12 Classic NOLA Cocktails for Mardi Gras
In New Orleans, Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras is the biggest drinking event of the year. And what better way to celebrate than with the many classic cocktails either conceived of or beloved in the Big Easy. We thought that this indulgent time period was the perfect opportunity to refamiliarize ourselves with these timeless tipples, so we chatted with some of the top bartenders in the city to get their perspective on how and why the long list developed.
In their opinions, the unifying aspect of popular NOLA cocktails is that they are all refreshing. No matter if they’re spirit-forward or made with milk or cream, they all drink light and fresh. There are so many diverse recipes on the list thanks to New Orleans’ status as a port city and hub of booze importing, the evolving demographics that reflect the city’s history and welcoming spirit, and the fact that locals never really stopped drinking during Prohibition so the cocktail culture didn’t stagnate or completely lapse. “You’ve always had one bartender passing down their knowledge to another bartender to another bartender, and that really wasn’t interrupted in the same way,” says Sam Kiley, bar manager at Dovetail Bar.
As far as drinking during Mardi Gras season, there’s simply more of it. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” explains Abigail Gullo, bartender at Loa. Bars are packed, guests are adding extra shots to their orders, and punch abounds. But the real unifier is community spirit. Gullo says, “If you’re not at Mardi Gras and you want to capture the spirit, you need to get together with your friends, with your community, with your neighbors; you need to make a punch with whatever you have, and you need to share it because that’s the true spirit of community and Mardi Gras and New Orleans.” As Trey Monaghan, manager at Molly’s at the Market tells it, “If you come here, come with open eyes and an open heart to really embrace the local culture.”
Mardi Gras is, in fact, a statewide holiday in Louisiana, embraced by the diverse population that’s reflected in both the food and drinks. And while excess seems to be everywhere, Christoph Dornemann, head bartender at Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, cautions, “There truly is a classic for every occasion, but overindulgence isn’t sustainable if you want to make a life in the city or behind the bar.” So here are 12 classic New Orleans cocktails to get you into the Mardi Gras spirit (king cake not included).
Sazerac
The Sazerac was named the official cocktail of the state of Louisiana in 2008, and it may be the most emblematic of the Crescent City of all the drinks on our list. The recipe dates back to the 1830s and was first formulated by Creole apothecary Antoine Peychaud. Konrad Kantor, managing partner at Manolito, says, “It’s incredible to see the culmination of what happens when flavors and ideas from around the world create something that is uniquely ‘New Orleans,’” citing the Sazerac as a perfect example of that and an important drink that expanded upon the Old Fashioned. If you can’t make it to the Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel, the iconic spot where Braithe Gill, the James Beard Award-nominated beverage director for Ralph Brennan Restaurants, recommends getting one, and are mixing up your own rendition, take your pick of rye or brandy, but don’t skimp on the absinthe rinse, Peychaud’s bitters, or lemon peel.
Ramos Gin Fizz
While shaking up a Ramos Gin Fizz is a workout, you won’t need one after trying the drink despite the fact that it’s made with heavy cream. This performative cocktail was first concocted in the late 19th century, and today bartenders are keeping it alive without the help of “shaker boys.” Manolito features a whole section of thrown drinks on its menu that Kantor says “celebrates the graceful side of flair bartending and also adds a bit of aeration to cocktails.” He calls the Ramos Gin Fizz the most historic example and notes that, though the spectacle is likely what kept the drink alive, “it’s a delicious and peculiar cocktail.”
Daiquiri
In New Orleans, drive-through Daiquiris and giant cups of colorful slushies may be the most popular form of the cocktail, but the original rum Daiquiri is also a beloved staple, especially among industry folks. Kiley says if she could only have one cocktail for the rest of her life, it would be a classic Daiquiri. Manolito has nine different Daiquiris on the menu; Kantor calls it “the greatest sour cocktail ever created.” He also says that the only difference between a shaken and blended one should be the amount of ice and a bit of liqueur that lengthens the classic version, and that often the frosty version hides cheap, sugary ingredients.
Milk Punch
On most menus these days, a Milk Punch is a clarified cocktail, but not in New Orleans. There, it’s a creamy breakfast drink and a standard on the brunch menu at Brennan’s. “It was originally invented for Mardi Gras,” Gill explains, “and on the parade route people would take a pint of heavy cream, dump half of it out, and pour in any kind of spirit they had. It was mostly brandy, but you could also use bourbon, rye, whatever brown spirit you have available.” Add some vanilla syrup or other flavoring, shake it up, pour it over ice, and hit the parade route — you’ll fit right in.
