BRANDY DAISY

The Brandy Daisy: The 1870s Sour That Inspired the Margarita

The brandy daisy is a cocktail which first gained popularity in the late 19th century, with one of the earliest known recipes published in 1876 in the second edition of Jerry Thomas's The Bartenders Guide Wikipedia. The Brandy Daisy appears in the 2nd (1887) edition of Jerry Thomas' Bar-Tender's Guide and then the 2nd (1888) edition of Harry Johnson's Bartenders Manual, with both bartenders omitting Daisies from their first editions Difford's Guide.

Fresh citrus—typically lemon juice, but occasionally orange or lime juice—is common throughout most daisy recipes, with liqueurs or cordials also figuring prominently, ranging from Curaçao to maraschino or yellow Chartreuse Wikipedia. The daisy was the forerunner to other popular cocktails, notably the sidecar from around the end of World War I, and the margarita during the late 1930s and early 1940s Wikipedia.

The Daisy family of cocktails represents a significant evolution in mixology, combining the structure of a sour with the refreshment of carbonation. These drinks established the template for spirit-forward citrus cocktails that would dominate the twentieth century.

RECIPE:

2 oz brandy

¾ oz fresh lemon juice

½ oz orange curaçao or Yellow Chartreuse

¼ oz simple syrup

Splash of soda water

Method:

1. Add brandy, lemon juice, liqueur, and simple syrup to shaker with ice

2. Shake well until chilled

3. Strain into glass over fresh ice

4. Top with soda water

5. Garnish with lemon twist