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Cocktail History
The Apple Crush is an autumn cocktail that was created by bar manager and author Nick Mautone and was first published in his book The Artisanal Kitchen: Holiday Cocktails. The recipe pairs many of the go-to flavors of the season, such as apple, maple, and cinnamon, with the potency of brandy and vodka and the tartness of lemon to make a delightful punch.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Apple Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with apples, pears, spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Laird’s Applejack because it’s a high quality and flavorful. For a mocktail version of this drink, try apple cider or unsweetened apple juice in place of the apple brandy.
Vodka: This is a spirit made with grains, vegetables or fruits, and alcohol. We used Russian Standard Gold Vodka because it’s smooth and easy to sip. For a mocktail version of this drink, try STRYKK Not V*dka in place of the vodka.
Apple Cider: This is a beverage made with freshly pressed apple juice and baking spices. We used The Glass Orchard Apple Cider because it’s fresh, delicious, and made locally to us.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Maple Sugar: This is a sugar made with the sap from a maple tree.
Apple: This is a fruit. We used a Honeycrisp apple.
Cinnamon Stick: This is a spice. We used cinnamon sticks from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Apple Corer: This is used to core and slice apples. We used the OXO Good Grips Apple Corer, Slicer, & Divider.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Ziploc Bag: This is used to hold the apple cubes. We used a Ziploc Snack Bag.
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The Apple Crush features aromas of maple and cinnamon followed by the distinct tastes of apple cider, citrus, and brandy spice.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We thought the taste of the Apple Crush perfectly encapsulated that feeling of snuggling on the sofa after a long day of apple picking while a crisp breeze softly blows in the aroma of a bonfire through an open window all wrapped into one little cup. Not to mention, it’s quite boozy, which we enjoyed.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Artisanal Kitchen: Holiday Cocktails by Nick Mautone.
Core and cube apple.
Add apple cubes to a zip lock bag with ½ oz lemon juice, seal, toss gently, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Pour maple sugar onto a plate, rub outer rim of a punch cup with simple syrup, and roll cup in sugar until coated.
Add three apple cubes to cup.
Add apple brandy, vodka, apple cider, ¼ oz lemon juice, and ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into cup.
Toast the end of a cinnamon stick with a match.
Garnish with toasted cinnamon stick.
Ingredients
Directions
Core and cube apple.
Add apple cubes to a zip lock bag with ½ oz lemon juice, seal, toss gently, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Pour maple sugar onto a plate, rub outer rim of a punch cup with simple syrup, and roll cup in sugar until coated.
Add three apple cubes to cup.
Add apple brandy, vodka, apple cider, ¼ oz lemon juice, and ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into cup.
Toast the end of a cinnamon stick with a match.
Garnish with toasted cinnamon stick.
Make It a Mocktail: Use apple cider or unsweetened apple juice in place of the apple brandy and STRYKK Not V*dka in place of the vodka to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Apple Cocktails
If you like this apple-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Mott & Mulberry: A rye cocktail made with Luxardo Amaro Abano, apple cider, lemon juice, Demerara syrup, and apple slices
Salted Caramel Apple Martini: A gin and apple brandy cocktail made with salted caramel syrup
Apple Brandy Sour: An apple brandy cocktail made with lemon juice, maple syrup, egg white, Angostura aromatic bitters, and a cherry
Stone Fence: A bourbon cocktail made with apple cider, Angostura Aromatic bitters, and mint
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