Vieux Carré
The Vieux Carré was invented at the iconic Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone where you can still find a superlative version. Marvin Allen, beverage director there, shares the legend: “The ingredients remind us of the diverse culture, the French with the Benedictine and Cognac, Americans with rye whiskey, Italians with sweet vermouth, and the Islanders of the Caribbean with the bitters.” While the city is welcoming of reinvention, it’s very protective of its classics, so if you’re going to make any alterations to meet your personal preferences — even just removing the requisite rocks — you’ll have to give your version a new name, a lesson Gullo learned the hard way after she moved to the city and asked for that modification.
Hurricane
The Hurricane is a Pat O’Brien’s original born in Prohibition when whiskey was scarce but rum flowed freely. The name comes from the then-speakeasy’s password: storm’s brewin’. The tropical concoction features orange, lime, and passion fruit juices plus grenadine and two types of rum, making it a guzzler that packs a punch. Dornemann says the cocktail can be overrated if not executed well, but a properly made one is a very good drink.
French 75
The French 75 is so popular in New Orleans, a place that Dornemann assesses as having a long fascination with all things French, that Arnaud’s French 75 Bar is named after it. He says that what makes it so great is its versatility: “It works as a pre-dinner cocktail, a celebratory drink on a night out, an after-dinner toast, or even a brunch cocktail. Few drinks move that effortlessly across occasions, and that flexibility is its greatest strength.” Chris Hannah, head bartender and partner at Jewel of the South, helped reintroduce the cocktail using Cognac in place of the more common gin, which gives the drink a richer, rounder flavor and honeyed notes. Despite being invented at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, it has become a drink just as associated with the Big Easy.
Bloody Mary
There’s a saying in New Orleans: “You can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning.” As Gullo says, “We invented morning drinks like the Ramos Fizz and Bourbon Milk Punch, and every dive bar can make the best Bloody Mary you’ve ever had.” This quintessential brunch cocktail is also how Allen likes to start parade days before segueing into less snacky drinks. For a twist made famous at Brennan’s, try a Bloody Bull, which introduces beef broth to the mix.
Brandy Crusta
The Brandy Crusta is a lesser-known classic that was the house drink at the original Jewel of the South in the late 1800s. Hannah helped bring it back to its city of origin in 2004, and since then it’s appeared alongside Sazeracs and the like on more and more menus. The drink gets its name from its sugared rim and combines brandy with Maraschino liqueur, triple sec, and two types of bitters for a tart-leaning yet warm cocktail.
Cocktail Louisiane
Out of all the bartenders we talked to about classic NOLA cocktails, there was consensus that the Cocktail Louisiane (or À La Louisiane) is an underrated, sleeper hit. It’s a predecessor of the Vieux Carré and leans sweeter than its better-known sequel. It also features absinthe, a much-loved ingredient in the city’s bar culture. Dornemann cites this, along with the Obituary and the Roffignac, as one of his favorites that deserves more attention.
Frozen Irish Coffee
Credit: Basil and Bubbly
There are two places to drink the real-deal Frozen Irish Coffee: Erin Rose and Molly’s at the Market. Both spots were founded by Monaghan’s grandfather more than 50 years ago. As an Irish bar owner in a hot, humid city, the elder Monaghan realized he would sell more cold drinks like the frozen Daiquiri, so he figured out a way to make a Frozen Irish Coffee and, with that, entered the historic lexicon of the city. Trey explains that the bars use a special machine “so it comes out more like a Frosty consistency instead of an icy consistency.” Folks line up to order one as soon as the bar opens at 10 a.m. and keep it going through the night, with many guests stopping by with suitcases on the way to or from the airport. During Mardi Gras especially, he says, patrons call for an extra shot of miscellaneous liquor with their frozen drink to make the most of their order when the lines are so long — booze-maxxing at its finest.
Punch
Lastly, a good punch is another drink our friends in the Crescent City agreed is essential during Mardi Gras. Build yours with a base like rum, sherry, or cachaça plus a Caribbean liquor — maybe falernum or curaçao — fresh lime juice and whatever else you have on hand. One last reminder from Allen: “Keep in mind that for parading or just walking around, people watching, it is best that your cocktail is one that is enjoyable in a plastic cup.”
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