Incredible Hulk (cocktail)
Green cocktail of Hpnotiq and Hennessy, named after the Hulk.
The Incredible Hulk—also called the Green Eyed Monster, Shrock, or Hip and Hen—is a green cocktail made by pouring equal parts (2 fl oz each) of Hpnotiq fruit liqueur and Hennessy cognac over ice. Its name comes from the Marvel Comics character Hulk, sometimes referred to as the Incredible Hulk.
The drink was invented at a Hpnotiq launch event at Justin’s, Sean Combs’ New York City restaurant. A Hpnotiq employee noticed that few men were drinking the company’s liquor because they considered the blue, fruity beverage too effeminate. Bartender Victor Alvarez mixed Hennessy with Hpnotiq to tone down the fruity flavor, creating a green drink that quickly became popular.
In the North of England, students also use the name “Incredible Hulk” for a cocktail made with equal parts WKD Blue and lager.
The cocktail has appeared in popular culture. It is referenced in the song “Incredible Hulk” by Memphis rap group Stress Free Fam and in music videos. It was mentioned in *The Boondocks* episode “The Story of Thugnificent.” On the YouTube cooking show *Epic Meal Time*, the cocktail appeared at the start of the episode “Masta Pasta,” where Muscles Glasses is repeatedly punched in the chest; after Dave stops to complain his hand hurts, someone off-camera says, “That’s what Incredible Hulk does to you.” The drink also appears in the post-credits scene of *The Incredible Hulk*, where General Ross drinks a glass at a bar.
- type
- Cocktail
- main ingredients
- Hpnotiq and Hennessy cognac (equal parts, 2 fl oz each)
- color
- Green
- also known as
- Green Eyed Monster, Shrock, Hip and Hen
- creator
- Victor Alvarez, a bartender at Justin's restaurant in New York City
- named after
- Marvel Comics character Hulk
Quick Facts
- Base
- Cognac, Hpnotiq
- Ingredients
- One part hpnotiq / One part cognac
- Served
- On the rocks: poured over ice
- Prep
- Stir together and serve over ice.
- Drinkware
- Cocktail glass
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The drink was created at a Hpnotiq launch event by a restaurant bartender at Sean Combs' New York City restaurant, Justin's. A Hpnotiq employee noticed many women but few men drinking his company's liquor, because the men considered the blue, fruity drink to be too effeminate. Victor Alvarez, a bartender at the restaurant, mixed Hennessy with Hpnotiq to dilute the fruity flavor, resulting in a green beverage that quickly became a hit.
Variations exist: the name 'Incredible Hulk' is also widely used amongst students in the North of England to describe a cocktail consisting of equal parts of WKD Blue and lager.
The Incredible Hulk cocktail has been referenced in songs such as "Incredible Hulk" by the Memphis rap group Stress Free Fam and has appeared in music videos. It was also mentioned in The Boondocks episode "The Story of Thugnificent". Epic Meal Time, a YouTube cooking show, featured the cocktail at the start of the episode "Masta Pasta" with Muscles Glasses being punched repeatedly in the chest. As Dave's punching stops to complain that his hand hurts, someone off-camera says, "That's what Incredible Hulk does to you." It can also be seen in the post-credits scene of The Incredible Hulk where General Ross is drinking a glass of the cocktail at a bar.
Reader's Guide
The Incredible Hulk cocktail represents a notable example of a drink created to broaden a liquor's appeal, specifically by making Hpnotiq more palatable to male drinkers who found it too effeminate. Its creation at a launch event at Sean Combs' restaurant Justin's by bartender Victor Alvarez illustrates how on-the-spot innovation can lead to a lasting popular drink. The cocktail's cultural penetration is significant: it has been referenced in music by the Memphis rap group Stress Free Fam, appeared in music videos, mentioned in the animated series The Boondocks, featured on the YouTube cooking show Epic Meal Time, and notably appears in the post-credits scene of the film The Incredible Hulk, where General Ross drinks it. This last reference ties the drink directly to its namesake character. The existence of a regional variation in the North of England, using WKD Blue and lager, shows how the name 'Incredible Hulk' has been adapted for other green-colored drinks. Overall, the cocktail's legacy is one of a simple, effective recipe that solved a marketing problem and became embedded in popular culture through multiple media references.
Did You Know?
- The drink was created by bartender Victor Alvarez at Sean Combs' New York City restaurant, Justin's.
- It was invented to make Hpnotiq more appealing to men, who considered the blue, fruity drink too effeminate.
- A variation in the North of England uses equal parts WKD Blue and lager.
- The cocktail appears in the post-credits scene of The Incredible Hulk, where General Ross drinks it.
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