[10], The spirit won a Grand Gold Medal at the Monde Selection in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012 and the "Chairman's Award" in the Liqueur category at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2010.[11][12]. Note: You can hide this box under "Theme>Theme Options>Automation [Editor Only]". Robert Cooper was a businessman who built his company on humility, positive thinking, collaboration, a creative approach to problem solving. He was 39. Brown at the time trained primarily as a sommelier, and there to improve his skills behind the stick says he and Cooper shared a bond: Neither of us were very good bartenders. (Both initially failed a practical component of the program and had to make it up later. Photo courtesy of Cooper Spirits Company, used with permission. St-Germain has grown to become one of the most valuable bottles in a bartenders arsenal. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He is survived by his wife, the former Kaitrin Cramm, and their two children, William and Charlotte. Furthermore, St-Germains multitude of complex flavors allows for mixologists and novices alike to experiment with it, leading to its nickname, the bartenders ketchup or the ketchup of liqueurs.. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. A vague, anti-drag bill in Tennessee has bar and restaurant owners worried for their future, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Creator of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur Dead at39. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA. Back in 2007, Cooper launched St. Germain, packaged in a distinctive Art Deco-style bottle which found instant success. Top with the club soda or seltzer, as needed to fill. This gave Cooper an in to introduce mixologists to St-Germain, which was instantly a hit. The effort was met with scrutiny by his father Norton "Sky" Cooper (the inventor of Chambord), forcing Robert to launch the Cooper Spirits Company in 2006. He didnt fail. St-Germain (now wholly owned by Bacardi), an artisanal French liqueur made from fresh elderflower blossoms. It had behind it the passion and energy of Robert Cooper, who at the time was only in his early 30s. The cause of his death is so far unknown. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox. He grew his spirits portfolio into the whiskey category with Lock Stock & Barrel, a fine 13-year-old straight rye. Paul W St Germain, age 54. If a drink lacked mystery, if a drink lacked that certain je ne sais quoi, for a while St-Germain was a bars cure-all, so common a source of drink-patching that industry folks began to refer to it affectionately as bartenders ketchup., You hear that all the time, bartenders ketchup, and its just so true. If your site doesn't have a Weebly "Blog" page, then create a new "Blog" page. Anticipating high sales, Cooper purchased a number of barrels of Canadian rye and aged them for 13 years before releasing Lock Stock & Barrel in 2013. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Robert St Germain We found 100+ records for Robert St Germain in FL, VA and 33 other states. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. It's no understatement to call him a genius or pioneer (as other. St-Germain has received nearly every major accolade in the spirits industry, and has been hailed as one of the most influential cocktail components of the last decade by the New York Times. ), Now the owner of multiple D.C. bars and the president of beverage consultancy Drink Company, Brown says St-Germains success was hugely due to Coopers dogged work. In news that has shocked the global spirits community, Robert J. Cooper, St-Germain founder, has passed away aged just 39. That company introduced the raspberry liqueur Chambord domestically and later sold it to Brown-Forman. The flowers are all picked in the mornings, when temperatures are at their lowest. Cooper introduced St. Germain in 2007, and its timing could not have been better. Coopers other cocktail creations included Crme Yvette liqueur and Hochstadters Slow & Low, a throwback to the Rock & Rye, a 19th-century cocktail of rye sweetened with rock candy. A mix of the liqueur, champagne and sparkling water garnished with a lemon twist, its being raised by tipplers around the world to toast a force in the cocktail and spirits world and his most famous creation. Those who had the pleasure of meeting him noted his kind personality. The Weird (and Wired) Truth Behind Whats Really in Coca-Cola, Why Coca-Cola contracts with a chemical company to manufacture cocaine in New Jersey, Robert J. Cooper, 39, Creator of St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Dies [NY Times], one of the most influential new cocktail ingredients of the past decade, Liquid Deaths New Tea Tallboys Are Coming for AriZonas Neck, If You Took the Drag Away, Then Its Just Another Boring Bar, How to Make Misis Iconic Ricotta-Filled Occhi Pasta. [3][4] The brand was named after Saint-Germain-des-Prs, and the bottle shape is