Drinks

Star Cocktail

November 12, 2021 by Jennifer

November wouldn’t be November without at least one apple cocktail. While apples have been in season for over a month, this is the month when pumpkin recipes step aside and apple takes its place. Everywhere you look are apple recipes ranging from pies to pork chops. Apples go so well with so many different things, why wouldn’t they make a great cocktail?

While you could use apple cider as a delicious mixer, why not use the original apple liquor instead? Applejack and apple brandy have been around for centuries and they make one hell of a cocktail! As a matter of fact Laird’s Applejack was one of the first liquors created in the United States. Since grain was scarce, the settlers used the abundance of apples surrounding them to create ciders which they’d then ferment and turn into hard alcohols. Then they froze it. The liquor distilled from those frozen ciders was Applejack, and William Laird was the first to serve it at his New Jersey inn in the 1700’s. Needless to say this liquor is probably as old as Thanksgiving itself, which means it’s the perfect drink to serve your guests, or just enjoy in the weeks leading up to it.

A simple cocktail that packs a punch, the Star Cocktail dates back to the late 1800’s and consists of four simple ingredients: Applejack or Apple Brandy, sweet vermouth, simple syrup and bitters. Since the original recipe, found in George J. Kappeler’s 1895 bartending guide, Modern American Drinks, calls for Apple Brandy, that’s what I went with. While Applejack would work just as well here, it’ll give this cocktail more of a whiskey feel. Using Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy provides more apple flavor but also give the cocktail a higher ABV since the apple brandy is 100 proof.

The original recipe is absolutely delicious and well worth a sip. But since I wanted to go all in on the fall flavors, I made one small change: I swapped out the bitters. See, the original recipe calls for Angostura which while great doesn’t really do anything to enhance or improve the drink. Sure, it adds a little depth, but that’s about it. I really wanted to bring out the apple flavor while adding a little sweetness. So, I replaced the Ango with Infuse Bitters Cardamom bitters. As expected, the cocktail was now slightly sweeter and the apple flavor really shines.

This drink is definitely a great choice for the season. If you don’t have Cardamom bitters, don’t worry, the Angostura works just as well and is the classic recipe. But if you can get your hands on some Cardamom bitters, try it. You will not be disappointed! I actually love the Cardamom so much, it’s all I use for my Champagne Cocktails. So, if you’re in the mood to drink your apples this season, and you want something a little harder, give the Star Cocktail a try. Sipping on it by a roaring fire will definitely get you in the holiday spirit.