Cinematic Cocktails: The Alaskan Polar Bear Heater

>> Sunday, November 4, 2007

Many movies have featured hard-kicking cocktails, but The Nutty Professor's “Alaskan Polar Bear Heater” may be the most infamous. Below is the recipe taken verbatim from the film:

“Two shots of vodka, a little rum, some bitters, and a smidgen of vinegar… a shot of vermouth, a shot of gin, a little brandy, lemon peel, orange peel, cherry, some more scotch. Now mix it nice, and pour it into a tall glass.”
Why the recipe calls for “some more scotch” at a point when there is no scotch in the cocktail is a mystery to me. I can only assume that Jerry was ad libbing the recipe on the spot. By the way, I’ve never been brave enough to drink one myself--the vinegar has always been the deal breaker for me. However, a good friend of mine filmed himself mixing one up and downing it (the video can be found HERE). He described the cocktail as tasting like “bitters-soaked ass.” When I commented that a lot would depend upon whose ass was soaked in bitters, he responded, “Ernest Borgnine’s ass.” You have been warned.

5 comments:

Anonymous September 10, 2008 at 10:30 PM  

For your ediification, Buddy Love's recipe for the Alaskan Polar Bear Heater doesn't call for "some more scotch" rather "Dewar's scotch," as in that particular brand of alcohol.

garv September 12, 2008 at 11:31 AM  

I went back to the movie just to make sure, but both Jerry and Buddy Lester (the bartender) obviously say "some more scotch." It also reads that way on the subtitles. I know subtitles can be incorrect, but Jerry was involved in the DVD release, and he's a control freak. He likely checked every aspect of the DVD.

I assume Jerry was making up the Alaskan Polar Bear Heater recipe as he went along, and simply didn't realize he hadn't previously mentioned scotch. Jerry was a sipper at best in real life, so the mistake is understandable.

Unknown October 2, 2009 at 2:20 PM  

This drink also makes a cameo in Earth Girls Are Easy - when Mac played by Jeff Goldblum reenacts parts the scene.

Tommy Fernville August 20, 2011 at 12:18 PM  

I think there is a noticeable difference between "some more" and "Dewar", and unless you have a pirate-copy of the film, or a bad sound system, when you watch the scene, he clearly says, "Some more Scotch" Personally I think a small scene was cut after he says "Cherry!"

Dead Guy Laughing November 3, 2013 at 1:31 PM  

He doesn't actually add vinegar to the drink. That was a joke on Buddy Love's part to make sure the bartender was paying attention. The cherry was a joke too. So actually, the recipe omits those two things. Now you don't have to be afraid to try it!

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I like to drink. I like to watch movies. I like to watch movies about drinking. I like to write about the movies I’ve watched, but only if I’ve had a drink first.

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