The Expansion of the Cocktail

Posted on July 25, 2008
Filed Under Robert Heugel |

Robert Heugel is a Houston-based bartender and student of mixology. He publishes Drink Dogma.

Someone asked me today how my trip to New Orleans went. After describing the hazy evenings and all of the wonderful people I met, I faced the same question that seems to be reoccurring in all my conversations about Tales – “So what’s the cool new thing in cocktails?” Now admittedly, I missed the seminar put on by Camper English that directly addressed this issue, but I must say that the one of the most encouraging aspects of Tales was the lack of any singular trend or ideology. The cocktail is alive, and it is growing in many different directions that I feel like being a part of the evolution now is as exciting as ever. Taking all this in over the past week, I wanted to write a reflective post about Tales after a few days of absorption. After working behind the bar again for almost a week, I must say that despite my period of sobriety, there really is no firm theme about the cocktails at Tales, and I think that is a theme itself. There has never been a time with more diversity and quality in cocktails.

I keep coming back to four major categories of cocktails were primarily discussed at Tales this year in my opinion as a way to make a decision about what drink to focus on next. I think that noting these different categories, while reflecting on the event is valuable in that it makes me think about how closely these categories mirror movements in bars and literature across the globe. Paying attention to each genre of cocktails, especially for those of us in the industry, is a great way to improve drinks of all types.

Molecular Mixology

I attended the molecular mixology seminar at Tales with what seemed like half of the conference to listen to take in the wisdom of Jamie Boudreau, Eben Freeman, and others. I think most of us sought out this event hoping to learn more about molecular mixology methodology, but the setting and equipment didn’t really lend the presentation to this approach. What did occur however was a healthy discussion about the role of molecular mixology in the cocktail community. It seemed at times that some of the speakers were somewhat defensive about molecular mixology and its predictable longevity.

This rhetoric might suggest that molecular mixology is losing some of the glamour and intrigue it once had. I’m not sure this is the case, but the declining popularity of molecular gastronomy might convince some that this is happening in mixology as well. This is unfortunate because we shouldn’t consider molecular mixology or any cocktail or culinary movement, especially those that focus on methods, as anything but a different methodological perspective. Molecular mixology is simply a method that delivers flavor, even if the medium is less than traditional. I hope that through events like Tales, exposure to this type of mixology encourages others to experiment with alternative cocktails and molecular mixology becomes more mainstream.

Classic Cocktails

For a variety of debatable reasons, at some point in history, America and much of the world became disinterested in the cocktail. This allowed flavorless cocktail, like the notorious “vodka martini”, to become mainstays, and the classic cocktail suffered the most. Fortunately, events like Tales, and those who frequent it, have done so much that the classic cocktail in some cities has become the hp, new cocktail again. When was the last time someone referred to the Aviation as trendy? I actually heard this the other day!

The host city of Tales certainly lends itself to discussing the classics as so many of them originated in New Orleans. If you’re interested in New Orleans classics, or any others for that matter, it’s hard to find a larger character or someone more knowledgeable than Chris McMillon. His session on New Orleans cocktails stood as a pillar for discussing the classics amid countless events. The regeneration of so many classic ingredients, such as absinthe, means that the value of understanding the classic cocktail will continue to increase.

Tiki Drinks

No single specific category has grown more among the cocktail scene over the last year than Tiki drinks. This growth is inspired by notable experts such as Jeff Berry, great cocktail blogs focusing on the subject, Tiki bars, and above all, a more mainstream appeal of the Tiki cocktail. Amid all of the refinement the cocktail endured over the past decade, elements that can be perceived as pretentious or uppity have become part of making quality cocktails. There’s really nothing that can done about it, as this is a direct result of the opposing nature of the quality cocktail to the popularity of trendy liqueurs, such as apple pucker.

But, this does mean that cocktails that maintain higher standards, while being perceived as down to earth, create more pathways for people to accept well-constructed cocktails without feeling as though the drink is “too fancy”. Tiki cocktails accomplish this through the inclusion of a culture that is anything but overly formal. Their very existence stresses, “Chill out; drink out a skull.” Consequently, the role of tiki drinks at Tales seemed to fill a similar need for relaxation. While tiki drinks often get overlooked in bars that don’t specifically focus on them, I think it is important for all bars to note the growth of the tiki cocktail and the important role it plays in our community.

Modern Cocktails

Each of the previous categories had a genre that would easily identify specific cocktails, but the modern category is a bit broader. In this case, I am referring to cocktails that use quality spirits, fresh ingredients, and innovative flavor combinations and methods. There are so many great cocktails being served across the globe every day that it is nice to come to Tales and get exposure to so many different original creations. Tales serves an important role of documenting these drinks and sharing them with others. Today, we rely on certain literary gems, like the Savoy Cocktail Book, to help up find the drinks of the past. Without the documentation of books like these, so many wonderful drinks would have been lost to time.

Tales does such a great job of providing a stage for the country’s great mixologists, and with so many exciting changes happening everywhere, I think it is vitally important that we take a moment to document some of the recipes that are continuing to push the cocktail forward. Among so many that come to mind, Audrey Saunders really stood out to me at Tales because of her attention to detail, specifically demonstrated at the aromatics seminar. Her precision and pursuit of perfection are models that all of us trying to create cocktails should model ourselves after. And, that is really what the exposure to modern cocktails provides – inspiration and encouragement.

I had a blast at Tales of the Cocktail this year, and I really just wanted to take a moment to reflect on everything that I learned and, well, drank. I can’t wait until next year, and I hope that we can further define more aspects of the cocktail community that may have been less obvious this year. The success of the cocktail revolution relies chiefly on the ability of enthusiasts and professionals to continue to find different sources and methods for drink construction. We might all have our favorite type of cocktail, but we need to be supportive and understand the value of each in making the cocktail more progressive.