Originally published on August 13, 2025 (Episode 420)
Introduction
Join Al Zambone and John Shelton Reed (author of The Ramos Gin Fizz, for the LSU Press series on iconic New Orleans cocktails) for a deep dive into the history, culture, and legend of the Ramos Gin Fizz—a cocktail that’s as much a symbol of New Orleans (contending for that honor with the Sazerac) as it is a drink. From its 19th-century origins and the city’s cosmopolitan mix, to Prohibition, Huey Long, and the modern cocktail renaissance, this episode explores how a single drink can carry the weight of place and time.
About the Guest
John Shelton Reed is a writer and scholar of Southern culture, author of numerous books on the American South, including Dixie Bohemia: A French Quarter Circle in the 1920s. His latest book, The Ramos Gin Fizz, tells the story of one of New Orleans’ most iconic cocktails and what it reveals about the city’s history.
For Further Investigation
John Shelton Reed, The Ramos Gin Fizz (LSU Press, 2025)
—, Dixie Bohemia: A French Quarter Circle in the 1920s (LSU Press, 2014)
Iconic New Orleans Cocktails: The Series
Robert Moss, “How the South Cornered the Soda Market”, Serious Eats, August 10, 2018
Revel Cafe and Bar – where the great Chris McMillian spells it “Ramos Gin Phizz,” which just makes everything a little more confusing than it already was. Though he offers a mixology class; call him “Professor”
Related Episodes
John Shelton Reed on “North Carolina Barbecue”
John Arthur on “Beer!”
Listen & Discuss
Would you shake a drink for three minutes straight? Share this episode with someone who loves cocktails—or New Orleans history—and see if they can handle the Ramos.
