Secrets of New Orleans' Sazerac Bar_ Historic Cocktails and Legendary Tales _ Forbes

Forbes

The Sazerac Bar, an enduring symbol of New Orleans’ rich cocktail heritage, has a history as captivating as its drinks. Originally established as The Sazerac Coffee House in the mid-1800s, it found its permanent home in the Roosevelt Hotel by 1939. The bar’s interior, crafted from a single African walnut tree, and adorned with murals by local artist Paul Ninas, offers a glimpse into the city’s vibrant past. These murals, depicting key aspects of New Orleans life, add to the bar’s unique charm and historical significance.  The Sazerac Bar is renowned not only for its ambiance but also for its dedication to cocktail excellence. Signature drinks like the Sazerac and the Ramos Gin Fizz are prepared with meticulous care, preserving recipes that date back to the bar’s early days. The Sazerac, originally made with cognac and later adapted to rye whiskey, remains a testament to the bar’s ability to blend tradition with innovation. The Ramos Gin Fizz, a complex concoction of gin, citrus, egg white, and cream, showcases the bartenders’ skill and passion. Stories of famous patrons, including the legendary Huey Long, and the mysterious gunshot hole in the wall, further enrich the lore of this iconic establishment. The Sazerac Bar stands as a beacon of New Orleans’ cocktail culture, where history and hospitality converge.  Subscribe to FORBES: https://www.youtube.com/user/Forbes?sub_confirmation=1  Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:  https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript  Stay Connected Forbes newsletters: https://newsletters.editorial.forbes.com Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes:  http://forbes.com  Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.

Transcript

00:00The Sazerac bar right here in New Orleans originally started with the Sazerac Coffee House.

00:05It opened in the middle of the 1800s over in the French Quarter, and then it opened up in the early 1900s in our current gift shop.

00:12This bar originally opened in the hotel in 1939 as just the main bar of the hotel.

00:18Fast forward 10 years to 1949, the owner of the hotel bought the rights to the Sazerac bar,

00:24and since 1949 it has been the Sazerac bar here in the Roosevelt.

00:30The second you walk in, you're just shown this beautiful space that's all made from one African walnut tree,

00:37whether it's the side of the walls or the bar top.

00:40Then you have the murals to see.

00:42Paul Nienes, a famous painter here in town, painted them.

00:46These are the original murals that opened in 1939.

00:53We have a high standard of hospitality.

00:56The bartenders are dressed impeccably, right?

00:58White jackets, white shirts, black ties, and the standard that they execute their service as well as their cocktails is bar none.

01:05When a guest comes to the Sazerac bar, they're going to expect a place that introduces you to the city of New Orleans quite well.

01:12We have a very strong passion for cocktails that were around when this bar was opened, right?

01:18The Sazerac originated at the Sazerac Coffee House.

01:21Dr. Peychaud's was there with his bitters. A lot of people would come for coffee and for some of these little solutions to help their stomach.

01:27Lo and behold, men started hanging out there.

01:29He started adding a little bit of brandy, a little bit of cognac, and it developed into a very simple cocktail that started as cognac,

01:37Peychaud's bitters, simple syrup.

01:39Later, it has adjusted to include a little bit of the absinthe.

01:42And in the late 1800s, there was a big bug infestation over in Europe, and brandy exports were essentially cut to zero.

01:50At that time, rye whiskey was developing in the United States, and it was a very simple switch that a lot of people enjoyed,

01:56and that's still the recipe that we use to this day.

01:58On average, we make about 4,000 of these a week, and that's probably on an average week.

02:03In December, when we have Winter Wonderland here, it can be twice as much, if not more.

02:11Ramos Gin Fizz is a great cocktail that we have on our menu, and we take pride in that.

02:16It is a cocktail with gin, lemon and lime, egg white, cream, a little bit of orange blossom water, and soda water.

02:23So it creates this nicely balanced of floral and botanical and sweet and sour,

02:29and then creaminess that brings this nice silky texture that really creates a very unique drink

02:34that not a lot of places will have on their menu because it's complicated to make.

02:38You have to shake it right. You have to make sure that the glassware is chilled.

02:41And the other nice part of that is it creates a nice foaming top that rises above the glass that the straw can sit perfectly in.

02:48So not only the recipe in itself, but the technique that it takes to make it,

02:52the passion that you must have to really make sure that it is executed right, and then it's just an amazing drink to enjoy.

02:58Huey Long, the governor here, would come here frequently, and that was his drink of choice.

03:03He would buy rounds and rounds for everybody to enjoy.

03:06When he would visit New York City, he would fly the bartenders here from the Sazerac Bar up to New York City

03:12just to teach the bartenders there how to make a proper Ramos Gin Fizz.

03:17Tales of the Cocktail is a collection of the best minds of food and beverage in the world.

03:21To be nominated as a finalist for the top hotel bar in the country,

03:27it shows you that this team has such a deep passion for something of this nature, and they're well deserving.

03:34I think that the high standard of just hospitality, especially food and beverage, is just a core entity of what New Orleans is.

03:40Because our neighbors and everyone else carry themselves at such a high standard,

03:44and we believe that we want to be the best of the best, it only elevates us all.

03:48The rising tide raises all ships, and the community here has done such a great job just elevating the hospitality,

03:54and especially the food and beverage scene, and to highlight that, the cocktail scene.

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