Drinks

Butchertown Cocktail

The Butchertown cocktail is a successful variation of a Manhattan cocktail in which the vermouth is replaced by sherry and additional orange flavours are added by using a triple sec.

60 ml James E. Pepper 1776 rye
22,5 ml Lustau Los Arcos amontillado sherry
7,5 ml Combier triple sec
1 Dash Scrappy’s orange ritters
1 Orange zest as garnish

Preparation: Stirred, sprinkle with an orange zest.

Alternatively and currently preferred by us, the Up-To-Date Cocktail:

30 ml Stork Club Straight Rye
30 ml Lustau Oloroso Don Nuño
5 ml Curaçao maison *
1 Dash Orinoco-Bitters

Preparation: 3 ice cubes, shaken for 10 seconds (30 times).
*  Curaçao maison: 16 g sugar dissolved in 50 ml Hiebl Bitterorangengeist (bitter orange eau de vie).

Butchertown Cocktail. © Le Lion - Swetlana Holz.
Butchertown Cocktail. © Le Lion – Swetlana Holz.

 

The Butchertown Cocktail originates from the Prizefighter in Emeryville, California, near San Francisco, located between Oakland and Berkley. It was created in late 2011 or early 2012 as one of the bar’s first drinks. It is often attributed to Jon Santer, but as he told us, it was a collaborative creation between him and his business partner Dylan O’Brian. At the time, they developed a new section of the menu whose theme was “Neighbourhood Cocktails”, i.e. cocktails that have emerged in recent years as Manhattan variations, originate from New York bartenders and whose names mostly refer to neighbourhoods in New York. Examples include the Redhook, Green Point and Cobble Hill. The Butchertown Cocktail is based on a similar drink that Dylan had developed shortly before, and we will discuss it in more detail. Jon modified this predecessor somewhat for the Prizefighter. Both Jon and Dylan are big sherry lovers, and they wanted to put an equally contemporary and classic cocktail on the menu, based on sherry and whisky. According to their credo that almost all great drinks, with a few exceptions, consist of a maximum of three or fewer ingredients with additional optional bitters, their drink should meet these criteria. [1] [8]

Emeryville - stockyards in 1915.
Emeryville – stockyards in 1915. [7]

Only drinks that met these criteria were included in the opening menu, and their new cocktail was among them. It was named “Butchertown Cocktail” because about 80 years ago the neighbourhood of the bar was called “Butchertown” [1] because there were many slaughterhouses there. [9] The Prizefighter Bar is housed in a former cannery of local fishermen. [1]

Butchertown Cocktail. © Le Lion - Swetlana Holz.
Butchertown Cocktail. © Le Lion – Swetlana Holz.

But now we would like to say a few words about the predecessor of the Butchertown Cocktail. This was created in 2011 for a friend of Dylan’s who worked for Templeton Rye. She was organising an event that was also supported by a Spanish company, so she asked Dylan to make a drink with Templeton Rye and Spanish ingredients. This event was in aid of the “Movember” foundation. [2]

The name of the foundation is a combination of “moustache” and “November” for the month. The idea is that participants register on 1 November and grow a moustache until the end of the month. During this time, friends and acquaintances of the participant can donate money to Movember in their name, which is collected for research into and prevention of prostate cancer and other men’s health problems. [3]

Unfortunately, Dylan has not found the exact recipe in his emails anymore, but it was something like this:

2 oz Templeton Rye
.75 oz Amontillado Sherry
.5 oz Gran Torres Orange Liqueur
3 dashes Orange Bitters
Method: Stir
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Long lemon twist

Salvador Dalí in 1965.
Salvador Dalí in 1965. [6]

This drink was named the “Dalí Cocktail” and the lemon zest has to be REALLY long, in reference to the swirly beard that Dali is known for. [2] He even gave his name to this type of moustache. After all, the total length of Dali’s beard from beard tip to beard tip in 1954 was a full 25 centimetres. [4] [5] Basically, the Dalí cocktail is the same as a Butchertown cocktail, but a little more on the sweet side due to the Gran Torres orange liqueur used. [2]

Finally, we would like to point out that the name “Butchertown” is unfortunately not original for a cocktail, as there are at least two other drinks with the same name. [10] [11]

The Butchertown is also a good example of how some drinks are invented several times in ignorance of each other. It is very similar to the Up-to-Date cocktail that Hugo Ensslin used to make:

1/2 Sherry Wine
1/2 Rye Whiskey
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 dashes Grand Marnier
Shake well in a mixing glass with cracked ice, strain and serve.

