This is my first cocktail recipe in a while. In part that’s because of Thanksgiving and the associated craziness, in part it’s because of visiting people and throwing parties and not being at home to invent things, and in part it’s just because my prior recipe for bourbon and non-alcoholic apple cider is just so damned good that I’ve been making those all the time. Although I’ve been using citrus instead of bitters. It’s better that way.
And so here I am, returning to recipe blogging, with…… a variation on the same cocktail. You know what works? Apple-infused bourbon.
- 50 grams apple-infused bourbon
- 50 grams non-alcoholic apple cider
- splash of lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Put two ice cubes in a low ball glass. Add the ingredients. Stir.
And that’s it. It’s not quite full cocktail strength, but it’s stronger than the earlier version, which is more of a cooler. But it’s much more apply. This is a drink that shows off the quality of the cider, and the quality of the apples you used to infuse the bourbon. You probably can’t tell a winesap from a macoun in this, but you can tell either from a cortland or a red delicious or a granny smith. So use good cider, and good apples. Make this drink in apple season.
“But how do I do the apple infused bourbon,” I hear you cry. Simple. Chop apples up into little bits (1/4″-ish? barely matters?). Put in a thingy, preferably metal or glass. Cover with bourbon, preferably cheap. Cover, wait a day. (Maybe longer if you feel like it, but at least a day, and I don’t know if more makes it weird. If you find out let me know.) Then pour it off the apples. Done. Straight it’s a little unsatisfying, but the non-alcoholic cider and the lemon really bring out some nuanced apple fun.
The finished drink is very fresh and apply with a hint of the alcohol and a hint of the smoky sweetness of the bourbon. Mostly you get an alarmingly fresh and detailed apple taste. As a New Englander, it’s my new favorite way to show off my native crop.
