Classic cocktails make a comeback in Berlin
Cocktails are back in a big way. Following the roaring success of mixed drinks such as Aperol Spritz, gin & tonic and the Hugo, Berlin's booze joints are dusting off age-old recipes for a new crowd.
Dry Martini
It was the emblematic drink of the roaring twenties and, of course, James Bond. The drink's popularity dwindled in the latter part of the last decade, as energy drink mixers and craft beer came into vogue. But the classic dry martini is staging a miraculous resurrection - adored for its bone-dry blend of vermouth and gin, with a mandatory slither of lemon rind. Shaken, not stirred.
Gin Fizz
Once mocked as the drink Granny used to drink, the gin fizz is making a spectacular comeback - along with Granny's furniture. Forget the extra trimmings like egg yolk and sparkling wine. The classic gin fizz is perfect simplicity: gin, sugar, fresh lemon juice, sparkling water and two ice cubes in a highball tumbler. Hallelujah.
Manhattan
Martinis mean gin, but Manhattans mean whiskey (specifically North American rye whiskey, spelled "whisky" in Canada). But what's an 'e' amongst friends? The key is good quality - and that also counts for the sweet vermouth. With a splashing of bitters and a maraschino cherry for garnish, this 19th century staple has been rebooted and is enjoying a renaissance in Berlin's bustling bar scene.
Bloody Mary
While this classic has never gone out of fashion with serious drinkers (most notoriously as a breakfast tipple, with its blend of tomato juice, vodka and bite), it's staging a comeback in a big way amongst a new generation - keen to lean on its uncompromisingly urbane image. You'll need to have the fortitude of Ernest Hemingway to actually cop the collision of savory and sour without wincing.
Old Fashioned
Endearing and unadulterated, the old fashioned is all in the preparation - or the muddling - of sugar and bitters, before adding the whisk(e)y, citrus peel…and the essential teaspoon to stir with while deep in contemplation. While its status in the pantheon of drinks was immortalized in David A. Embury's 1948 book "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks," using Japanese whisky brings some à la mode zing.
Rusty Nail
A drink to sort the mice from the men, the Rusty Nail has been assaulting the senses since the 1930s under various monikers - including BIF and the Knucklehead - but the name "rusty nail" eventually stuck. A blend of Scotch whisky and the herbal scotch liqueur Drambuie, this drinker's drink oozes suave and moxie - the natural drink of choice for Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack.
Moscow Mule
The Russians have long left Berlin, but they left their indelible mark on the city - evident in resurging number of hip Russian haunts amongst the age-old, like Café Moskau on Karl-Marx-Allee. Equally as popular is the legendary Moscow mule - a no-nonsense blend of vodka, lime juice and ginger beer, generally served in a copper mug - often with a slice of lime for extra astringent mule-like kick.
Sidecar
Part cognac, part orange liqueur (Grand Marnier or Cointreau, take your pick) and part lemon juice, the drink was all the rage at the Ritz in Paris in the hedonistic Twenties but fell out of favor with subsequent generations. However, cognac has recently regained its cool, and in its wake, the sidecar is back in business. Cigar optional. Moustache mandatory.
Rob Roy
Named for the Scottish folk hero (Robin Hood in a kilt), the Rob Roy is, in essence, a Manhattan with Scotch. But an imitator this tipple is not. Like its namesake, it's bold and ballsy…and a wee bit delicious. Traditionally made with Scotch, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters and a lemon twist or a Maraschino cherry, dry vermouth is often substituted these days: the Rob Roy rebooted.
Tom Collins
The godfather of cocktails, few drinks have enjoyed the notoriety of the Tom Collins. Gin-based drinks have been on the rise in Berlin over the last decade, finally liberated from gin's age-old reputation for being misery's drink of choice. And no gin cocktail sings as gloriously as the Tom Collins - ravishingly refined, and the immaculate tipple for hot summer city nights (or current heat waves).