Apple Cider Spice Spritz mocktail recipe
Cloudy apple cider, lemon and a short cinnamon infusion with a crisp sparkling finish.
Method: Build · Glass: Stemmed wine glass · Time: 5 minutes · Difficulty: Beginner
Ingredients
- 2½ oz cloudy apple cider
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- ¼ oz cinnamon syrup
- 1 dash alcohol-free aromatic bitters
- 3 oz well-chilled sparkling water
- to fill large ice cubes
How to make it
- Fill a stemmed wine glass with large ice.
- Add the apple cider, lemon juice, cinnamon syrup and bitters.
- Top with chilled sparkling water and lift once with a bar spoon.
- Add the apple fan, cinnamon stick and lemon peel, then serve at once.
Garnish
A thin apple fan, small cinnamon stick and lemon peel
Why this balance works
Apple cider tastes fuller than juice but is still sweet, so the lemon is doing real work here. Keep the cinnamon syrup restrained; it should lengthen the apple aroma rather than turn the drink into liquid dessert. A dry cider needs less lemon, while a very sweet one may need a little more.
Technique to keep
Use a thin apple fan only at the last moment. Cut apple browns quickly, and an early garnish makes a drink look tired before it is served. The sparkling water belongs in a fully chilled glass after the still ingredients have been measured.
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