influenced by Art Deco motifs associated with the Belle poque history of this area. St-Germain The native New Yorker passed away Monday in. interview. Now owned by Bacardi Limited, St-Germain is one of the most commonly used liqueurs in the world and even garnered a host of media attention after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle . The comments below have not been moderated, By The native New Yorker passed away Monday in Santa Barbara, Calif. His death was confirmed Thursday by the New York Times, though the cause was not known. By his account, his father, Norton J. Cooper, gave him the cold shoulder when he suggested creating an elderflower liqueur like the ones he had encountered in bars in London. Mr. Cooper attributed his success in part to timing. In 2007, Cooper launched the elderflower liqueur, similar to ones he had seen in London, and by 2008, bartenders across the country considered it a staple of their repertoire. , updated Crme Yvettes production halted in 1969 but relaunched to the liqueur market in 2010. St-Germain was created by Robert Cooper, the son of Chambord inventor Norton "Sky" Cooper. The death of Robert J. Cooper, the creator of elderflower liqueur St-Germain, is tough news for cocktail lovers everywhere. When Cooper unveiled his new idea to his father, also a liqueur magnate, he was convinced the idea was a non-starter. [8], In 2016, Robert Cooper died at the age of 39. In 2006 Cooper introduced the burgeoning cocktail industry to his new liqueur and it quickly became known as 'bartenders' ketchup' because of its popularity. Stir gently to incorporate.2. Best Match Powered by Whitepages Premium AGE 70s Robert Germain Leesburg, FL Aliases Robert Thomas St Germaine Robert Thomas St Germain View Full Report Addresses St-Germain was invented by distiller Robert Cooper and launched in 2007 by Cooper Spirits Co, founded in 2006 and headquartered in New York. Robert J. Cooper, whose unusual elderflower liqueur, St-Germain, introduced in 2007, was so completely embraced by the cocktail community that it became known as bartenders ketchup, died Monday in Santa Barbara. All things ebb and flow.. He was an avid surfer and loved collecting esoteric wines from obscure regions. Though he had never viewed elderflower as a cocktail ingredient, the floral concoction changed his perspective. It had behind it the passion and energy of Robert Cooper, who at the time was only in his early 30s. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He was 39 years old. St-Germain was created by Robert Cooper, the son of Chambord inventor Norton Sky Cooper. Years later, he pops up in the court of French king Louis XV but, after a brief bout with serious political influence and infighting, he fled back to England. Cooper died April 25 in California at the age of 39, leaving behind a wife and two children; the cause of his death has not been released. Already connected with a vast network of liquor and liqueur producers due to his familial relationships, Cooper decided to explore the possibility of creating his own elderflower liqueur. St-Germain was invented by distiller Robert Cooper and launched in 2007 by Cooper Spirits Co, founded in 2006 and headquartered in New York. Due to the delicate nature of handpicking and the finite yield harvested, limited batches of St-Germain are produced every year. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. 13:17 EST 29 Apr 2016. Chris Pleasance For Dailymail.com In broader terms, it helped resuscitate the dormant liqueur business. He launched St-Germain in 2007 and currently imports Creme Yvette and Illegal Mezcal. To print a list of all the drinks in which St-Germain appeared over the years would probably require at least the full Food section. Robert J. Cooper, the creator of St-Germain, the elderflower liqueur so ubiquitous that it eventually became known as "bartender's ketchup," has died at the age of 39. [5] St-Germain was launched in 2007 by Cooper Spirits Co,[6] a company founded 2006 and headquartered in New York. Once you create a new homepage, apply the "solar" page layout to the new homepage. Robert J. Cooper is a third generation distiller who founded The Cooper Spirits Co. in 2006. Because of Coopers family history, Brown says, some in the industry may have perceived his success as the product of legacy, the way people tend to think the children of famous actors get a break. You can do this by clicking on "Pages" at the top, select the homepage on the left, and under "HEADER TYPE", select "solar". We were all making drinks with it. Considered a pioneer in the cocktail world, Cooper was lauded by the liquor industry for years before he sold his uber-popular elderflower liqueur, St-Germain, to Bacardi in 2012 for an undisclosed sum. The drink itself is made from flowers of elderberry plants that grow in France and bloom for just one month of the year. The Cooper family as a whole has been heavily involved in the spirits industry since the early 1900s when Maurice J. Cooper, a merchant of imported supplies and beverage, partnered with the Fill a Collins glass with ice. It was his love affair with straight whiskey that led him to Alberta, Canada to find, taste and buy barrels of rye whiskey. Its nothing to do with how good the product is, just the way the market works. