The Incredible Hulk (also known as the Green Eyed Monster, Shrock or Hip and Hen) is a tasty bright green cocktail recipe made with just three ingredients. Mixed with Hpnotiq liqueur, cognac and orange bitters, this drink is fresh, sweet, strong and nuanced. It reminds me of the green tea shot.

More drinks with funny names: Mind Eraser, Sex On The Beach, Bahama Mama, Blow Job Shot, Chuck Norris Shot, Flaming Dr. Pepper.

Ingredients

• Hpnotiq Liqueur – (pronounced “hypnotic”)This bright blue color liqueur is made from fruit juices, vodka and cognac.
• Cognac – You can use Hennessy brand cognac or whatever cognac you have on hand.
• Orange Bitters – Technically optional, but I recommend them. They give this drink depth.
• Lime Slice – As an optional garnish—really anything green goes great on top of this cocktail.

Equipment: The best glassware choice for this is a rocks glass or old-fashioned glass. You will also need a cocktail shaker to mix up this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can use a sealed mason jar or water bottle.

How to Make

In a cocktail glass filled halfway with ice, pour Hpnotiq, cognac and orange bitters.

Shake for 10-15 seconds until well chilled.

Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.

Garnish with a lime slice or a green herb such as mint leaves, rosemary, thyme or basil.

Tips for Making

• The bright green color of this drink and fruity flavor makes it seems light and fun, but this is actually a stiff cocktail. Since the main ingredients are alcohol (with no mixers), be aware of that when serving—it’s stronger than it appears.
• Sweeter Variation – We love the equal parts version of this drink; however, if you want a sweeter version, try mixing 3 ounces of Hpnotiq with 1.5 ounces cognac. This also make a brighter green color.
• Lighter Variation – If you want a less boozy version, mix this exact recipe but serve it in a collins glass and top it off with club soda or lemon-lime soda.
• Frozen Incredible Hulk Drink – In a blender, combine the ingredients from this recipe along with a handful of ice to make a frozen version.
• Incredible Hulk Pitcher Recipe – To make a pitcher recipe, 8x this recipe and serve it in a pitcher filled with ice. That will make drinks for eight people.
• Incredible Hulk Punch Bowl – To make a punch bowl, 8x this recipe and serve it in a punch bowl filled with ice. This punch bowl will serve eight.
• Incredible Hulk Shot – If you want to make a shot glass-sized version of this drink, mix 1 ounce Hpnotiq, 1 ounce cognac and 1 dash of orange bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a shot glass to serve.

What does an Incredible Hulk taste like?

This cocktail is sweet and citrus flavored with strong notes of vanilla, herbs and spices as well as caramel notes. A few dashes of orange bitters add fruity citrus sweetness as well as balance to the recipe.

History

The Incredible Hulk drink was created at Justin’s Restaurant in New York City. Sean Combs owned the (now closed) establishment in 2003 when this drink was created. A brand rep noticed that more women were drinking Hpnotiq than men, and requested a new, stiffer recipe. A bartender had the idea to make a less sweet drink by mixing Hpnotiq and cognac.

The result was a sweet and stiff drink in a bright green-colored cocktail. An optional dash of orange bitters adds to this recipe’s depth and nuance. 

The promotional party resulted in an innovation is sweeter than an average brandy cocktail and stiffer than most Hpnotiq drinks. It became a crowd-pleaser and quickly caught on in popularity.

It’s named after The Hulk superhero for its bright green color. The Hulk’s superpowers include superhuman strength and that’s how this strong cocktail got its name.

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