efficient Drinker logo

The Drinks of Mad Men

Home Liquor: Few Wasted Calories. Beware Liqueur… The Drinks of Mad Men

If you’ve ever seen the show, you’re well aware that the Don and the boys like their booze. And the spririts aren’t limited to the men only. The office girls have been known to party and Betty drinks her fair share as well. With all the booze, it’s amazing that Sterling Cooper gets anything done and the ad men stay skinny. Do they drink efficiently or substitue cigarettes for food?

The recipes and proportions are direct from AMC’s site. The serving sizes are probably smaller than modern drinks.

Old Fashioned

Old Fashioned

  • 2 dashes aromatic bitters
  • 1/2 tsp sugar dissolved with water and bitters
  • 1 1/2 oz of Makers Mark bourbon
  • 1 cherry
  • 1 orange slice
  • 1 lemon wedge

When he’s not drinking Canadian Club straight, Don Draper favors the old fashioned, which is filled with Vitamin C and fruitiness to offset its somewhat harsh flavor. Counting the sugar, but not the fruit, this drink comes in at 130 calories and 85% efficiency. Better than just about any beer out there and way cooler to drink. John’s Grill in San Francisco, where much of The Maltese Falcon was set, makes a good one.

Gibson Martini

Gibson Martini

  • 2 1/2 oz Tanquerey Gin
  • 3/4 oz dry vermouth
  • 3-5 cocktail onions

A drink that Roger Sterling, who prefers the clear liquors (Stoli is his go-to), may be seen imbibing, the Gibson’s 99% efficiency is top notch. Clocking in at 180 calories, it’s especially strong too, with as much alcohol as 2.2 Bud Lights. Maybe Roger could switch to something not quite as strong in light of his health issues.

Manhattan

Manhattan

  • 1 3/4 oz bourbon
  • 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
  • dash of aromatic bitters
  • 1 maraschino cherry

155 calories and 85% efficiency isn’t bad. The bitters and cherry were left out of the calculation since the former is a trace amount and the latter technically not part of this drink.

Vodka Gimlet

Vodka Gimlet

  • 1 1/2 oz. Vodka
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • Fresh Lime Wedges

142 calories and 68% efficiency here. The problem is that lime juice used in a bar (like Rose’s Lime Juice) is loaded with calories. Using unsweetened lime juice moves the gimlet into 100% territory, but it probably doesn’t taste nearly as good.

Menu