Alaska Cocktail
- david herpin
- Dec 7, 2016
- 2 min read
This drink appears between tertiary drinks and quaternary drinks and may have been created just prior to prohibition. Here is an early printing of this drink:
The catering industry employee: official journal of the Hotel and ...: Volume 43 by Hotel and Restaurant Employees' International Alliance and Bartenders' International League of America, Hotel & Restaurant Employees and Bartenders International Union, Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees International Union in 1934
"ALASKA COCKTAIL 1 Dash orange bitters 1 Jigger yellow chartreuse 1 Jigger Tom gin. Shake"
There is nothing particularly notable about Alaska during this time frame, although, Alaska becomes a Territory of the United States in 1912. The cocktail is likely to have been created shortly thereafter. These ingredients were certainly popular in the very early 20th century and especially in the late 19th century.
Possibly it was created by one of the thousands of former gold miners in the late 19th century still looking for work who migrated to Alaska at this time. But there is not enough evidence to support this claim.
Bitters is used in this cocktail up until the 1950's, but shortly after it was removed from most recipes. It is unclear why this occurred. Here is a mid-20th century publication of this drink:
A concise encyclopaedia of gastronomy by André Louis Simon in 1952
"Alaska. A dash of orange bitters; one- third yellow chartreuse; two-thirds Old Tom gin. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass."
This drink dates between 1905 - 1929 and contained at least as of then:
Usually you would stir a spirit only cocktail, but all early literature suggest this drink is to be shaken:
Gin (Old Tom)
Chartruese (Yellow)
Orange Bitters
Simple Syrup (Modern)
Strain ingredients into a chilled cocktail glass
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