Recipes Drinks Cocktails The Loser Be the first to rate & review! At Tales of the Cocktail 2006, a cocktail festival held in New Orleans, Todd Thrasher entered the Bar Chef competition with this drink; although it's terrific, it lost. By Todd Thrasher Updated on November 9, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Yield: 1 drink Ingredients Black Pepper Syrup 1 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup coarsely cracked black peppercorns The Loser cocktail Ice 1 ounce pisco 1/2 ounce Velvet Falernum (clove-spiced liqueur) 3 ounces pineapple juice 1 ounce fresh lemon juice 1 ounce chilled club soda Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, for garnish Directions Make the syrup In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add sugar and stir over moderately high heat until dissolved. Add black peppercorns and let stand off the heat for 20 minutes. Strain the syrup into a jar, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Make the cocktail Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the pisco, Velvet Falernum, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and 1/2 ounce of the Black Pepper Syrup (reserve the rest for another use). Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Stir in the soda; garnish with the pepper. Rate it Print