Sources
  1. E-Mail of Jon Santer from 4. March 2017
  2. E-Mail of Dylan O’Brian from 5. March 2017
  3. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movember: Movember.
  4. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schnurrbart: Schnurrbart.
  5. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dali%E2%80%99s_Mustache: Dali’s Mustache.
  6. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Dal%C3%AD#/media/File:Salvador_Dali_NYWTS.jpg: Salvador Dali with Babou, the ocelot and cane. 1965.
  7. http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt6t1nd2rg/?layout=metadata&brand=calisphere: View of Stockyards, Emeryville, 1915. From the Vernon J. Sappers collection at the Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library. The photograph shows a view from the top of the Emeryville stockyards. Negative number in Oakland History Room’s collection : F-1863.
  8. http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/recipes/a13177/butchertown-cocktail-prizefighter-7284906/: Cocktail of the Week: Butchertown. By Paul Schrodt, 12. March 2012.
  9. https://books.google.de/books?id=yWqlMo7Cir8C&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=butchertown+emeryville&source=bl&ots=5CKmbhfLNa&sig=OqFrBkfh5IapkeVlfFiIIwYc8eU&hl=de&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjs6qfS3brSAhWGF8AKHS8ZCqMQ6AEINzAC#v=onepage&q=butchertown%20emeryville&f=false: Anonymus: Emeryville. Arcadia Publishing, The Emeryville Historical Society, 2005. Page 45-46.
  10. http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.de/2013/02/butchertown.html: Butchertown. 1. February 2013.
  11. http://and1morefortheroad.blogspot.de/2012/06/butchertown-cocktail.html: The Butchertown Cocktail. By Rhett, 19. June 2012.

Recipes

2017 E-Mail from Jon Santer. Butchertown Cocktail. 2 dashes Orange Bitters (we use a combination of Fee’s and Reagan’s); 0.25 oz Cointreau; 0.75 oz Amontillado Sherry; 2 oz Rittenhouse Rye 100. Combine and stir over large ice in a mixing vessel. Strain into a small frozen cocktail glass. Garnish by expressing the oil of an orange peel over the top of the cocktail, then dropping it in.

Recipes Up-to-Date Cocktail

1917 Hugo R. Ensslin: Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Seite 33. Up To Date Cocktail.

1/2 Sherry Wine
1/2 Rye Whiskey
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 dashes Grand Marnier
Shake well in a mixing glass with cracked ice, strain and serve.

1926 W. Slagter: Cocktails. Seite 71. Up to date Cocktail.

Vult den Shaker met eenige stukjes ijs
Het Sap van een halven Sinaasappel
1/3 Cocktailglas Liqueur de Mandarine
Wijnand Fockink
1/3 Cocktailglas Oranjebitter
Wijnand Fockink.
Behandeling als recept No. 87.

Seite 38. No. 87. Absinth Cocktail.

Behandeling:
Bovenstaande goed vermengen en ver-
koelen en zonder het ijs in een Cocktail-
glas doen. Knijpt de olie uit een stukje
Citroenschil, al boven de Cocktail hou-
dende en legt deze op den rand van het
glas. Zie ook inleiding No. 86.

1930 Harry Craddock: The Savoy Cocktail Book. Seite 165. Up-To-Date Cocktail.

2 Dashes Grand Marnier.
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters.
1/2 Sherry.
1/2 Canadian Club Whisky.
Shake well and strain into
cocktail glass.

1930 Pedro Chicote: Le ley mojada. Seite 101. Aurorita-Cocktail.

Prepárese en cocktelera:
3 ó 4 pedacitos de hie-
lo.
1 cucharada pequeña
de Gran Marnier.
1/2 cucharada pequeña
de Jerez.
1/2 cucharada pequeña
de whisky.
Agítese y sírvase en copa de cocktail, con una
corteza de naranja.

Pedro Chicote Le ley mojada. 1930, page 101. Aurorita-Cocktail.
Pedro Chicote Le ley mojada. 1930, page 101. Aurorita-Cocktail.

