Are Cocktails just for Girls?

There are many unspoken rules in life and one seems to go that a man should not drink, or at the very least, not order, certain cocktails. This rule follows that the Cosmopolitan cocktail,Strawberry Margarita, Appletini, Tequila Sunrise, WooWoo, Sea Breeze, and a whole host of other popular cocktails, are all off-the-menu for any self-respecting male, with the guaranteed penalty of much derision from their mates! Although this may well be the case, it leads us to a bigger question as to whether cocktails as a whole are viewed almost exclusively as a “female thing” comfortably nestled right up there with cupcakes, doing lunch and shoes. One could argue that, with their array of bright colours, extravagant cocktail garnishes and elaborate glassware, cocktails have undoubtedly tended to lend themselves more to female sensibilities than to male ones, however the reality still remains that many of the classic mixed drinks were created by male mixologists and often for male tastes.

The portrayal of cocktails in the media has had a big influence on cocktails steer towards the fairer sex, in particular the continual reference of the Cosmopolitan cocktail in the hugely successful Sex in the City TV series, which made cocktails the drink of choice for a certain demograph during its airing. Cocktail recipes have also become prevalent in women`s magazines, with a big trend towards trying to recreate the taste of a certain dessert or confectionery in a new cocktail, Creme Brulee Martini anyone? Having said all that, there have been examples in the media that have undoubtedly advanced the male effort in taking its place alongside the lades in Cocktail Culture. The most powerful Cocktail Ambassador must be the fearless & suave James Bond and his love of the classic Martini, prepared just how he likes it –shaken not stirred. Another example can be seen with the Manhattan cocktail, often documented on TV and in the movies as the favourite tipple of the Mafia mobsters, known for their toughness and alpha maleness, amonst other things.Furthermore, in the highly successful Mad Men series the male advertising execs are seen continually sipping on 1960s-style cocktails. The setting for the programme is a macho and powerful world, ripe with tiki drinks, martinis and the Old Fashioned.

I caught up with mixologist and the man behind the excellent freepour.blogspot, Dave Meadows, to get his views on whether cocktails were still viewed predominantly within female arena or whether this was something that was changing:

In my opinion, modern day popular culture has turned cocktail trends into a “girly” concept. Movies and TV shows that feature girls/women sitting around drinking a cosmopolitan cocktail or sipping on Pina Colada’s garnished with giant pineapple pieces and umbrellas. This is what most men think cocktails are all about, but they couldn’t be more wrong. If we go back to prohibition years and before, it was common to see men drinking Rob Roys, Old Fashioned’s, Sidecar’s etc. These scotch, bourbon, cognac cocktails seemed to appeal (and still do) to many men. 

How do we get the girly perception out of the male mind? Well… it starts with your local bartender. Talk to the male customers, find out their favourite spirit. If they like whisky, vodka, rum, tequila, brandy… It doesn’t matter, there is a cocktail out there that suits the average male. Another important point is the glassware. Most men like their cocktails in a “manly” looking glass. It might be a highball or a rocks glass, but basically nothing with a stem seems to be the rule of thumb. 

And last but not least… No garnish on the rim of the glass for the boys. Girls like pretty cocktail garnishes… Men just want the drink. Cocktail drinking is forever becoming more popular, so i believe as time goes on, this perception will certainly change.