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Cocktail History
The Midnight Stinger is a a modern cocktail that was created by Sam Ross of Attaboy in New York City, New York. It’s a variation of the iconic Stinger that turns the original into a Whiskey Sour by substituting whiskey in place of the classic brandy and adding citrus juice, sugar, and the bitter amaro Fernet-Branca.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% rye grain, malted barley, corn, and water. We used Bespoken Spirits 100-Proof Rye Whiskey because it has a nice whiskey flavor with warm, calming quality. For a mocktail version of this drink, try The Gospel Responsible Rye Non-Alcoholic Whiskey in place of the whiskey.
Fernet-Branca: This is an amaro made in Italy with gentian, aloe, herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Harmony Alpine Digestif in place of the amaro.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Mint Sprig: This is an herb. We used Mojito mint.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We 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. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
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Tasting Notes
The Midnight Stinger starts with strong aromas of cool mint, has a citrus-forward taste featuring the rye’s strength and spiciness along with the amaro’s herbal bitter notes, and goes down with a burst of sweetness and Fernet’s bouquet of flavors left in the throat.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Fernet-Branca can be overbearing in some cocktails, but the Midnight Stinger manages to tame it perfectly, lending its unique flavors but only a palatable hint of its bitterness. We both loved this drink! Alex even marked his calendar with the milestone of the first Fernet-Branca drink Kendall truly enjoyed too.
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“It’s been a long time since we tried the original Stinger, so I don’t really remember much about it other than that it was simple to make. Although meant to be a variation of the classic Stinger, this cocktail is quite different since it’s made with whiskey instead of brandy and omits crème de menthe altogether. I do believe I prefer this one even with the added bitterness of Fernet-Branca though. Alex made a version with Fernet-Branca Menta so it would be more similar to the original Stinger, which he really liked, but I personally found it to be too minty and liked the true Midnight Stinger a bit more. It’s quite balanced and tastes like rye with a hint of mint. I would drink this again.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.
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 2024-10-14.
Midnight Stinger
The Midnight Stinger is a a modern cocktail that was created by Sam Ross of Attaboy in New York City, New York. It’s a variation of the iconic Stinger that turns the original into a Whiskey Sour by substituting whiskey in place of the classic brandy and adding citrus juice, sugar, and the bitter amaro Fernet-Branca.
Ingredients
Method
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Add whiskey, Fernet-Branca, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a lowball glass over fresh crushed ice.
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Garnish with mint sprig.