1933 Anonymus: O’Dell’s Book of Cocktails and Fancy Drinks. Seite 188. Up-to-Date Cocktail.

2 dashes Grand Marnier,
2 dashes Angostura, 1/2 Sherry,
1/2 Canadian Club Whisky.

1933 Harry Craddock: The Savoy Cocktail Book. Seite 165. Up-To-Date Cocktail.

2 Dashes Grand Marnier.
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters.
1/2 Sherry.
1/2 Canadian Club Whisky.
Shake well and strain into
cocktail glass.

1934 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual [collectic1806]. Seite 128. Up-to-Date Cocktail.

1/2 Sherry Wine
1/2 Rye Whiskey
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
2 Dashes Grand Marnier
Stir well with cracked ice and strain.
Use glass number 1

1934 William T. Boothby: „Cocktail Bill“ Boothby’s World Drinks. Seite 170. Up-To-Date.

Whisky . . . . . . . . . . 1/3 jigger      Sherry . . . . . . . . . . 1/3 jigger
Grand Marnier . . . 2 dashes        Bitters . . . . . . . . . . 2 drops
Stir well with ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass, twist lemon
peel over and serve.

1935 Leo Cotton: Old Mr. Boston. Seite 132. Up-To-Date Cocktail.

1/2 Sherry Wine
1/2 Old Mr. Boston Whiskey
2 Dashes Bitters
2 Dashes Grand Marnier
Stir well with cracked ice and strain
into 3 oz. Cocktail glass.

1935 O. Blunier: The Barkeeper’s Golden Book. Seite 144. Up to date.

1/2 Rye Whisky
1/2 Sherry
2 ds. Angostura
2 ds. Grand Marnier

1936 Elvezio Grassi: 1000 Misture. Seite 113. Up-to date Cocktail.

(Serie
Craddock).
Agitare nel shaker con ghiaccio:
2 spruzzi Grand Mamier
2 spruzzi Angostura
50 % Shcerry vino
50 % Whisky Canadian Club.
Servite con buccia limone.

1936 Frank A. Thomas: Wines, Cocktails and other Drinks. Seite 165. Up-To-Date Cocktail.

3 glasses rye whisky           1 teaspoon angostura
3 glasses Sherry                  bitters
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier

1936 Raymond Porta Mingot: Gran manual de cocktails. Seite 372. Up To Date Cocktail.

Usese la cocktelera.
Unos pedacitos de hielo.
Tres gotas de Bitter Angostura.
Dos cucharaditas de Grand marnier.
1/2 parte de Jeres Seco Perea.
1/2 parte de Whisky Escocés John Haig.
Agítese, cuélese y sírvase en copa de 100
gramos.

1937 R. de Fleury: 1800 – And All That. Seite 115. Up-To-Date – No. 2.

2/5 Rye Whisky
2/5 French Vermouth
1/5 Grand Marnier
1 Dash Angostura
Bitters
Serve with a piece of
Lemon Peel.

1937 United Kingdom Bartenders Guild: Approved Cocktails. Up-To-Date.

40% Rye Whisky.
40% French Vermouth.
20% Grand Marnier.
1 dash Angostura Bitters.
Serve with a bit of lemon peel.

1937 William J. Tarling: Café Royal Cocktail Book. Up-To-Date.

2/5 Rye Whisky.
2/5 French Vermouth.
1/5 Grand Marnier.
1 dash Angostura Bitters.
Serve with a bit of lemon peel.

1940 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 128. Up-to-Date Cocktail.

1/2 Sherry Wine
1/2 Rye Whiskey
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
2 Dashes Grand Marnier
Stir well with cracked ice and strain.
Use glass number 1

1948 Trader Vic: Bartender’s Guide. Seite 286. Up-To-Date Cocktail.

3/4 oz. rye or bourbon                2 dashes Angostura bitters
3/4 oz. sherry                               2 dashes Grand Marnier
Shake with cracked ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass.

1950 Ted Shane: Authentic and Hilarious Bar Guide. Seite 34. Up to Date.

1⁄2 jigger Sherry                      1⁄2 jigger Rye or Bourbon
2 dashes Grand Marnier        2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Shake with cracked ice and strain.

