🥃 Stinger
Stinger is a classic after-dinner cocktail of cognac and white crème de menthe. The IBA recipe uses 50 ml cognac and 20 ml liqueur, stirred with ice and strained.
If you are looking for a brandy-and-mint cocktail, this is the Stinger: a classic after-dinner drink of just two ingredients, cognac and white crème de menthe. The IBA recipe calls for 50 ml of cognac and 20 ml of liqueur, stirred with ice in a mixing glass and strained into a chilled glass. A mint leaf for garnish is optional.
Composition. The brandy adds depth and warmth, the mint liqueur freshness and sweetness. Crème de menthe is a liqueur, so under EU rules it contains at least 15 % ABV and plenty of sugar. David Embury's 1948 book advised equal parts of brandy and white crème de menthe; with green crème de menthe the drink is called Emerald. Proportions vary between books.
History. According to the Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails, the mix of cognac and crème de menthe appeared in New York in 1890 as the Bartholdi Cocktail, at the bar of the Hotel Bartholdi. It was later known as the Judge, the Brant and the Ice Trust Cocktail, and in 1913 it became the Stinger, most likely after a boxing term for a quick punch. Fashionable society saw it as a drink for evening dress and top hat.
Serving. The classic version is served without ice in a cocktail glass; Difford's Guide also gives a version in a glass with ice. The mint is only a garnish; older recipes added a dash of absinthe, zest or bitters. That is why the cocktail appears in historical books under different names, each with slightly different proportions.
Why this matters to you. Two ingredients do not make the drink light: it is strong, and the sweetness of the mint masks the alcohol. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Raw material | 50 ml cognac, 20 ml white crème de menthe (IBA recipe) |
|---|---|
| Year founded | the mix dates from 1890 (Bartholdi Cocktail); the name Stinger from 1913 |
| Legal basis | official IBA cocktail, The Unforgettables category |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Stinger → kind of → 🍇 Grape brandies → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🥃 Cognac, 🥃 Crème de menthe
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Related to
- 🍷 Prohibition in the United States
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Americans
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape brandies
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Manhattan, 🥃 Vieux Carré, 🥃 Vieux Carré, 🥃 Tuxedo, 🥃 Tuxedo, 🥃 White Lady, 🥃 White Lady, 🥃 Vesper, 🥃 Vesper, 🥃 Whiskey Sour
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Stinger cocktail according to the IBA recipe?
50 ml cognac and 20 ml white crème de menthe, stirred with ice and strained into a chilled glass.
Did Reginald Vanderbilt invent the Stinger?
No. The Oxford Companion dates the mix to 1890, when Vanderbilt was ten years old; he only popularised the drink.
What is the difference between a Stinger and an Emerald?
The colour of the liqueur: according to Difford's Guide, white crème de menthe makes a Stinger, green makes an Emerald.
When did the cocktail get the name Stinger?
In 1913; before that the same mix was called Bartholdi Cocktail, Judge, Brant or Ice Trust Cocktail.
Can I make a Stinger with brandy instead of cognac?
Yes, many recipes simply use brandy; the taste will be lighter or rougher, depending on the brandy.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Americans — The people of the United States in North America, descendants of settlers and Native peoples; their home-grown cheese is California's Monterey Jack.
- 🥃 Tuxedo — Tuxedo is a classic gin martini-style cocktail on the IBA list: equal parts Old Tom gin and dry vermouth, with maraschino, a touch of absinthe and orange bitters.
- 🍷 Prohibition in the United States — From 1920 to 1933 the making and sale of alcohol were banned in the US; wine for religious rites was one of the few exceptions.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Vieux Carré · 🥃 Whiskey Sour · 🥃 Tequila Sunrise · 🥃 Tommy's Margarita · 🥃 White Lady · 🥃 Zombie
Sources
- IBA — International Bartenders Association: Stinger (The Unforgettables; 50 ml cognac, 20 ml white crème de menthe; stir with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass; optional mint leaf)
- The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails (ed. D. Wondrich, N. Rothbaum), entry 'The Stinger': first appears 1890 as the Bartholdi Cocktail at New York's Hotel Bartholdi; later names the Judge, the Brant, the Ice Trust Cocktail; named Stinger in 1913; popular as a pre-Prohibition after-dinner drink
- Difford's Guide: Stinger cocktail recipe and history (David Embury 1948: equal parts brandy and white crème de menthe; with green crème de menthe the drink is called Emerald)
- PUNCH: The Stinger Cocktail Is Having a Moment in New York City — history and recipes of the cognac-and-mint after-dinner cocktail
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)