Tom brand gin (a sweetened gin rarely used today) was substituted for the drier gin in the original recipe.
Another story, which is the most probable of the various legends, involves a hoax that took over New York City in 1874. The prank went something like this: A friend would run into you on the street and, with great concern, tell you he just overheard someone named Tom Collins at a bar down the street saying hateful and libelous things about you. You race to that bar to confront the bounder, where you would be told that Tom Collins had just left for a bar several blocks away. When you get there, Collins would already have decamped for another joint across town. As you chase all over the city, your friends convulse with laughter. The prank gained such notoriety, that even local newspapers started reporting the hoax. In 1874, the Steubenville Daily Herald reported that the hoax caused “frantic young men to rush wildly through the streets of the city on Saturday hunting for the libelous Tom Collins.” These young men were often directed to find legendary Tom Collins at a local bar.
So how did the hoax turn into the name of a drink? According to Wall Street Journal columnist and cocktail historian Eric Felten, “It doesn’t take much to imagine how Tom Collins came to be a drink. How many times does someone have to barge into a saloon demanding a Tom Collins before the bartender takes the opportunity to offer him a cocktail so-named?” In any event, this popular cocktail has become a fixture in cocktail culture, inspiring the name of a glass (a Collins glass) as well as a pre-mixed and popular Collins Mix.
9. Bloody Mary
Like every other cocktail on this list, the history behind the Bloody Mary is also a bit cloudy. One popular legend says that the original Bloody Mary, which was then made using equal parts tomato juice and vodka and used as a hangover cure, was invented by comedian, songwriter and movie producer George Jessel (aka the “Toastmaster General of the United States”). Jessel claimed he created the drink one morning in Palm Beach during the 1950s, when he mixed tomato juice and vodka as a way to recover from an entire night spent drinking. Jessel even appeared in Smirnoff vodka ads in the 1950s declaring, “I, George Jessel invented the Bloody Mary.” However, as aptly put by Wall Street Journal columnist and cocktail historian Eric Felten, “Given Jessel’s knack for self-promotion, many doubted his claim,” which made skeptics to search for the true origin of the drink and opened the door for a legend involving the head bartender at the St. Regis Hotel in New York named Fernand “Peter” Petriot.
Starting in the 1940s, Petriot was supposedly serving up Blood Marys under the alias of “Red Snappers” at the hotel’s King Cole Bar. After the popular tomato juice based cocktail became popular in the 1950s, Petriot would claim that he actually first invented the cocktail while working at Harry’s Bar in Paris during the 1920s (also supposed birthplace of the Sidecar). However, in reality, the Bloody Mary popular today is in fact a combination of the two men’s creations. Petriot himself admitted that “George Jessel said he created it, but it was really nothing but vodka and tomato juice when I took it over.” While Petriot did inadvertently give credit for the original drink to Jessel, he also specified that it was he who added salt, pepper, cayenne and Worcestershire sauce to the concoction, creating the modern Bloody Mary.
10. The Martini
And, last, but certainly not least, on this list of cocktails is the Martini. The most well-known of cocktails, Western culture has created quite the lore and mythology surrounding the drink. The three-martini lunch became a popular phrase coined for expensive, long lunches taken by business executives. In fact, the Martini has become more of a class of drinks than one drink in particular – with variations like Appletinis, Vodka martinis and others becoming popular over the years.
The famous and powerful people who have favored the simple, yet potent, original – Winston Churchill, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemmingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald to name a few – have only added to the lore of this popular classic cocktail. The first Martini – or Martini-like drink – was poured sometime between 1862 and 1871 and was called a Martinez, a name to honor the humble town of Martinez, California, where it was purportedly first dreamed up by bartender Julio Richelieu, proprietor of the eponymous Julio Richelieu Saloon. That similar (but sweeter) version of the cocktail consisted of sweet vermouth, gin, bitters and was garnished with a maraschino cherry. This version (which was essentially a gin Manhattan) eventually gave way to the more contemporary drier version that includes gin, vermouth and bitters and was supposedly first made popular when John D. Rockefeller started downing them at the turn of the 20th century.
Although the origins of the first Martinez date back to the 1860s, the modern Martini first rose in popularity starting in 1900s. During prohibition, the Martini became the drink of choice (or no choice in many cases) in speakeasies across the country due to the quick accessibility and production of gin. In fact, it was often a gin Martini or no drink at all for customers hiding out in their secret watering holes. The modern Vodka Martini, which James Bond stalwarts will surely order shaken not stirred, was not created until much later and many Martini purists still claim the idea of a Martini made with vodka is preposterous. A steadfast and iconic cocktail, however, the classic Martini is here to stay, whether made with vodka or gin, dirty or not, with varying amounts of vermouth, neat, or over ice.
Read more about drinks and travel:
original photo locations: Bloody Mary here, White Russian here, Mojito here, Singapore Sling here, Sidecar here, Pisco Sour here.
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Older comments on 10 Famous Cocktails and Where They Were Born
Wow… all the cocktails has a blend of stories..
09 November 2009
show me in vedios
show me how the real recipes of all of those cocktails…
Do you have the recipe of that Drinks?
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