“Cocktail College” is brought to you by Mr Black cold brew coffee liqueur. Listener, do you want to know the secret to a great Espresso Martini? It’s not the vodka — though the vodka does matter — but no, it’s the coffee liqueur. And do you wanna know the secret to a great coffee liqueur? It’s coffee. That might sound like a no-brainer, but until Mr Black came along, people weren’t really talking about that, people. People weren’t pulling their own espresso shots in the morning. They didn’t care about things like where their espresso came from or when it was roasted. But this is what sets Mr Black apart: It’s made with the finest Arabica cold brew, and you can really taste the difference. And I’m not just saying that because we’re partnering with Mr Black today, I’m saying bartenders have been telling me that for years. Seriously, I remember when it first came along and everyone was recommending it. I was like, “I gotta try this thing.” When I did, I got it. The funny thing is, that was years before Espresso Martini mania. Here we are, and guess what? Mr Black is now available nationwide. Head to www.mrblack.co to find the closest retailer to you.
In April 1987, James B. Beam Distilling Co. made a landslide acquisition, hovering up the entire National Distillers’ liquor portfolio for $545 million. The deal saw them net well-known brands such as Old Overholt rye, Old Grand-Dad, and Old Taylor bourbons — the latter of which we now know as Buffalo Trace’s E.H. Taylor, Jr. But those were not the driving factors for this acquisition.
Instead, the apple of Beam’s eye, and the reason for the exorbitant price tag, was Dekuyper Peachtree Schnapps. The hottest liqueur in America at the time, schnapps flowed freely thanks to its inclusion in then-trendy cocktails like the Fuzzy Navel and Sex on the Beach. In today’s landscape, it’s hard to imagine this era of kitschy frivolity, but other brands quickly took notice and tried to capture that same lightning in a bottle via their own cocktails. For Chartreuse, that would ultimately be the Swampwater.
Joining us today to explore — and in our opinion elevate — the Swampwater is Konrad Kantor of New Orleans’ Manolito Bar and Restaurant. A mainstay on the bar’s “double blended” drinks menu, Konrad and team have taken Constantino Ribalaigua’s techniques and mastered the art of blending Chartreuse, pineapple, lime, ice, and a sneakily brilliant garden herb. Prime the Hamilton Beach blender, fire up the Vitamix, and tune in for more.
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Manolito’s Swampwater Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 ounces pebble ice
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 ounces Green Chartreuse
- 1 ½ ounces fresh pineapple juice
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 basil leaf
- Garnish: pineapple frond and a mint sprig
Directions
- Add ice, sugar, pineapple, and lime to a Hamilton Beach blender.
- Blend until incorporated.
- Add basil leaf and slowly pour in Chartreuse while still blending.
- Pour into a 15-ounce Swampwater mug or Hurricane glass when fully incorporated.
- Garnish with a pineapple frond and mint sprig.
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