Two such cutting-edge cocktail bars PDT and Death & Co. had just opened, and bartenders at each were itching to experiment with new ingredients. Launched in 2007 by third-generation distiller Robert J. Cooper, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur kickstarted an elderflower craze that may span the following dec Robert J. Cooper, founder of St-Germain liqueur a staple for any self-respecting bartender died this week at the age of 39. Tragic news for the bartending community Robert J. Cooper, the creator of the elderflower liqueur St. Germain, passed away on Monday, April 25. [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]. The elderflower liqueur was an instant success, and chances are that if you like cocktails, you've probably had one that included St-Germain. Now owned by Bacardi LimitedSt-Germain is one of the most consumed liqueurs in the world and even attracted media attention after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their lemon . The area, which contains the iconic Luxembourg Gardens and a multitude of art galleries, was once home to creative greats like cubist painter Pablo Picasso, poet Charles Baudelaire, and novelist Ernest Hemingway. The younger Mr. Cooper persisted, however, going so far as to leave the family business to pursue his dream. Something went wrong. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. [2], St-Germain was created by distiller Robert Cooper, son of Norton Cooper, the owner of Charles Jacquin et Cie, after trying an elderflower-based cocktail at a London bar in 2001. In 2012, he sold St-Germain to Bacardi for what was rumored to be a seven-figure sum. Mr. Cooper attributed his success in part to timing. Part of HuffPost Food & Drink. 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. St-Germain was created by Robert Cooper, the son of Chambord inventor Norton "Sky" Cooper. 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. Presumed owner of the real estate located at 305 Arlene Dr, Fort Collins. 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. He was 39. Photographer captures a series of eerie pictures showing abandoned pubs in the Australian outback, Why it's IMPOSSIBLE to be a vegetarianfrom a self-professed vegan, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, TN residents say Jack Daniel's distillery spews black mold, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Sad news for the spirits world today: The creator of the wildly popular St. Germain elderflower liqueur, Robert J. Cooper, died Monday at the age of 39 in Santa Monica, Calif.,according to the New York Times. 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. View Stephanie Tara St Germain results in Charlotte, NC including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. As such, he was hesitant to allow Robert to use their companys resources to produce the spirit. Sure, Brown acknowledged but the most popular Beatles songs probably get a backlash, too. Rob Cooper St-Germain - YouTube Bacardi Limited acquires St-Germain liqueur. His loss is being widely grieved in the bartending and cocktail world. That young entrepreneur was Robert J. Cooper, who sadly passed away this week at the early age of 39. Cooper was born into a family with a rich history in the spirits business, but instead of. Come back to this screen and fill in the input boxes with the URL of your "Blog" page and 3 category URLs from that blog. He was 39. Robert J. Cooper, 39, the founder of the award-winning St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, died this week of unknown causes. Though he would ultimately settle next to the Pacific, it was Cooper's experiences in Europe that would inspire his most successful business idea. Brown disagrees: Cooper worked incredibly hard, he says, and would have been successful regardless. Staying true to his legacy of liqueurs, he also reintroduced Crme Yvette, a berry-violet liqueur, from his family's Charles Jacquin et Cie imprint. Those who had the pleasure of meeting him noted his kind personality. He would have turned 40 on August 3. 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. Mr. Cooper attributed his success in part to timing. St-Germain was created by distiller Robert Cooper, son of Norton Cooper, the owner of Charles Jacquin et Cie, after trying an elderflower-based cocktail at a London bar in 2001. 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. 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. In order to activate this feature, simply add the URL of your blog, and the URL of 3 categories from your blog, to the input boxes below. Dubbed the bartenders ketchup, the sweet, floral liqueur distilled from French elderberry blossoms became a must-have for mixologists. Cocktail bartenders, hungry for new ingredients and flavors to work with, tossed it into every other new drink. The Times notes that it became so ubiquitous, some took to calling it "bartender's ketchup." In 2013, the business was sold to Bacardi, and Robert Cooper agreed to work with Bacardi as a "brand guardian" and spokesperson and died in 2016 at the age of 39. He was an avid surfer and loved collecting esoteric wines from obscure regions. Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. St-Germain creator Robert Cooper shares why he thinks the brand will truly be an international brand as. The year 2016 has been a series of gut-punches. 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. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Cooper was born in Manhattan to the man who ownedCharles Jacquin et Cie,an old cordials and liqueurs house based in Philadelphia that helped introduce Chambord to the market. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. 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. Beloved by bartenders everywhere, St-Germains delicate floral notes and natural flavors of pear and honeysuckle make the liqueur a savvy addition to a number of cocktails as well as a great stand-alone aperitif in simple spritzes. St-Germain was created by Robert Cooper, the son of Chambord inventor Norton Sky Cooper. 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 . Those who had the pleasure of meeting him noted his kind personality. The St-Germain was delicious, and Robert Cooper was warm and affable, enthusiastic about his product and about the spirits business. . They wanted something different they could work with that had integrity. Thus, Cooper credits the two bars with skyrocketing the liqueurs success. PDT and Death & Co, two prominent New York cocktail bars, opened around the same time he introduced St-Germain. Cooper was quick to credit bartenders for the success of the spirit, and rightfully so: They fell hard for St-Germain, which can elevate a mediocre sparkling wine, complement the tang of fresh citrus and blend beautifully with the botanicals of gin. It was followed by Hochstadter's Slow & Low Rock & Rye - a 19th-century pre-made cocktail made with rye whiskey, orange and honey - and Hochstadter's Vatted Rye Whiskey (which I wrote about). [7] In 2013, the company was sold to Bacardi, and Robert Cooper agreed to work with Bacardi as a "brand guardian" and spokesperson. Note: You can hide this box under "Theme>Theme Options>Automation [Editor Only]". The partnership, which was finalized in 1933, helped transform Jacquins into one of the worlds leading producers of liqueurs and cordials. Cooper, whose family owned Philadelphia liqueur firm Charles Jacquin et Cie, launched St. Germain in 2007. Vermouth was starting to come back, crme de violette came back, but St-Germain was new. If success in the competitive world of spirits marketing is a cocktail, its 1 ounce product, 2 ounces elbow grease. In 2006 Cooper introduced the burgeoning cocktail industry to his new liqueur and it quickly became known as 'bartenders' ketchup' because of its popularity. It was lucky, he said. We were all making drinks with it. Robert J. Cooper, founder of St-Germain liqueur a staple for any self-respecting bartender died this week at the age of 39. It had behind it the passion and energy of Robert Cooper, who at the time was only in his early 30s. Associated persons: Robin Anne Barber, Samara Cohen, Daniel J Dresel, Justin B Rosenblatt, Paul W Stgermain (970) 472-9012. 21:10 EST 28 Apr 2016 He launched St-Germain in 2007 and currently imports Creme Yvette and Illegal Mezcal. The drink itself is made from flowers of elderberry plants that grow in France and bloom for just one month of the year. Activates category 3 section on 'Solar' page layout (e.g., https://www.mysite.com/blog/category/bird.html). 2023 National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. [8], In 2016, Robert Cooper died at the age of 39. 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. 13:17 EST 29 Apr 2016. Each year when the flowers blossom in late May, farmers spend roughly three to four weeks gathering the blooms that will be used to produce the liqueur. 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 .