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. Completed Graduate School. The Cooper Spirits Co. They wanted something different they could work with that had integrity. He launched St-Germain in 2007 and currently imports Creme Yvette and Illegal Mezcal. 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. Robert J. Cooper, founder of St-Germain liqueur a staple for any self-respecting bartender died this week at the age of 39. PDT and Death & Co, two prominent New York cocktail bars, opened around the same time he introduced St-Germain. The cause of his death is so far unknown. If your site doesn't have a Weebly "Blog" page, then create a new "Blog" page. Each bottle of St-Germain contains up to 1,000 elderflower blossoms, all of which are handpicked annually. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. St-Germain was created by Robert Cooper, the son of Chambord inventor Norton Sky Cooper. 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. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a bachelors degree in English and creative writing. Cooper came from a family that has been making beverages since 1884, when Charles Jacquin et Cie Inc. of which his father is president was founded in Philadelphia. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. 2023 National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. In fact, St-Germains unique coloring does not come from any artificial additives, but instead is a result of the pollen from each bud blending with the liqueurs liquid components. It was lucky, he said. We have enabled email notificationsyou will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. 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. Robert J. Cooper, 39, the founder of the award-winning St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, died this week of unknown causes. Petals are collected annually in the spring over a period of three to four weeks, and are often transported by bicycle to collection points to avoid damaging the petals and impacting the flavour. Paul W St Germain, age 54. The cause of death was not immediately known. Due to the delicate nature of handpicking and the finite yield harvested, limited batches of St-Germain are produced every year. The younger Mr. Cooper persisted, however, going so far as to leave the family business to pursue his dream. As such, he was hesitant to allow Robert to use their companys resources to produce the spirit. He was generous with his time and with his recipe for a new drink, the St-Germain cocktail. 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 . In 2012, Cooper sold St-Germain to Bacardi, yielding him "more than I expected to see in a lifetime." All things ebb and flow.. He was 39. St-Germain The native New Yorker passed away Monday in. 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. 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. Tragic news for the bartending community Robert J. Cooper, the creator of the elderflower liqueur St. Germain, passed away on Monday, April 25. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. It had behind it the passion and energy of Robert Cooper, who at the time was only in his early 30s. Robert J. Cooper, 39, Creator of Popular Elderflower Liqueur, Dies 2014 - 2023 VinePair Inc. Made In NYC, Bartenders: Now's Your Chance To Experience Barbados, Fizzy Business: Why Breweries Are Betting on Hop Water as a Non-Alcoholic Option, The Cocktail College Podcast: How to Make the Perfect Americano, 8 Things You Should Know About St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur | VinePair, https://vinepair.com/articles/ntk-st-germain/, wbs_cat Spirit, wbs_type Liqueur, wbs_brand St. Germain, artisan liqueurs, liqueur, need to know, The Cocktail College Podcast: How to Make the Perfect El Presidente | VinePair, https://vinepair.com/cocktail-college/el-presidente/, wbs_cat Spirit, wbs_type Liqueur, wbs_type Rum, wbs_type Vermouth, Cocktail College, cocktail recipes, The VinePair Podcast. Remembering Robert Cooper, who turned elderflower liqueur into a global It's no understatement to call him a genius or pioneer (as other. Robert J. Cooper is a third generation distiller who founded The Cooper Spirits Co. in 2006. Let us raise a glass to his legacy. In broader terms, it helped resuscitate the dormant liqueur business. We encountered an issue signing you up. Robert Cooper was a businessman who built his company on humility, positive thinking, collaboration, a creative approach to problem solving. 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. 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. St-Germain creator Robert Cooper shares why he thinks the brand will truly be an international brand as part of . Photo courtesy of Cooper Spirits Company, used with permission. He is survived by his wife, the former Kaitrin Cramm, and their two children, William and Charlotte. Robert James Cooper was born on Aug. 3, 1976, in Manhattan. 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. In 2012, he sold St-Germain to Bacardi Ltd. His brand Cooper Spirits also makes Crme Yvette, a violet liqueur brought back from obscurity, and serves as the U.S. sales arm for Ilegal brand mezcal. Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. It was lucky, Cooper told The New York Times. But one of its best-known roles is in the not-so-creatively named St-Germain Cocktail, which was invented by the company itself and has been unusually, enduringly popular for a drink of such provenance. 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. 8 Things You Should Know About St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur Mr. Cooper attributed his success in part to timing. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Associated persons: Robin Anne Barber, Samara Cohen, Daniel J Dresel, Justin B Rosenblatt, Paul W Stgermain (970) 472-9012. