Apple Brandy And Applejack: An American Original: A Simple Guide

Apple brandy and applejack: an american original is easier to get right once you know a few basics. The aim is to keep things simple and reliable. Here is a practical look at apple brandy and applejack: an american original for home bartenders.

Why it works

If you have never tried it, start with a small pour of aged apple brandy at room temperature. Notice the aroma of baked apple, pear, vanilla and oak. Then try it in a easy drink with lemon and a little sweetener. Savor it slowly, keep servings minor and always arrange a safe ride home. Even experienced bartenders and distillers keep tasting and adjusting, so you are in good company.

The goal is a drink you can repeat easily, not a perfect one-off.

The basics

Apple brandy is one of the oldest spirits made in the United States. Colonial farmers pressed their apples into cider, let it ferment, and then turned it into stronger spirit. Early versions were made by freezing hard cider and removing the ice, a method called jacking, which is how the word applejack entered the language. Today the term can mean several styles.

If you remember one thing, let it be that good ice matters as much as the spirit.

What to pick first

Put simply, modern apple brandy is usually distilled from fermented cider. A craft distillery may press its own apples, ferment the juice with care and then distill it in a pot still. The spirit is then aged in oak, where it picks up vanilla and soft spice. A straight apple brandy is aged at least two years, and the label should say so.

It helps to make one drink first before scaling a recipe up for a group.

Step by step

Put simply, some products labeled applejack are blends, where apple brandy is mixed with neutral grain spirit. Those can be lighter and more mixable but less fruity. The label tells you which kind you are buying, so look for words like straight, 100 percent apple brandy or blended. A bottle made entirely from apples usually has a rounder, more complete apple character.

Small tweaks that help

Apple brandy shines in cocktails. The Jack Rose, with lemon juice and grenadine, is a classic. The Widow's Kiss and the Corpse Reviver No. 1 also call for it. It works in an old fashioned too, giving the drink a crisp orchard flavor. In autumn, it pairs naturally with warm spices, cinnamon sticks and baked apples. Slow down and pay attention, since much of the pleasure is in noticing the differences.

Small details like chilling the glass make a visible difference.

Practical tips

A few simple things tend to help:

• Taste before you serve and adjust the balance.
• Use fresh citrus, squeezed the same day.
• Use plenty of fresh, hard ice.
• Never drink and drive; plan a ride home.

The bottom line

The best drink is the one you will make again. Take it one drink at a time. Each one teaches you a little more about balance.