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. . By 2008 it was ubiquitous. Founded byChristine Sloan Stoddard. The cause of death was not immediately known. It was a little bit pear, a little bit litchi, a little bit like youd stuck your head into a roadside hedgerow and inhaled air thick with early-summer honeysuckle. By At the same time St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur was first hitting markets, cocktails and cocktail bars were undergoing a massive renaissance in major cities like New York. They wanted something different they could work with that had integrity. Thus, Cooper credits the two bars with skyrocketing the liqueurs success. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, His death was confirmed Thursday by the New York Times. The founder of the popular bar essential St-Germain elderflower liqueur died earlier this week.Robert J. Cooper, who introduced the hugely popular St-Germain liqueur to the cocktail. The Times notes that it became so ubiquitous, some took to calling it "bartender's ketchup." The sweet spirit is made from hand-picked elderflower blossoms that only bloom for a month each spring in France; it has been heralded as one of the most influential new . The cause of his death has not yet been determined; he leaves behind a wife and two children. He moved to Charlott His legacy is one of ingenious marketing that began as his brand was introduced in 2007 and quickly picked up speed in the cocktails and spirits circles. It was Robert Cooper's passionate work that made the elderflower liqueur wildly popular. Let us raise a glass to his legacy. The Cooper family as a whole has been heavily involved in the spirits industry since the early 1900s when Maurice J. Cooper, a merchant of imported food and beverage, partnered with the Charles Jacquin et Cie cordial business. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The cause of his death has not yet been determined; he leaves behind a wife and two children. The St-Germain was delicious, and Robert Cooper was warm and affable, enthusiastic about his product and about the spirits business. ", "St. Germain Liqueur: What It Is, And What To Do With It", "The Story Behind St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur", "Robert J. Cooper, 39, Creator of Popular Elderflower Liqueur, Dies", "Liqueur Saint-Germain (St-Germain): concept, how to drink, cocktails", "The Cooper Spirits Company - Linked In profile", "St-Germain Elderflower Liquor Acquired By Bacardi, Plans To Go Global", "St-Germain Launches Holidays Series, Salon St-Germain", "St-Germain Is Ushering in New York City's Creative Renaissance", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St-Germain_(liqueur)&oldid=1135574548, This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 14:37. . Though he would ultimately settle next to the Pacific, it was Cooper's experiences in Europe that would inspire his most successful business idea. Oops. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. The Times notes that it became so ubiquitous, some took to calling it "bartender's ketchup." He was 39. Cocktail bartenders, hungry for new ingredients and flavors to work with, tossed it into every other new drink. #Real #Essay #DistillMyHeart #Column #Elderflower #Spirits. The St. Germain brand was acquired by Bacardi in 2012. Robert J Cooper, the creator of elderflower liqueur St-Germain the he sold to Bacardi back in 2012, has died at home in Santa Barbara, California, aged 39. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. The year 2016 has been a series of gut-punches. With St-Germain, many Americans encountered the flavour for the first time. Now you can go to Whole Foods and get elderflower soft drinks., Robert J. Cooper, 39, Creator of Popular Elderflower Liqueur, Dies, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/business/robert-j-cooper-39-creator-of-st-germain-elderflower-liqueur-dies.html. In broader terms, it helped resuscitate the dormant liqueur business. Un Jardin a Cythere is inspired by the Greek island of Kythira. Launched in 2007 by third-generation distiller Robert J. Cooper, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur kickstarted an elderflower craze that would span the next decade and a half and revived a sleepy liqueur industry. Doch der Erfolg hat Robert J. Cooper, der am 25. Please try again, Derek Brown met Cooper when they sat next to each other at the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) Educational Program nearly 10 years ago. Nearly a decade ago, as the cocktail renaissance was gaining steam, a lot of drinks started developing a particular flavour note. You can create a new homepage by going to "Pages" at the