How to Make the
Chicago Fizz Cocktail

Fizz cocktail history goes all the way back to that long lost world of early morning day-drinking with the express purpose of beating out a hangover. Think of the healing properties of Alka-Seltzer and its settling bubbles. In drinks like the Chicago Fizz, you not only get relief from the ole hair of the dog, but also nutrients from the emulsified egg white. So why is it called the Chicago Fizz? Findings for rum and port being associated with Chicago and the midwest are scant at best. Most research indicates Chicago with more of a beer and whiskey heritage and without the more colorful cocktail history like in New York, San Francisco or New Orleans. In fact, finding any specific details on the origins of Chicago Fizz cocktail appearances largely leads to a dead end. It’s documented as a pre-war recipe collected by Albert S. Crockett of New York based Waldorf-Astoria Cocktail Book fame, although not due to his own invention. Crockett specifically calls it “An importation from the Windy City long before bombs, machine guns and sawed-off shotguns had come to disturb its peaceful life.” There’s mention of this Windy City recipe in Old Mr. Boston guides but with no backstory given. It reads like a Pre-Prohibition style of cocktail but doesn’t seem to land in many of the more notable guides of the time. The lack of documented history of Chicago Fizz cocktail appearances is truly somewhat mysterious. Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide lists over 50 different fizzes including the Alabama, Barcelona, Creole, Diamond as well as multiple New Orleans and Ramos Fizzes and even a Texas Fizz but no Chicago Fizz name. In fact, it would seem that the vintage and obscure cocktail known as the Elk’s Own with other aliases such as the Elk’s Club Fizz or Elk’s Special sort of commandeers the identity of the Classic Chicago Fizz, replaces the rum with rye whiskey, omits the soda and adds a pineapple garnish for the complete disguise effect. Poof!