A shot of vodka, a shot of whiskey, sweet-and-sour mix, a couple of ounces of orange juice, and a cherry and an orange slice to top it off.
You must recognize it. The Black-eyed Susan has been the Preakness Stakes' official cocktail since time immemorial; at least since the '50s, estimates Pimlico historian Joe Kelly.
The drink has not stayed stale. Its creators have reinvented it several over the years. The recipe above is the current mix: 3/4 oz. 42 Below Vodka, 11/4 -ounce Early Times Kentucky Whiskey, 3-oz. sweet-and-sour mix, 2 oz. orange juice, and to garnish, an orange slice, cherry and stirrer.
But for as long as it's been around, people have complained about dear old Susan. It's "equal parts of rum, vodka, fruit juice and bad judgment," reporter Rob Kasper likes to say. Back in 1985, he ran a contest to replace it with something else.
And yet the Black-Eyed Susan's reign continues unabated. Well, it's time for a coup.
In a long-shot appeal to the Maryland Jockey Club to replace a cocktail that's run one too many laps, we asked five of Baltimore's best mixologists and bartenders to come up with a new official Preakness drink. Their instructions were simple: Come up with a cocktail that's refreshing in warm weather, simple to make and inspired by the historic race.
It's not like there isn't precedent. The White Carnation had been the official cocktail of the Belmont Stakes for years, until master mixologist Dale DeGroff suggested a change to his version of whiskey punch, which he called the Belmont Breeze. It's now been the race's drink of choice for 13 years.
Here's hoping Preakness will follow suit.
B&O American Brasserie
The Black-Eyed Susan was always meant to be a simple drink, something invigorating but easy to drink while watching the race. But that's precisely its problem, says B&O American Brasserie's Brendan Dorr.
"It's a nothing drink," he says.
It consists of too-simple ingredients. And, he says, "it came at a time when quality ingredients were less available."
Now, bartenders have better resources. His recipe suggests a respect for the original recipe, but improves upon it with more gourmet, and natch, pricier, ingredients. It is citrusy and heavy on the rum.
Dorr started out working off the original recipe, which called for light rum, but decided to switch to Flor de Cana, a classic dark rum. He mixes that with a liqueur flavored with cherries — Luxardo Maraschino, which can start at a little over $25 a bottle.
To counter the sweetness, he drops two dashes of orange bitters, then slowly drips aromatic agave nectar into the mixing glass. He adds orange juice, as in a classic Susan, and finishes it off with both grapefruit and lime juice. It is served in a highball glass with ice.
"It exudes summertime," he says. "It's easy that anyone can make it, but it has a little something extra."
Cost: $9.
B&O American Brasserie is at 2 N. Charles St. Call 443-692-6172 or http://www.bandorestaurant.com.
Bad Decisions
Fells Points' Bad Decisions is known for its classic cocktails. Owner and bartender John Reusing prefers old-timey ingredients and drinks. At his bar, the Black-Eyed Susan is not just served in May.
"I actually sell it here year-round," he says.
He says the cocktail is one for lovers of sweet drinks, the same kind of people who appreciate whiskey sours.
His problem with the traditional cocktail is the way it's usually served at the tracks, with low-end whiskey and orange and pineapple juice from the guns.
For his recipe, he kept a similar taste profile to the original recipe, and the ingredients local, top-shelf, and strong. "It's an up drink," he says. "A little stronger than the classic."
The Sweet Sassy Susan might be something to drink at home unless you want to become this year's rowdiest infield attendee.
Reusing starts with a Virginia rye, Catoctin Creek, and follows up with a sweet aperitif, Cointreau, though any triple sec is also a good option.
To give the recipe a distinct aroma, he adds a hint of orange-blossom water, which used to be a cocktail staple decades ago, but is now only available in ethnic, mainly Middle Eastern, markets.
Those ingredients are mixed with lemon bitters to add to the citrusy flavor profile, and a homemade sweet-and-sour mix.
He suggests stirring instead shaking for a better, cleaner presentation. At Bad Decisions, he would top it off with a cherry that's been soaking in whiskey for a year. Because Reusing's is a top-heavy cocktail, he recommends inviting friends over.
"You could whip up a batch and grab people," he says. "You could definitely make that in a big pitcher and pour for serving."
Cost: $8
Bad Decisions is at 1928 Fleet St.. Call 410-979-5161 or go to http://www.makeabaddecision.com
Holy Frijoles
When Holy Frijoles bartender and manager Aylen Beazley-Maquehue was tasked with creating a new Preakness cocktail, she looked to the Black-Eyed Susan for inspiration.
Beazley-Maquehue, who has worked at the Hampden Mexican restaurant and bar for three years, came up with the Black-Eyed Cacti, a two-toned concoction made with vodka, tequila, sour mix, pineapple juice and Blue Curacao.
Served in a martini glass, the Black-Eyed Cacti is a layered drink — light green on top, ocean blue underneath, with a blackberry all the way at the bottom (that's the black eye).