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. #Real #Essay #DistillMyHeart #Column #Elderflower #Spirits. [4], St-Germain introduced a pop-up series, 'Salon St-Germain', based on the historic French salon, in 2020. The death of Robert J. Cooper, the creator of elderflower liqueur St-Germain, is tough news for cocktail lovers everywhere. Robert Cooper was a businessman who built his company on humility, positive thinking, collaboration, a creative approach to problem solving. April in Santa Barbara in Kalifornien verstarb, rechtgegeben. 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. . Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. 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Dubbed the bartenders ketchup, the sweet, floral liqueur distilled from French elderberry blossoms became a must-have for mixologists. He grew his spirits portfolio into the whiskey category with Lock Stock & Barrel, a fine 13-year-old straight rye. The Art Deco-esque appearance of the bottle also serves as a nod to the bustling Parisian quarter the brand hopes to provide an experience reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties, when Saint-Germain-des-Prs was at its creative peak. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. "What Drinks Should You Use St Germain Liqueur In? Rob Cooper St-Germain - YouTube Bacardi Limited acquires St-Germain liqueur. It was his love affair with straight whiskey that led him to Alberta, Canada to find, taste and buy barrels of rye whiskey. St. Germain Founder Rob Cooper Dies | Beverage Dynamics Cooper worked his drink on to bar menus by getting it into the hands of young, influential mixologists, and sponsoring cross-country bartender swaps at famous institutions. He moved to Charlott St Germain was inspired by other elderflower liqueurs that Cooper encountered in bars in London. Born in South Bend, IN he was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, as a Data Systems Tech. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. We were all making drinks with it. 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. 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. Cooper, whose family owned Philadelphia liqueur firm Charles Jacquin et Cie, launched St. Germain in 2007. [9] A second iteration, Fleuriste St-Germain, opened in New York City in August 2021, in collaboration with ballet dancer James Whiteside and director Laura Kim. Launched in 2007 by third-generation distiller Robert J. Cooper, St-Germain elderflower liqueur launched an elderflower craze that would span the next decade and a half and revived a dormant liqueur industry. Cooper, who later went on to reintroduce several 'dead' liqueurs back to the market. Robert J. Cooper, founder of St-Germain liqueur a staple for any self-respecting bartender died this week at the age of 39. St-Germain was invented by distiller Robert Cooper and launched in 2007 by Cooper Spirits Co, founded in 2006 and headquartered in New York. Now that you know the basics, here are eight more things you should know about St-Germain. Inspired by his floral-scented success, Robert Cooper was keen to revive previously popular brands from hibernation. Note: You can hide this box under "Theme>Theme Options>Automation [Editor Only]". 8 Issues You Ought to Know About St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur 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. Robert J. Cooper, creator of St-Germain elderflower liqueur, dies - SFGATE In news that has shocked the global spirits community, Robert J. Cooper, St-Germain founder, has passed away aged just 39. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. . 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. When Cooper responded by leaving the family business behind, his father allegedly told him, Ill hire you back in a year when you fail. As his luck would have it, he did not fail. Two such cutting-edge cocktail bars PDT and Death & Co. had just opened, and bartenders at each were itching to experiment with new ingredients. The cause of his death has not yet been determined; he leaves behind a wife and two children. 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. 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. St-Germain creator Robert Cooper shares why he thinks the brand will truly be an international brand as. Mr. Cooper went on to return to circulation bygone bar ingredients like Crme Yvette, a berry-violet liqueur, and Hochstadters Slow & Low, a form of the common 19th-century drink rock and rye. 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 St. Germain brand was acquired by Bacardi in 2012. 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. The Bizarre True Story Of The Count Of Saint Germain - Grunge.com He didnt fail. 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. When the news of spirits industry visionary Robert J. Cooper broke, the cocktail community bowed its collective heads. Cooper died at home in Santa Barbara, California, on Monday according to Robyn Greene, the senior vice president of marketing and innovation at his spirits firm. In broader terms, it helped resuscitate the dormant liqueur business. Though he had never viewed elderflower as a cocktail ingredient, the floral concoction changed his perspective. [5] [8], In 2016, Robert Cooper died at the age of 39. Robert J. Cooper launched the popular spirit back in 2007. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Instead, a year after its release, St-Germain was already a staple on bartenders back bars. The cause of death is unknown. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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. The cause of his death is so far unknown. Cocktail bartenders, hungry for new ingredients and flavors to work with, tossed it into every other new drink.