Ah, Brooklyn. Beloved home to hipsters and cool kids. Flannel and beards. And, well, that's all I think I know about Brooklyn. I'm no frequent flyer, so my real-life experience of Brooklyn is pretty limited, but honestly, I'd probably love it.
However, my cocktail experience is a bit less limited, so let's talk about those instead, k? The Brooklyn is the paler, slightly more herbal cousin of the Manhattan. [Is it appropriate, then, that it's named The Brooklyn. Again, I can't say for sure, but the idea amuses me...]
Since 1880, the Brooklyn has defied any sort of standard. Numerous attempts have failed to match the simple grandeur of the Manhattan. Of course, the Manhattan's simplicity is also the force that has made it a standard. It requires only three ingredients: whiskey, vermouth, and bitters, which can be found in almost any home bar. The Brooklyn is more complicated and requires a (very) well-stocked bar, but if you've got the makings, I think you'll find it a suitable aperitif.
The most common ratio I've found (from Serious Eats, Chowhound, & Liquor.com) is roughly 2:1 rye whiskey to dry vermouth with small portions of amaro and maraschino liqueur (not to be mistaken for maraschino juice) added. Here, I've adjusted the whiskey:vermouth ratio to soften it and punched up the herbal flavors by adding a bit of fresh orange juice.
For more information on The Brooklyn, here are two articles I recommend:
- This delightful article by cocktail historian David Wondrich in Edible Brooklyn that also includes a link to some of the intriguing variations he mentions.
- This article in Punch by Kara Newman which points out that the majority of the current Brooklyn variations were cobbled together in... Manhattan. Take that for what you will.
Kate's Brooklyn
The Brooklynite | eatatkates.com – A bright, citrusy cocktail that balances bold rye whiskey, herbal vermouth, and bitter amaro with light, seasonal citrus.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1-½ ounces rye whiskey
- ¾ ounce dry vermouth
- ½ ounce fresh orange juice
- ¼ ounce amaro
- ¼ ounce maraschino
- 1-2 dashes orange bitters
- orange peel, for garnish
Instructions
- In a shaker or cocktail glass filled with ice, add all ingredients. Stir well until thoroughly chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish orange peel.
Notes
If you're a dedicated cocktailer, I recommend Dolin Dry Vermouth. It's a few bucks more than other brands, but worth it. It will keep best if refrigerated after opening.
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