Just as New Orleans has the sazerac and New York City has the Manhattan, Lafayette now has a cocktail to call its own. The rouler is a cocktail whose recipe provides a clean, simple base for customization and whose name captures what it means to have a good time.
Ingredients used to make Lafayette’s official cocktail(Photo: SCOTT CLAUSE, THE ADVERTISER)
At the drink’s core is Sweet Crude Rum produced by Lafayette’s only distillery, Rank Wildcat Spirits. The rouler is balanced with sweet and sour, simple syrup, bitters and club soda and is served over ice.
Now through Mardi Gras Day, 11 Eat Lafayette restaurants will be featuring their own versions of the rouler. You can make one yourself by following this recipe: (watch the how-to video)
Yield: one cocktail
You’ll need:
– 2 ounces Rank Wildcat Distillery Sweet Crude rum
– 2 ounces sweet and sour (can be purchased in bottle or made by mixing equal parts lemon or lime juice and simple syrup)
– 1/2 ounce simple syrup (make by mixing equal parts sugar and warm water)
– 5 to 10 drops bitters
– 2 ounces club soda
– ice
– optional garnishes (such as lemon slice, strawberry, blueberries)
Here’s what to do:
Mix rum, sweet and sour, simple syrup and bitters. Pour over ice. Add soda and stir gently. Garnish with lemon slice, berries or whatever you’d like.