Sharkbait’s Cocktail of the Week: Ward 8

Rigged elections? Cheating? In Boston? Shocking, I know. But that is how the Ward 8 was born. The drink was named after Boston’s 8th Ward, which was located in the neighborhood now known as the West End. A bar called the Locke-Ober created the drink in 1898 in homage to a longtime political boss named Martin Lomasney. Lomasney basically ran Boston’s 8th ward for decades, and used his power and influence to remain in charge and eventually win his seat in the Commonwealth Legislature, with the 8th ward delivering him the victory. The Locke-Ober, in a nod to the “fair” election that had just taken place, invented the cocktail and named it for the home ward of Lomasney.

Unfortunately, the Locke-Ober closed its doors in 2012, but its invention lives on. Recipe from Liquor.com:

2 oz. Rye

1/2 oz. Lemon juice

1/2 oz. Orange juice

2 tsp. Grenadine

2 Speared cherries to garnish

Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

This drink starts off sweet, but finishes on a sour note, coming from the (ideally fresh) lemon juice and the acidity of the orange juice. The linked recipe used too much grenadine for my liking. The wikipedia article on the drink is essentially the same recipe as the first version I made, but with half the grenadine. I prefer the recipe with half the grenadine. The citrus/sour flavor is more prominent. With both recipes, the whiskey doesn’t make it’s presence known up front, but a few sips in you can tell what the base spirit is for sure. The cherries for garnish I could take or leave, they didn’t add much to the party and I omitted them entirely for the second recipe.

 

(Banner image & second recipe found here)

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Sharkbait
Sharkbait has not actually been bitten by a shark, but has told people in bars that he was for free drinks. Married to a Giants fan, he enjoys whisk(e)y, cooking, the Rangers, and the Patriots.
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ballsofsteelandfury

This sounds really refreshing and good. I refuse to believe it came from Boston.

Porky Prime

I just read that Indiana approved an $800 million arena upgrade bribe to keep the Pacers in Humpville. Because when your state is 42nd in education, it’s best to throw money at an historically middling 2nd tier NBA punching bag when your ass is still sore because of the TWO football stadiums you’re still paying for.

Horatio Cornblower

Please don’t refer to sore asses near Mike Pence.

BrettFavresColonoscopy

This drink starts off sweet, but finishes on a sour note

Just like my junior prom

The Right Reverend Electric Mayhem

I prefer the Ward Cleaver, which is 4 parts grain alcohol and 1 part orange juice, garnished with Barbara Billingsley’s pubic hair.

Porky Prime

Hang loose, blood.

SonOfSpam

My mama didn’t raise no dummies, I dug her rap.

yeah right

This mofo butter layin’ me to da bone! Jacking me up!

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

And this is actually quite educational; I always assumed a Ward 8 was a New Orleans drink.

SonOfSpam

That’s a Ward 10. More water than one would normally enjoy.

BrettFavresColonoscopy

/puts on pedant hat

Wasn’t it the lower 9th ward?

/keeps wearing pedant hat forever

SonOfSpam

Technically, yes, you’re correct, but also, in another way, I was wrong.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

My killjoy wife just turned up her nose at the prospect of “breakfast wine”. Maybe I’ll make her one of these instead.