Give it a swirl before drinking, Beazley-Maquehue suggests, which mixes the two liquors and gives the drink a darker greenish hue. It has a smooth, slightly sweet first impression, with a little bite at the end.
"It's boozy but refreshing," Beazley-Maquehue said. "It's an elegant, grown-up drink. It's sexy."
Cost: $6 with rail liquors, $9 for top shelf.
Holy Frijoles is at 908 W. 36th St. Call 410-235-2326 or go to holyfrijoles.net.
Idle Hour
Idle Hour's Randal Etheridge has nothing against the Black-Eyed Susan. He's never even had one. But its simple makeup leaves something to be desired, he says.
It's not that the cocktail should have a grocery list of ingredients, but those it has should be surprising.
For his recipe, he vetoed whiskey, for instance. "Pikesville Rye seemed appropriate," he says.
The rest of the recipe has actually the fewest ingredients of the bunch, just four basic components.
While he was creating it, he says he kept in mind the race's roots, and also that the drink would be had in warm weather.
The Pikesville Palomino, named for its butterscotch color, is also the lightest cocktail of the five. And while it's locally inspired, it bears several trademarks of the bar — not just Pikesville Rye, but Chartreuse, a liqueur they're famous for serving.
To make his Pikesville Palomino, Etheridge first mixes the chartreuse and rye. He then adds a splash of pineapple juice and lemon juice, which is what give the drink its lightness. As an afterthought, he fills the glass with club soda.
"It goes down really easily," he sais. "It would be easy to drink a bunch of these while watching the ponies."
Cost: $6
Idle Hour is at 201 E. Fort Ave. Call 410-468-0357.
Vino Rosina
Tiffany Haleamau has never been to the Preakness, but she has an appreciation for its history.
For her recipe, she decided to use classic ingredients that would evoke the race's past.
Its main ingredient is gin. "I think of gin as old-timey," she says.
Her breezy Harbor East bar, where she is general manager, is known for its fresh fruit-infused cocktails, and her Ginger Blossom for Preakness is no different. She infused it with ginger because the two ingredients are very aromatic. Ginger is also widely available, while other infusions normally require a lot of work. "Anyone can do this at home," she says.
For the home bartender, she recommends a minimum two-day infusion.
Haleaman's cocktails also have a strong floral profile. The gin-ginger mix is followed up with an elderflower liqueur, St. Germain, and will be garnished with edible pansies.
"It's light, refreshing, very celebratory," she says. Just what the races call for.
Cost: $10.50.
Vino Rosina is at 507 S. Exeter St. Call 410-528-8600 or go to http://www.vinorosina.com.
Animal Kingdom
1 1/4 ounces Flor de Cana 7-Year Rum
1/2 ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
3/4 ounce agave nectar
1 ounce fresh squeezed red grapefruit juice
1 ounce fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
2 dashes Bitter Truth Orange Bitters
Garnish: wedge of orange and a brandied cherry
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice and shake with vigor. Strain into an ice-filled highball. Garnish with a wedge of orange and a brandied cherry.
Courtesy of Brendan Dorr, B&O American Brasserie
Sweet, Sassy Susan
1 1/2 ounces good rye whiskey (I prefer Catoctin Creek)
1/2 ounce triphilum triple sec or cointreau if that is unavailable
1/2 ouncefresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Dash of lemon bitters
Stir all ingredients in an ice filled cocktail shaker. Do not shake. Strain into a martini glass that has been garnished with a whiskey-soaked cherry and three paper-thin orange slices to look like the petals of a flower.
Courtesy of John Reusing, Bad Decisions
Black-Eyed Cacti
2 1/2 ounces vodka
1 ounce tequila
1/4 ounce Blue Curacao
1 part sour mix
1 part pineapple juice
1 blackberry
1 lemon slice
Mix the vodka, tequila and sour mix in a shaker and pour into a chilled martini glass. Drop a blackberry at the bottom, and ease the Blue Curacao down the side of the glass, so that it settles at the bottom. Garnish with a lemon slice and serve. Swirl with a straw before drinking.
Courtesy of Aylen Beazley-Maquehue, Holy Frijoles
Pikesville Palomino
2 ounces Pikesville Rye Whiskey
1 ounces Yellow Chartreuse
Splash of pineapple juice
Lemon juice
Shake ingredients with ice. Pour all into a cocktail glass. Finish with club soda and a slice of lemon.
Courtesy Randal Etheridge, Idle Hour
Ginger Blossom
2 ounces Sapphire Gin
1/2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 ounce Sparkling Moscato d'Asti, Umberto Fiore
Splash Aperol
1 4-inch piece ginger root
1 edible pansy
Peel ginger and slice into thin pieces. Put directly into Sapphire gin. Let infuse for a minimum of two days. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add Sapphire and St. Germain; shake. Add a splash of Aperol to the bottom of a chilled martini glass. Pour shaker into glass. Top off with Moscato (can be substituted for an alternate sweet moscato). Garnish with a floating edible pansy.
Courtesy of Tiffany Haleamau, Vina Rosina