top, click on the "+" icon and select "Standard" page. The Cooper family as a whole has been heavily involved in the spirits industry since the early 1900s when Maurice J. Cooper, a merchant of imported food and beverage, partnered with the Charles Jacquin et Cie cordial business. He is survived by his wife Kaitrin and the couple's two children William and Charlotte. St-Germain, packaged in a striking Art Deco bottle, landed like a thunderclap in the then-burgeoning cocktail world. It was more [money] than I expected to see in a lifetime, Cooper admitted at the time. He curried favor with influential young mixologists, sponsored cross-country bartender exchanges in which New York bartenders would guest-bartend at San Francisco bars, and vice versa, hired prominent bartenders as brand ambassadors and held an annual Jazz Age lawn party on Governors Island. St-Germain was created by Robert Cooper, the son of Chambord inventor Norton "Sky" Cooper. From a tailored suit to hair wax to keep his coif in place, Don't miss this deal on Microsoft Office's full suite of applications and tools, Best Buy, Fable and DAVIDsTEA, to name a few. His death was confirmed by Robyn Greene, the senior vice president for marketing and innovation at the Cooper Spirits Company, who said the cause was not immediately known. QuailBellMagazine.com Last month, there was "sad news in the spirits world" when it was reported by Eater.com and countless other food and beverage blogs that Robert Cooper, the founder of the wildly popular St-Germain elderflower liqueur, died suddenly at the age of 39. (His older brother John, also independently, brought the popular ginger liqueur Domaine de Canton to market.) It was lucky, he said. It's beginning to feel like a season of 24 or Game of Thrones because one of your favorite people seem to be safe, anymore. Cooper, a third-generation distiller whose family lineage includes the birth of Crme Yvette and Chambord is most commonly known for creating St-Germain elderflower liqueur. He was 39. The sum was not revealed, but Mr. Cooper said it was more than I expected to see in a lifetime.. This distilled beveragerelated article is a stub. Robert J. Cooper, whose unusual elderflower liqueur, St-Germain, introduced in 2007, was so completely embraced by the cocktail community that it became known as "bartender's ketchup," died. Fort Collins. Robert James Cooper was born on Aug. 3, 1976, in Manhattan. http://www.quailbellmagazine.com/the-real-20, http://www.quailbellmagazine.com/the-unreal-20, http://www.quailbellmagazine.com/news-from-the-nest, http://www.quailbellmagazine.com/quail-bell-affiliates, Distill My Heart:Remembering Robert J. Cooper and His St-Germain, Press & Productions, 2021. So many spirits get launched, and many of the ones that fail are decent but never get the market penetration Cooper got with St-Germain. Even if you thought you were too good for St-Germain, you were going to have an army coming in and demanding it., I asked Brown about my impression that the use of St-Germain has been dialed back a bit over the past few years, that there was a mild bartender backlash against its ubiquity. When Robert returned from London and approached his father about creating an elderflower liqueur, his father was immediately skeptical. Brown disagrees: Cooper worked incredibly hard, he says, and would have been successful regardless. In 2012, he sold St-Germain to Bacardi Ltd. The Cooper family as a whole has been heavily involved in the spirits industry since the early. While St Germain was named by the likes of the Times as one of the most influential drinks of the decade, it also helped to reintroduce enthusiasm in liqueurs to the cocktail market. With its mysterious flavour, its gracefully grooved art deco bottle and a lovely brand mythology about how its elderflowers were harvested by little old men on bicycles in some idyllic French-speaking location way prettier than wherever you were, it wore a costume of age and continental elegance but was actually a newcomer. Mr. Cooper went on to return to circulation bygone bar ingredients like Creme Yvette, a berry-violet liqueur, and Hochstadters Slow & Low, a form of the common 19th century drink rock and rye. Asked how much money he had received, Cooper said it was 'more than I expected to see in a lifetime'. Mr. Cooper proved to be a savvy marketer. If success in the competitive world of spirits marketing is a cocktail, its 1 ounce product, 2 ounces elbow grease. The cause of death is unknown. That was St-Germain, a lightly sweet elderflower liqueur that launched in 2007 and then broke and spread across the drinks scene like a slow-moving tsunami. In fact Cooper Sr. was so convinced the product would flop he told his son he would hire him back in a year 'when you fail', the New York Times reports. He anticipated the boom in rye whiskey by buying barrels of prime Canadian stock and then sitting on the liquid for years before releasing Lock Stock & Barrel, a 13-year-old straight rye whiskey, in 2013.
