Stinger (cocktail)
Encyclopedia
A stinger is a Duo cocktail
made by adding crème de menthe
to a spirit
.
The classic recipe is based on brandy
and white crème de menthe, shaken and served in a cocktail glass. The origins of this drink are unclear, but it is mentioned in bartender's recipe books as far back as Tom Bullock's Ideal Bartender, published in 1917. Mixing brandy with green crème de menthe, in place of white, yields a Green Hornet.
During the heyday of its popularity, it was considered an ideal "nightcap" for a night out in New York. The 1957 film Kiss Them For Me
features several scenes where the main characters enjoy Stinger cocktails. The Stinger also gets mentioned in various scenes during the 1960 film The Apartment
. The drink is also featured in the Mad Men
episode "Love Among the Ruins," set in 1963, when a man buys Peggy Olson a stinger at a bar. In Gorky Park (film)
, detective Arkady Renko
refers to the Stinger as a "whore's drink" and later in the film, orders a Stinger and says, "I am a whore."
A variation that substitutes vodka
for brandy was immortalized in the 1970 musical Company
:
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
made by adding crème de menthe
Crème de menthe
Crème de menthe is a sweet, mint-flavored alcoholic beverage. Its flavor is primarily derived from Corsican mint. It is available commercially in a colorless and a green version...
to a spirit
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
.
The classic recipe is based on brandy
Brandy
Brandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink...
and white crème de menthe, shaken and served in a cocktail glass. The origins of this drink are unclear, but it is mentioned in bartender's recipe books as far back as Tom Bullock's Ideal Bartender, published in 1917. Mixing brandy with green crème de menthe, in place of white, yields a Green Hornet.
During the heyday of its popularity, it was considered an ideal "nightcap" for a night out in New York. The 1957 film Kiss Them For Me
Kiss Them for Me (film)
Kiss Them for Me is a 1957 comedy film starring Cary Grant and Jayne Mansfield, directed by Stanley Donen. Co-stars included Suzy Parker, Leif Erickson, Ray Walston, and Werner Klemperer....
features several scenes where the main characters enjoy Stinger cocktails. The Stinger also gets mentioned in various scenes during the 1960 film The Apartment
The Apartment
The Apartment is a 1960 American comedy-drama film produced and directed by Billy Wilder, and starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray. It was Wilder's follow-up to the enormously popular Some Like It Hot and, like its predecessor, was a commercial and critical hit, grossing $25...
. The drink is also featured in the Mad Men
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
episode "Love Among the Ruins," set in 1963, when a man buys Peggy Olson a stinger at a bar. In Gorky Park (film)
Gorky Park (film)
Gorky Park is a 1983 film based on the novel Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith. It was directed by Michael Apted from a screenplay by Dennis Potter ....
, detective Arkady Renko
Arkady Renko
Arkady Renko is a fictional detective who is the central character of seven novels by the American writer Martin Cruz Smith.-Character timeline:...
refers to the Stinger as a "whore's drink" and later in the film, orders a Stinger and says, "I am a whore."
A variation that substitutes vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
for brandy was immortalized in the 1970 musical Company
Company (musical)
Company is a musical with a book by George Furth and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The original production was nominated for a record-setting fourteen Tony Awards and won six....
: