The Origins of the Suffering Bastard
Anyone who has stepped foot in a Trader Vic’s has likely spotted a curious cocktail on the menu – the Suffering Bastard. Normally served in a distinctive Mai Tai Joe mug, this Tiki drink is made with a blend of multiple rums, Trader Vic’s Mai Tai mix, lime juice, and a garnish of cucumber peel.
As I discovered, this Tiki version of the Suffering Bastard bore little resemblance to the original creation. Intrigued, I dove deeper into the history of this captivating cocktail and its legendary inventor.
The Suffering Bastard was actually created by Joe Scialom at the Shepheards Hotel in Cairo back in 1942. Scialom was a trained chemist who had discovered that making drinks was far more enjoyable than his previous work. During World War II, the Shepheards Hotel had become a favorite watering hole for British officers and the press corps, and Scialom earned their respect and attention with his multilingual skills and knack for remembering names, faces, and drink preferences.
One day, after hearing British officers complaining about their hangovers, Scialom was inspired to create a cure-all cocktail. He gathered local ingredients and concocted what would become known as the Suffering Bastard. While some versions call for brandy or bourbon, the bourbon iteration seems to have won out in popularity due to its harmonious flavor profile with the other components.
Scialom remained at the Shepheards Hotel until it was destroyed in a 1952 riot. He stayed in Egypt until he was imprisoned on suspicions of espionage and eventually exiled by President Nasser after the Suez Canal crisis. The cocktail’s name was briefly changed to the “Suffering Bar Steward” when customers complained about the vulgarity, but Scialom later restored the original moniker as his adventures took him around the world.
The Bastard’s Travels
Scialom’s life story reads like the plot of a spy novel. After being forced to leave Egypt, he was hired by Conrad Hilton to open a new property in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Hilton then moved him to Havana, Cuba to open a bar there. But Scialom’s time in Cuba was cut short by Castro’s revolution, leading him to spend the remainder of his career opening bars for Hilton all over the globe.
Throughout his worldly wanderings, Scialom created two other “bastard” cocktails – the “Dying Bastard” and the “Dead Bastard” – to serve as companion hangover cures to the original Suffering Bastard. Each one featured its own unique twist on the formula, reflecting the diverse local ingredients Scialom encountered on his far-flung travels.
The Suffering Bastard recipe, as outlined in Esquire Drinks: An Opinionated & Irreverent Guide to Drinking, calls for:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bourbon | 1 oz (30 mL) |
| Gin | 1 oz (30 mL) |
| Lime juice | 1 tsp |
| Angostura bitters | 1 dash |
| Ginger beer | 4 oz (118 mL) |
To prepare, simply shake all the ingredients except the ginger beer with ice, then pour unstrained into a double old-fashioned glass. Stir in the ginger beer and garnish with a mint sprig and orange wedge.
The Legacy of the Suffering Bastard
The Suffering Bastard’s journey is a testament to the power of a well-crafted cocktail to transcend cultures and leave a lasting mark. What started as a simple hangover cure in wartime Cairo evolved into a globetrotting legend, its name and recipe morphing with each new location Scialom encountered.
Though the Tiki version at Trader Vic’s may not be true to the original, it still captures the spirit of adventure and innovation that defined Scialom’s life. And who knows – the next time you find yourself in need of a hair-of-the-dog remedy, you might just order a Suffering Bastard and imagine the wild ride it’s been on.
The Thrill of the Hunt
Of course, the true aficionado doesn’t just order a Suffering Bastard – they seek out the perfect pour at their local speakeasy or hidden gem of a bar. The hunt for rare, forgotten, or unique cocktails is part of the allure for many spirit enthusiasts.
For me, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of discovering a new (or old) cocktail that captures my imagination. Whether it’s the backstory, the unusual ingredients, or the sheer artistry of the presentation, certain drinks have a way of sparking my curiosity and transporting me to another time and place.
Take the Negroni, for example. This classic Italian aperitif may seem ubiquitous today, but its origins trace back to 1919 when Count Camillo Negroni asked his bartender to strengthen his Americano by replacing the soda water with gin. The result was a bold, bitter, and immensely satisfying concoction that has endured as a beloved favorite for over a century.
Or consider the Singapore Sling, that vibrant, fruity gin-based cocktail that was first poured at Raffles Hotel in 1915. Its recipe has evolved over the decades, but the core flavors – pineapple, cherry, and herbaceous botanicals – evoke the tropical allure of its namesake city.
The Spirit of Adventure
What I love most about the world of spirits is the sense of adventure it inspires. Each bottle, each cocktail, has a story waiting to be uncovered – a history of exploration, innovation, and artistry that stretches back centuries. Whether it’s tracing the origins of a classic like the Manhattan or discovering an obscure regional liqueur, there’s always more to learn and savor.
And that’s why I keep coming back to the bar, glass in hand, eager to embark on my next cocktail journey. Who knows what hidden gems I might uncover, what long-forgotten recipes I might revive, or what new flavor combinations might captivate my senses? The only way to find out is to dive in, one sip at a time.
So here’s to the spirit of adventure, the thrill of the hunt, and the myriad delights that await in the world of cocktails. Cheers!
