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Cocktail History
The Hoop La is a classic cocktail that was created by Harry Craddock and was first published in his 1930 recipe book The Savoy Cocktail Book. Named for the British ring toss game often seen at the fair, the original recipe called for brandy, triple sec, lemon, and Kina Lillet, but the quinine-flavored liqueur was discontinued in the 1980s, so bartenders now substitute it for Cocchi Americano instead.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Cognac: This is a type of brandy made in Cognac, France with distilled white wine. The recipe calls for Cognac, but I used Driftless Glen Distillery 5 Year Reserve Brandy.
Triple Sec: This is a liqueur made with bitter oranges, lemons, sugar, and alcohol. I used Cointreau.
Cocchi Americano: This is an apéritif made with wine, citrus, honey, spices, sugar, and alcohol.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Lemon Twist: This is the peel of a lemon that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Yellow color
• Aroma: Orange and herbs
• Taste: Bright citrus flavor accented with spiced brandy
• Finish: Subtle wine, citrus, and honey
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “This is one of those cocktails that made me wonder how I’d gone my entire life without ever hearing about it. Although not extremely complex or hard to make, the Hoop La is very tasty for what it is and would be especially refreshing on a warm summer day.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-13.
Hoop La
The Hoop La is a classic cocktail that was created by Harry Craddock and was first published in his 1930 recipe book The Savoy Cocktail Book. Named for the British ring toss game often seen at the fair, the original recipe called for brandy, triple sec, lemon, and Kina Lillet, but the quinine-flavored liqueur was discontinued in the 1980s, so bartenders now substitute it for Cocchi Americano instead.
Ingredients
Method
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Add brandy, triple sec, Cocchi Americano, lemon juice, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
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Garnish with lemon twist.
