Cocktails with Dina
Apples have a typical harvest time in the Bay Area from August to October. As the harvest wraps, cider production ramps up. This is when apples are pressed, and fresh cider is made widely available. Hard cider producers typically allow a short fermentation period, resulting in cider being ready mid-November. In this way, National Cider Day, falling on November 18, is a natural extension of the apple season.
Apples and their flavors connect us to the land. Likewise, Thanksgiving was historically time to give thanks for the harvest. When we raise a glass of hard cider or enjoy a sip of apple brandy, we’re not only toasting to the season—we’re partaking in a tradition that spans centuries.
In the days of early American settlers, apple orchards were a community staple, and apple cider was a daily drink. Today, these drinks offer a modern way to honor this history and the sense of gratitude Thanksgiving represents.
While talking to Austin Klein at Bar Car, a company focused on bringing spirits to family and community events, we reflected on why we both love apple refreshments. The warmth of drinks like hard cider and apple brandy naturally fits with the season of Thanksgiving. Apples embody this spirit of thankfulness and community. Bar Car similarly focuses on events that bring people together.
From harvest to fresh-pressed cider to warming apple brandy, and other beverages, apples have a unique ability to capture the spirit of Thanksgiving: the coziness of gathering indoors, and the warmth of shared company. Sharing drinks with friends and family is a way to celebrate the season, honor tradition, and create new memories in good company—just as Thanksgiving invites us to do each year.
Let’s give thanks together with this cocktail that pays homage to cider as both an historical beverage and a modern favorite.
Sincerely Yours
by Austin Klein at Bar Car
1 oz Lo-Fi Gentian
1 oz Bishop’s Eden Organic
Apple Brandy
1 oz Pommeaux
3 dashes green apple bitters
2 oz Sincere Cider Dry
grapefruit twist
Stir first four ingredients in a mixing
glass until chilled. Pour into a highball
glass with ice, top with cider, and
garnish with a grapefruit twist.
San Francisco-based Dina Novarr enjoys sharing her passion for fine wines, spirits, non-alcoholic craft beverages, and more with others.
Cocktails with Dina
Published on November 21, 2024
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