Black Flannel Academy

Seelbach

bitter · Bourbon · Orange · Sparkling · Sweet · Whiskey
Seelbach cocktail photograph
Photo: Seelbach (cocktail).png — © Matthias Friedlein (www.augustine-bar.de) · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for display; photo remains under its stated license.

Bourbon and orange liqueur are lengthened with Champagne, while a substantial bitters dose keeps the profile spicy and aromatic.

DrinkBoy published specification · 1 reference serve.

Glassware

Flute

Technique

Build

Ice

None in serving glass

Garnish

Lemon Twist

Preparation effort

Low

Ingredients & measurements

Ingredient mL US fl oz Source measure / qualification
bourbon whiskey 29.57 1 1 ounce bourbon whiskey
Cointreau 14.79 0.5 1/2 ounce Cointreau
7 dashes Angostura Bitters — — 7 dashes Angostura Bitters
7 dashes Peychaud's bitters — — 7 dashes Peychaud's bitters
champagne 147.87 5 5 ounces champagne

Converted equivalents are rounded for display; use one measurement system consistently. Dashes, spoonfuls, fruit counts and unspecified top-ups remain source measures. A blank equivalent does not mean zero.

How to make it

Combine bourbon, Cointreau and bitters in the glass. Add chilled Champagne gently.

Glass: Flute. Ice: None in serving glass. Garnish: Lemon Twist.

Flavor & balance

  • Sweet (supporting): Sweeteners, fruit or sweetened modifiers round the attack and add weight; product sugar varies.
  • Bitter (supporting): Cocktail bitters or coffee contribute a bitter accent; a small dose need not dominate.

Assess sweetness, bitterness and tactile drying separately. These flavor expectations are based on recipe structure, not measured tasting scores. Actual products, ice and dilution will change the result.

Preparation & batching

Service complexity: low. Batchability: spirit components only.

  • Measure and label the chosen product specification; chill appropriate glassware.

Add carbonated ingredients at service; do not shake or store the finished fizzy drink as a still batch. Workload is an editorial assessment; no labor timing or storage validation is claimed.

Spirit & ingredient choices

Style Role Evidence level Qualification
S106 — Bourbon base documented Named ingredient fits this style family; confirm the chosen product identity.
S058 — Citrus Liqueur supporting documented Named ingredient fits this style family; confirm the chosen product identity.
S082 — Non-potable Bitters seasoning documented Named ingredient fits this style family; confirm the chosen product identity.
S082 — Non-potable Bitters seasoning documented Named ingredient fits this style family; confirm the chosen product identity.

Recipe notes & variations

DrinkBoy identifies the old 1912 origin story as fabricated and attributes the drink to Adam Seger in the 1990s. Do not repeat the earlier story as fact.

For a Black Flannel variation, change one component at a time and record the selected product, proof, sweetener concentration and dilution. Compare it with this reference before naming or publishing the variation.

Sources & further reading

  • Robert Hess / DrinkBoy — checked 2026-09-18. Recipe identity and published ingredient specification; editorial sensory and workload assessments are not source tasting results.

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