I scream, you scream, we all scream for…cider cocktails?
Now that summer is officially here in Toronto, it’s time to dole out some dope summer cocktail recipes, where the star of the show is cider.
Before we get to the recipes, let’s get into what makes a cocktail deliciously balanced by hitting all the right notes–sweet, sour, bitter–without being too boozy or too watered down.
Barman, Vincenzo Marianella, trainer of some of the best bartenders in L.A., gave out some solid advice when it comes to making cocktails that impress. Here are a few of his tips that stood out to me.
Knowing the right combination and ratio of spirits
If you want to combine different flavours, you have to know what combinations work well together. In general, you don’t want one flavour to stand out on its own and outshine the rest. “I always recommend an ounce and a half of the weakest and an half-ounce of the strongest. I’m not talking strong or weak on the ABV (alcohol by volume), I’m talking about flavor profile. So gin with mezcal, it’s an ounce and a half of gin, half-ounce of mezcal. If you do the reverse, the gin will disappear. The smokiness of the mezcal will take the spirit away,” says Vincenzo.
Takeaways:
. Combining similar spirits= use 1 ounce of each
. Combining dissimilar flavours = use 1 ½ ounce of the weakest flavour and ½ ounce of the strongest
. Weakest flavour goes in first
Don’t overkill your cocktails with juice
Adding juice to any cocktail instantly adds a refreshing element to the drink. Make sure it’s fresh, all natural and not fruit flavoured. “When adding juice use no more than three-quarters of an ounce,” says Los Angeles Magazine writer, Caroline Pardilla.
Takeaway:
. A full ounce is too much, but ¾ quarters is just right
Not all cocktails need shaking
Cocktails with a sour element, simple syrup or a thick component (such as eggs or dairy) need a good shake to make sure that all the flavours are fully unified. “The density of the citrus and the syrup needs more strength to mix together,” says Vincenzo. Stirred cocktails, on the other hand, are usually made with distilled spirits and light mixers. They need to be delicately combined with the right amount of dilution from the ice.
Takeaways:
. Creamy, juicy and especially citrus-style cocktails need shaking
. Any booze-forward drinks should be stirred
Balance is key
To make a perfectly balanced cocktail, Vincenzo recommends “two ounces of a base spirit, three-quarters of sour and an ounce of simple syrup. ‘With this formula here, we’ve been making cocktails for four and a half years and I recall only one bad review on Yelp and we have more than 500 reviews.’ For stirred drinks, his formula is 2 ounces base spirit (can be broken down into two spirits), 1 ounce of flavoring agent (can be up to three ingredients), 3 to 4 dashes of bitters.”
Now you have the main principles for making a fine cocktail, below are six, delicious, tried-and-tested cocktail recipes, (that don’t follow the above formula because they accentuate ciders) that recently impressed me and I’m not so easily impressed.
BLUEBERRY SANGRIA
. 1.5 oz fresh pineapple juice
. 3 oz white wine — Riesling
. Top with blueberry elderflower apple cider — Thornbury Village Cider House
Stir together
. Garnished with 3-5 blueberries
CUCUMBER COLLINS
. Muddle 3 slices of cucumber
. 1 oz ungava gin
. 1 oz simple syrup
. 1 oz fresh lemon juice
Shake and strain above, pour in glass and fill with dry cider — Duxbury Cider Co
. Garnish with a cucumber slice, mint sprig and a lime wedge
CAPE COD
. 1 oz top shelf vodka
. 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
. Fill with cranberry apple cider — Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery
Stir together
. Garnish with a lime wheel and 3 dried cranberries
MAPLE BLACKBERRY SMASH
. Muddled blackberries
. 0.25 oz simple syrup
. 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
. 1 oz maple whiskey
Shake and strain above, pour in glass and fill with blackberry peach apple cider — County Cider Company
. Garnish with a blackberry and mint sprig
The above recipes were provided courtesy of Zack Prohaska — Owner of Cocktails & Dreams, as part of Toronto Cider Festival’s Craft Cocktail Party
ROSÉ GIN AND TONIC
. 2 oz gin
. 2 juniper berries (optional)
. 1 sprig of rosemary
. 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
. 1-2 dashes of hops bitter (or other aromatic bitters)
Shake and strain above with ice, pour in glass and fill with 3 ounces of rosé apple cider — Strongbow
. Garnish with lime wedge and rosemary sprig
ROSÉ SPRITZER
. 1 oz silver tequila
. 5 oz rosé apple cider — Strongbow
. Splash of club soda
. 2-3 dashes of orange bitters
Stir together
. Garnish with a mint sprig
Last two recipes provided by Strongbow
Cocktails, snacks and sun exposure—this should be on everyone’s to-do list today.
