Gunner (cocktail)

Last updated

A gunner is a cocktail served in clubs, bars, golf clubs, especially those popular with expats, in Singapore, Hong Kong and other parts of the Far East and India formerly under British colonial rule. It consists of equal parts ginger beer and ginger ale with a dash of Angostura bitters and sometimes a measure of lime cordial or lemon juice. [1] It is regarded as a non-alcoholic drink, although Angostura bitters is 44.7% alcohol by volume. It is noted for its refreshing qualities, especially in warm weather. [2]

It was invented by Ewen Fergusson and Robert Renton at the Singapore Golf Club, now part of the Singapore Island Country Club.

The gunner has been described as "the only real Hong Kong cocktail". [3]

Related drinks (or possibly alternative names) also known in Hong Kong as a "Gunners": Malawi shandy, rock shandy, [4] Windermere, Lemon, Lime and Bitters.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gin and tonic</span> Mixer made with gin and tonic water

A gin and tonic is a highball cocktail made with gin and tonic water poured over a large amount of ice. The ratio of gin to tonic varies according to taste, strength of the gin, other drink mixers being added, etc., with most recipes calling for a ratio between 1:1 and 1:3. It is usually garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. To preserve effervescence, the tonic can be poured down a bar spoon. The ice cools the gin, dulling the effect of the alcohol in the mouth and making the drink more pleasant and refreshing to taste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manhattan (cocktail)</span> Cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters

A Manhattan is a cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. While rye is the traditional whiskey of choice, other commonly used whiskies include Canadian whisky, bourbon, blended whiskey, and Tennessee whiskey. The cocktail is usually stirred with ice then strained into a chilled cocktail glass and garnished traditionally with a maraschino cherry. A Manhattan may also be served on the rocks in a lowball glass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old fashioned (cocktail)</span> Cocktail made with whiskey, bitters and sugar

The old fashioned is a cocktail made by muddling sugar with bitters and water, adding whiskey or sometimes brandy, and garnishing with an orange slice or zest and a cocktail cherry. It is traditionally served with ice in an old fashioned glass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moscow mule</span> Cocktail

A Moscow mule is a cocktail made with vodka, ginger beer and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime, and a sprig of mint. The drink, being a type of buck, is sometimes called vodka buck. It is popularly served in a copper mug, which takes on the cold temperature of the liquid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore sling</span> Cocktail with gin and cherry liqueur

The Singapore sling is a gin-based sling cocktail from Singapore. This long drink was developed in 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel, Singapore. It was initially called the gin sling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punch (drink)</span> Drink containing fruit or fruit juice

The term punch refers to a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruits or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. Punch is usually served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angostura bitters</span> Concentrated bitters made of water, alcohol, herbs and spices

Angostura bitters is a concentrated bitters based on gentian, herbs, and spices, produced by House of Angostura in Trinidad and Tobago. It is typically used for flavouring beverages, or less often, food. The bitters were first produced in the town of Angostura, hence the name, but do not contain angostura bark. The bottle is recognisable by its distinctive oversized label and yellow cap. Angostura is Spanish for "narrowing", the town of Angostura having been at the first narrowing of the Orinoco River.

<i>The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks</i> 1948 book about cocktails

The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks is a book about cocktails by David A. Embury, first published in 1948. The book is noteworthy for its witty, highly opinionated and conversational tone, as well as its categorization of cocktails into two main types: aromatic and sour; its categorization of ingredients into three categories: the base, modifying agents, and special flavorings and coloring agents; and its 1:2:8 ratio for sour type cocktails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beer cocktail</span> Cocktail made by mixing beer with a distilled beverage

A beer cocktail is a cocktail that is made by mixing beer with other ingredients or another style of beer. In this type of cocktail, the primary ingredient is usually beer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cocktail garnish</span> Decorative element added to a drink

Cocktail garnishes are decorative ornaments that add character or style to a mixed drink, most notably to cocktails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandy sour</span> Alcoholic cocktail

The brandy sour is a mixed alcoholic cocktail considered the unofficial national cocktail of Cyprus. While other forms of the brandy sour cocktail exist, the Cypriot variety is a distinct mixture, which only shares the basic brandy and lemon flavourings with other variants. Both brandy and lemons are among Cyprus's major exports, and both have distinctive Cypriot characteristics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lemon, lime and bitters</span> Mixed drink of lemonade, lime juice and bitters

Lemon, lime and bitters (LLB) is a mixed drink made with clear lemonade, lime cordial, and bitters. The drink may have been invented in Australia as late as the 1880s with the addition of lime to lemonade and bitters, an existing home remedy drink. Today it has been described by the national broadcaster as "Australia's national drink" due to its ubiquity on restaurant menus and availability as a pre-mixed beverage.

A long vodka is a vodka-based cocktail, popular throughout Scotland and known to be served in some parts of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sling (drink)</span> Type of cocktail

A sling is a drink historically made with sugar, hot or cold water, nutmeg, and a spirit such as gin, whiskey, rum, or brandy. In its modern form, it is made with gin and, varyingly, of ingredients such as sweet vermouth, lemon juice, simple syrup, Angostura bitters, and soda water. Some sources suggest the word sling comes from the German schlingen, meaning "to swallow fast". The Oxford English Dictionary says that the origin is uncertain.

A horsefeather is a whiskey cocktail. It was popularized in Lawrence, Kansas, in the 1990s. It remains a regional drink in the Kansas City region. The drink is an iteration of the classic horse's neck cocktail and is similar to a Moscow mule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chapman (drink)</span> Non-alcoholic beverage from Nigeria

Chapman is a non-alcoholic drink, usually red in colour. Often referred to as a non-alcoholic punch, it is traditionally made with a mix of Fanta, Sprite, Cucumber, Lemon, Grenadine and Angostura bitters and is traditionally served in a large mug with ice and a few slices of cucumber. It is often described as Nigeria's favourite drink and though predominantly served without alcohol, it can also be served with a hint of vodka or rum.

A Boomerang cocktail is a specific cocktail dating back to the early 20th century. In the 21st century, it may also be a reference to cocktails that bartenders illegally shuttle back and forth between bars as a way of sharing experimentation or building comradery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whiskey cocktail</span> Variety of cocktails made with whiskey

A whiskey cocktail is a cocktail that includes whiskey. Although whiskey is often served neat or on the rocks, it is used in many classic cocktails such as the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Julep. Some specifically call for Scotch whisky or bourbon whiskey.

References

  1. The Sweeter Side of Bitters, Asia Tatler, Lynn Fung, 24 May 2010
  2. Cocktails - A quick shake up Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine , Wine & Dine magazine
  3. The Spirited Traveller: A view to a cocktail in Hong Kong, Reuters.com, 4 July 2011
  4. Rock Shandy or Gunner, recipebridge.com