Brooklyn 2008
The original Brooklyn Cocktail first appeared in print in 1908 as a mixture of rye, dry vermouth, Maraschino and French bitter liqueur Amer Picon. Fast forward 100 years to the heyday of the Cocktail Renaissance, where forgotten classics, European bitters, and añejo tequila all landed on the scene with a splash.
Hugo’s Bitter Bracer
While looking for a way to use this month’s amaro in a shaken drink with roots in the early 20th century, I happened upon Hugo Ensslin’s “Hugo Bracer” from 1917. Originally a mix of apple brandy, lime, Amer Picon and grenadine served in a goblet, ours goes in a yet-more-tropical direction, expressing what I’d call a proto-“tiki” aesthetic.