APPLE CAR
Apple Car: A Modern Sidecar Variation with American Apple Brandy
The Apple Car is described as the variant of the Sidecar with Applejack from New Jersey, fruity and fresh, perfect for spring CointreauCointreau. When a Sidecar is made with calvados instead of cognac it becomes an Apple Cart Difford's Guide, though the Apple Car specifically uses American applejack rather than French calvados.
The Sidecar itself originated around the end of World War I, with competing claims from London and Paris. The Apple Car emerged as a modern variation, capitalizing on America's long tradition of apple brandy production. Applejack has been distilled in New Jersey since colonial times, making it one of America's oldest spirits.
The Apple Cart variation appears in cocktail guides as a calvados-based Sidecar Difford's Guide, while the Apple Car specifically highlights applejack's distinctive American character. Both variations maintain the Sidecar's fundamental structure of spirit, orange liqueur, and lemon juice, but the apple brandy provides a noticeably fruitier, more rustic profile compared to cognac's refined elegance. The drink showcases how classic cocktail templates can be successfully adapted with regional spirits.
RECIPE:
1½ oz applejack or apple brandy
¾ oz Cointreau or triple sec
½ oz fresh lemon juice
Method:
Add applejack, Cointreau, and lemon juice to shaker with ice
Shake well until chilled
Strain into chilled coupe glass
Garnish with apple slice or lemon twist (optional)