1953 Anonymus: Manual del bar. Seite 265. Up-To-Date.

                                            1 golpe de Bitter Angostura.
Refrescado                           10 gramos de Grand Marnier.
Servido en una copa de      35 gramos de Whisky Rye.
90 gramos.                           35 gramos de Vermouth Fran-
.                                             cés.

1953 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 86. Up-to-Date.

2/5 Rye Whisky.
2/5 Dry Vermouth.
1/5 Grand Marnier.
1 Dash Angostura.
Stir and Strain.
Squeeze Lemon Peel on top.

1955 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 86. Up-to-Date.

2/5 Rye Whisky.
2/5 Dry Vermouth.
1/5 Grand Marnier.
1 Dash Angostura.
Stir and Strain.
Squeeze Lemon Peel on top.

1956 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 105. Up-to-Date.

1/2 Rye Whiskey
1/2 Sherry
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
2 Dashes Grand Marnier
Stir well with ice and strain into
glass.

1957 Henri Barman: Cocktails et autres boissons mélangées. Seite 95. Up-to-Date.

Timbale à mélange, glace
1/2 Canadian Club Whisky
1/2 Sherry
2 traits Angostura
2 traits Grand Marnier
Bien remuer en timbale et
passer dans verre à cocktail.
Mélangeur électr. : voir note.

1957 Lawrence Blochman: Here’s How. Seite 26. Up-To-Date Cocktail.

2 parts rye                                   1 part sherry
2 dashes Grand Marnier          2 dashes Angostura
Stir with ice, strain.

1960 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 87. Up-to-Date.

2/5 Rye Whisky.
2/5 Dry Vermouth.
1/5 Grand Marnier.
1 Dash Angostura.
Stir and Strain.
Squeeze Lemon Peel on top.

1963 Luigi Veronelli: I cocktails. Seite 261. Up to Date Cocktail.

1 bicchiere e 1/3 di canadian whisky
1/3 di bicchiere di sherry secco
1 cucchiaino di grand marnier
2 gocce di angostura bitter
2 scorzette di limone senza nulla del bianco interno
ghiaccio a cubetti
Riempire lo shaker fino a 1/4 della sua altezza con ghiac­-
cio. Versare il canadian e lo sherry; aggiungere il grand
marnier e l’angostura. Chiudere lo shaker, agitarlo vigo­-
rosamente, farlo riposare un secondo, riprendere infine
ad agitare ma lentamente. Servire subito in bicchieri guar­-
niti con una scorzetta di limone.

1964 Anonymus: Manual del bar. Seite 265. Up-To-Date.

.                                            1 golpe de Bitter Angostura.
Refrescado.                         10 gramos de Grand Marnier.
Servido en una copa          35 gramos de Whisky Rye.
de 90 gramos.                     35 gramos de Vermouth Fran-
.                                            cés.

1965 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 88. Up-to-Date.

2/5 Rye Whisky.
2/5 Dry Vermouth.
1/5 Grand Marnier.
1 Dash Angostura.
Squeeze Lemon Peel on top.
MIXING GLASS.

1976 Anonymus: International Guide to Drinks. Seite 66. Up-to-Date.

2/5 rye
2/5 dry vermouth
1/5 Grand Marnier
Dash Angostura bitters
Twist lemon peel
Mixing glass

1976 Harry Craddock: The Savoy Cocktail Book. Seite 165. Up-To-Date Cocktail.

2 Dashes Grand Marnier.
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters.
1/2 Sherry.
1/2 Canadian Whisky.
Shake well and strain into
cocktail glass.

1977 Stan Jones: Jones’ Complete Barguide. Seite 422. Up To Date.

Cocktail Glass        Stir
1-1/4 oz rye or Bourbon
1 oz sherry
1/4 oz Grand Marnier
2 dashes Angostura bitters

explicit capitulum
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About

Hi, I'm Armin and in my spare time I want to promote bar culture as a blogger, freelance journalist and Bildungstrinker (you want to know what the latter is? Then check out "About us"). My focus is on researching the history of mixed drinks. If I have ever left out a source you know of, and you think it should be considered, I look forward to hearing about it from you to learn something new. English is not my first language, but I hope that the translated texts are easy to understand. If there is any incomprehensibility, please let me know so that I can improve it.