Applejack And The Spirits Of Colonial America: A Simple Checklist

This step-by-step take on colonial american spirits keeps things simple. A little practice goes a long way. The rest of this article covers colonial american spirits in plain, practical terms.

Before you start

In practice, modern bottles vary. Some are pure apple brandy aged for several years, with notes of baked apple, caramel and spice. Others are blends of apple brandy and neutral grain spirit, and the label tells which. Reading the label and the percentage of apple brandy is the best way to know what is inside the bottle.

Fresh citrus does more for a cocktail than an expensive bottle.

Step by step

On a day-to-day level, applejack has an honored place in cocktails. The jack rose, made with apple brandy, lemon or lime juice and grenadine, is a classic from the early 1900s, and the Widow's Kiss and the Corpse Reviver No. 1 also use apple brandy. It substitutes well for whiskey in an old fashioned, particularly in autumn.

Always keep a good non-alcoholic option ready for guests.

What to check

Put simply, other colonial drinks included rum, flip, made with beer, rum and sugar heated with a hot iron, and hard cider. Many of these appear in historic taverns and museums today. If you are curious, visit a local craft distillery that makes apple brandy and ask about the fruit, the aging and the history behind each bottle.

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

Serving

Apples were among the most useful crops in colonial America. Farmers pressed them for cider, which was a common table drink, and some turned to a method called freeze concentration to make a stronger version. Over time, distillers began producing true apple brandy, and the name applejack became attached to this American apple spirit, especially in New England and New Jersey.

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

Cleaning up

Traditional applejack was made by leaving hard cider outdoors in winter so ice formed, then removing the ice to leave a more concentrated liquid. Today this method is not used by modern, licensed producers. Instead, they make apple brandy by fermenting apple juice and distilling it in a regulated facility, frequently aging it in oak barrels for added warmth and depth.

Small details like chilling the glass make a visible difference.

Practical tips

Here are a few easy places to start:

• Chill your glasses before serving.
• Taste before you serve and adjust the balance.
• Keep a non-alcoholic option ready for guests.
• Use fresh citrus, squeezed the same day.

The bottom line

Take it one drink at a time. The best drink is the one you will make again. Start with the classics and build from there.