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{{Short description|Alcoholic drink}}
{{Infobox cocktail
| iba =
| name = Brass Monkey
| image =
| caption =
| type = cocktail
| flaming =
| dark rum = yes
| light rum = yes
| served = rocks
| garnish =
| drinkware = highball
| ingredients = *One part [[dark rum]]
*One part [[vodka]]
*One part [[orange juice]]
| prep = Stir together and serve over ice.
| notes =
| footnotes =
}}


'''Brass Monkey''' is a name given to a number of different [[cocktail]] recipes. As with many lesser-known cocktails that are named after [[colloquial]] expressions, there are widely differing recipes that share the same name.
'''Brass Monkey''' is a brand name of pre-mixed [[cocktail]]s made by the [[Heublein Inc.|Heublein Company]]. As with many lesser-known cocktails that are named after [[colloquial]] expressions, widely differing recipes share the same name.


The premixed cocktail labeled Brass Monkey was produced by the [[Heublein Inc.|Heublein Company]] in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Heublein pre-mixed bottled cocktails were fairly inexpensive and provided a portable alternative to regular mixed drinks. Heublein was based in [[Stamford, Connecticut]], and had production facilities in the [[Hartford, Connecticut]] area. The Brass Monkey cocktail was available in bottles from half pint up to 750 mL. At the time that the Brass Monkey cocktail was produced, liquor stores carried mostly beer, wine, and hard alcohol; there were very few premixed alternatives.
In the 1970s, '80s, and '90s, the [[Heublein Inc.|Heublein Company]] produced the premixed cocktail labeled Brass Monkey. Heublein pre-mixed bottled cocktails were fairly inexpensive and provided a portable alternative to regular mixed drinks. Heublein was based in [[Stamford, Connecticut]], and had production facilities in the [[Hartford, Connecticut]], area. The Brass Monkey cocktail was available in bottles from half pint up to 750 ml. During the time Heublein produced Brass Monkey, liquor stores carried mostly beer, wine, and hard alcohol; very few premixed alternatives were available.


The drink was named by Steve Doniger, an advertising executive, after an alleged [[World War II]] [[spy]] named H. E. Rasske. The ad campaign was created by Allan Kaufman, who crafted a series of stories about the spy, using an old photo of his father as the image of Rasske.<ref>[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yGZbyzDov-k/Uq72oBbfegI/AAAAAAAAL34/SXKe2MzySgQ/s1600/Hublein_BrassMonkey1a.jpg Scan of a 1971 magazine advertisement for Heublein's Brass Monkey bottled cocktail]</ref>
Steve Doniger, an advertising executive, named the brand after an alleged [[World War II]] [[spy]] named H. E. Rasske. Allan Kaufman, who crafted a series of stories about the spy, created the ad campaign using an old photo of his father as Rasske’s image.<ref>[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yGZbyzDov-k/Uq72oBbfegI/AAAAAAAAL34/SXKe2MzySgQ/s1600/Hublein_BrassMonkey1a.jpg Scan of a 1971 magazine advertisement for Heublein's Brass Monkey bottled cocktail]</ref>


In 1982, the [[R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company]] acquired Heublein Inc. for $1.4 billion. [[RJR Nabisco]] sold the division to [[Grand Metropolitan]] in 1987. Grand Metropolitan merged with [[Guinness]] to form [[Diageo]] in 1997.
In 1982, the [[R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company]] acquired Heublein Inc. for $1.4 billion. [[RJR Nabisco]] sold the division to [[Grand Metropolitan]] in 1987. Grand Metropolitan merged with [[Guinness]] to form [[Diageo]] in 1997.


Sales and popularity of Heublein's Brass Monkey spirit cocktail increased in the 1980s after the release of the [[Beastie Boys]]'s [[Brass Monkey (song)|song of the same name]]. It was widely and incorrectly believed that the Beastie Boys were referring to a different drink made from a 40-ounce container of malt liquor mixed with orange juice ("forty" is mentioned in the lyrics). However, Mike D has publicly confirmed that the premixed Heublein cocktail was their muse.<ref>https://brokelyn.com/mike-d-says-brass-monkey-liquor-cocktail/</ref>
Sales and popularity of Heublein's Brass Monkey spirit cocktails increased in the 1980s after the release of the [[Beastie Boys]]' [[Brass Monkey (song)|song of the same name]]. It was widely and incorrectly believed that the Beastie Boys were referring to a different drink made from a [[Malt_liquor#Forty-ounce|40-ounce container of malt liquor]] mixed with [[orange juice]] ("forty" is mentioned in the lyrics); however, [[Mike D]] has publicly confirmed that the premixed Heublein cocktail was their inspiration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://brokelyn.com/mike-d-says-brass-monkey-liquor-cocktail/|title = Mike D says you've been wrong about the brass monkey|date = 11 June 2014}}</ref>


After several years of absence from the market the Brass Monkey premixed cocktail has recently been re-released as ''The Club Brass Monkey.'' Produced by The Club Distilling Company of Stamford Ct., Brass Monkey is currently sold in liquor stores along with other premixed alcoholic beverages under the name ''The Club Cocktails'' owned by Diageo.{{citation needed|date=November 2013}}
After several years of absence from the market, the Brass Monkey premixed cocktail reemerged in the late 2000s as ''The Club Brass Monkey'' as part of the ''Club Cocktails'' line of bottled mixed drinks produced by The Club Distilling Company (owned at the time by Diageo) but has since been discontinued.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 04:40, 25 February 2024

Brass Monkey is a brand name of pre-mixed cocktails made by the Heublein Company. As with many lesser-known cocktails that are named after colloquial expressions, widely differing recipes share the same name.

In the 1970s, '80s, and '90s, the Heublein Company produced the premixed cocktail labeled Brass Monkey. Heublein pre-mixed bottled cocktails were fairly inexpensive and provided a portable alternative to regular mixed drinks. Heublein was based in Stamford, Connecticut, and had production facilities in the Hartford, Connecticut, area. The Brass Monkey cocktail was available in bottles from half pint up to 750 ml. During the time Heublein produced Brass Monkey, liquor stores carried mostly beer, wine, and hard alcohol; very few premixed alternatives were available.

Steve Doniger, an advertising executive, named the brand after an alleged World War II spy named H. E. Rasske. Allan Kaufman, who crafted a series of stories about the spy, created the ad campaign using an old photo of his father as Rasske’s image.[1]

In 1982, the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company acquired Heublein Inc. for $1.4 billion. RJR Nabisco sold the division to Grand Metropolitan in 1987. Grand Metropolitan merged with Guinness to form Diageo in 1997.

Sales and popularity of Heublein's Brass Monkey spirit cocktails increased in the 1980s after the release of the Beastie Boys' song of the same name. It was widely and incorrectly believed that the Beastie Boys were referring to a different drink made from a 40-ounce container of malt liquor mixed with orange juice ("forty" is mentioned in the lyrics); however, Mike D has publicly confirmed that the premixed Heublein cocktail was their inspiration.[2]

After several years of absence from the market, the Brass Monkey premixed cocktail reemerged in the late 2000s as The Club Brass Monkey as part of the Club Cocktails line of bottled mixed drinks produced by The Club Distilling Company (owned at the time by Diageo) but has since been discontinued.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Scan of a 1971 magazine advertisement for Heublein's Brass Monkey bottled cocktail
  2. ^ "Mike D says you've been wrong about the brass monkey". 11 June 2014.