Apple Business

Apple cocktails often get a bad rap—largely due to poorly executed Appletinis. But the versatile fruit can be used in a variety of delicious drinks, from warm winter toddies to refreshing summer coolers. The Apple Business, created by Theo Lieberman, a New York-based beverage director and sommelier, is firmly the latter.

Lieberman builds the cocktail on a base of Nolet’s gin. The Holland-made spirit is a significant departure from juniper-dominant London dry gins and instead features a floral, fruit-forward profile that counts rose, peach and raspberry among its botanicals. This keeps the flavors light and fresh, but at a stout 47.6% ABV, the gin packs a punch.

Add lime juice and honey, and the Apple Business skirts into Bee’s Knees territory (gin, lemon, honey), but an ounce of apple juice takes the flavor in a new direction. The key is to use quality juice. Nothing beats a freshly juiced apple if you have the equipment; otherwise, acquire a bottle of locally pressed juice or the best store-bought option you can find. Apples are naturally sweet, and the juice is paired with honey, so you don’t need a juice with a lot of added sugar.

Shake your ingredients together with ice, and you get a refreshing, delicious cocktail that’s perfect for summer or early fall when the days are still warm. Garnish your drink like Lieberman does, with a few apple slices, and you’ll even have a healthy snack to enjoy between sips.

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