A cocktail is a beverage made by mixing several ingredients. Some people think that this is exclusively a female beverage. However, it is not so. For instance, a vodka gimlet (known as a Screwdriver) or a Bloody Mary is often consumed by men as well. There is an abundance of cocktail recipes, which may consist of several alcoholic beverages combined with different juices, syrups, and puree. Nevertheless, do you know who devised cocktails? What country is commonly believed to be the motherland of these alcohols?
History of Cocktails from Different Countries
One of the reasons for the huge quantity of various alcoholic cocktails is that they were invented in different countries. So many types of alcohol, concocting techniques, and ways of serving – it is amazing how inventive human imagination can be.
England. The first records about cocktails, or as they used to be referred to as a “cock-ale”, are found in the descriptions of cockfights, which in old times were a popular entertainment for the public. The mixed drink included a strong alcoholic basis and bitter natural infusions. It was popularly believed that such alcohol might bolster the morale, help to get the victory and prevail.
Spain. Spanish passage “cola de gallo” (cock’s tail) is considered another origin of the modern “cocktail”. As remembered by American sailors, who went ashore at the Gulf of Mexico, there was a tool used by a bartender to mix beverages that looked like a cock’s tail. It was a root of a plant with leaves that resembled big feathers.
The USA. The first written record about a cocktail came to us exactly from the United States – a New York newspaper, dated by the beginning of the 19th century, contained an article where a cocktail was mentioned as a mixture of strong alcohol, liqueur, and sugar. Since the beginning of the 20th century, there was an active dry law (National Prohibition Act), and Americans liked to drink alcoholic beverages when they visited Cuba. The most popular cocktail was the mixture of rum with cola. Its name and recipe remained unchanged until today, it is known under the name Cuba Libre, and it can be found almost at any pub all over the world.
France. According to one of the versions the word “cocktail” is derived from the French word coquetiers – the word that meant glasses for alcoholic beverages made in a sophisticated manner. History tells us about a French pharmacist who opened one of the first pubs in New Orleans. Except for the traditional alcoholic beverages, he offered different mixtures with strong alcohols, natural infusions, and sugar.
Another interesting version also takes its origin from France – the country of many different sorts of wine. The alcohol was called “coquetel”, and it was based on wine in combination with juice, fruits, and other ingredients.
China. The idea to mix various beverages was not new in the 19th and 20th centuries, since the old Chinese more than three thousand years ago mixed different berry and fruit juices. In order to mitigate the temperature and strength of a beverage they added some snow or ice to it. Even though those old times did not provide us with any records about alcohol, the combination of different ingredients allowed us to try some new and exotic flavors.
Vodka Nemiroff in Cocktails
Vodka is one of the most popular ingredients used by bartenders to concoct alcoholic cocktails. It allows to strengthen the flavor of the original mix making it strong. The company Nemiroff offers two categories of strong alcohol: vodka and liqueur (21%). We produce 13 titles of strong alcohol, which differ in flavor, filtration, strength, and maintenance. In the next article, we will tell you about exotic cocktails that can be based on vodka Nemiroff.
