Cocktail College

The (Re)Missionary's Downfall

Feb 20, 2025

Garret Richard, Chief Cocktail Officer at Sunken Harbor Club and VinePair's Next Wave Awards Bartender of the Year (2024), dives into the enchanting world of tiki cocktails. He discusses the origins of the Missionary's Downfall, blending techniques, and how to elevate cocktail artistry. Learn how kitchen appliances revolutionized cocktail making and discover key ingredients like xanthan gum. Garret also shares the secrets to perfecting frozen drinks and emphasizes the importance of high-quality ice and flavor balance for an extraordinary cocktail experience.

01:27:50

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Episode guests

Garret Richard

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The podcast emphasizes the critical role of high-quality, additive-free ingredients like those used in Patron's tequila in crafting exceptional cocktails.

Blending techniques, as showcased in the Missionary's Downfall, have transformed cocktail culture by enabling lighter, more approachable tropical drinks since the 1930s.

The evolution of cocktail preparation from analog to electric through devices like blenders has revolutionized bartending efficiency and the overall cocktail experience.

Deep dives

The Commitment to Purity in Tequila

The episode emphasizes the importance of using high-quality ingredients when creating cocktails, showcasing Patron's 100% additive-free tequila. It highlights that Patron only uses four key ingredients: Weber Blue Agave, water, yeast, and thyme, reflecting a stringent commitment to purity and craftsmanship. This dedication to transparency in production sets Patron apart in the spirits industry, particularly amid a proliferation of additives in many spirits. The discussion underlines that enjoying cocktails should be a responsible experience, aligning with Patron's ethos of quality and enjoyment.

Intro

4min

The Evolution of Cocktail Culture

13min

The Evolution of Cocktail Innovation

21min

Exploring the Essentials of Xanthan Gum in Culinary Applications

2min

Mastering the Art of Frozen Cocktails

3min

Crafting Perfect Cocktails

17min

Crafting Cocktails with Honey Syrup

6min

Exploring the Missionary's Downfall: A Cocktail Journey

4min

Exploring Cane Spirits and Classic Cocktails

16min

10.

Gratitude and Gifting: A Toast to Tequila

2min

Few tiki and tropical drinks are as light, herbal, and dangerously sessionable as the Missionary’s Downfall. Created by Don the Beachcomber in the 1930s, it’s one of the genre’s earlier recipes and one of the first cocktails to embrace the power of the blender. And it is the blender itself — and proper blending technique — that will primarily be in our crosshairs on today’s episode. Here to lead us on that exploration is returning guest, VinePair Next Wave Awards Bartender of the Year (2024), and Chief Cocktail Officer at Brooklyn's Sunken Harbor Club, Garret Richard. Listen on (or read below) to discover Garret's Missionary's Downfall recipe — and don't forget to like, review, and subscribe!

Garret Richard's Missionary's Downfall Recipe

Ingredients

- 5 drops saline solution

- ½ ounce acid-adjusted pineapple juice* or lime juice

- ½ ounce rich honey syrup (about 3:1 by weight, Florida Orange Blossom or Acacia)

- ½ ounce peach liqueur, such as Giffard Crème de Pêche de Vigne (from freezer)

- ½ ounce RinQuinQuin Peach Aperitif (from freezer)

- 1 ounce white rum, such as Probitas or Havana 3-Year (from freezer)

- 60 grams chopped pineapple chunks (frozen for a day, then taken out of freezer to defrost, and strained)

- 12-13 fresh mint leaves

- 1 ½ cups (170 grams) crushed ice

- ¼ teaspoon Xantham gum