Sauce (The Gin Diary): Apple Sour

Cocktail: Apple Sour  

Ingredients: 1.25oz. Gin, 0.75oz. Lemon Juice, 1 Egg White, 2tsp. Simple Syrup, and Dry Cider 

Directions: In a cocktail shaker, pour in the gin, lemon juice, egg white, and simple syrup. Dry shake to emulsify the egg. Add ice and shake again. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with cider.  

Bartender Reaction: The Gin Diary is a series dedicated to my favorite spirit, gin. The next entry in the series delivered me to the Apple Sour. Below is my reaction to the cocktail recipe.  

Gin is such a versatile spirit. It blends perfectly with whatever you put in the class. Want something sweet? Its floral notes can push sweetness forward with complexity and intrigue. Desire something bitter? Juniper was born for the role.  

In this cocktail, gin is nearly impossible to locate. It handles lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white with ease. Dry Cider all but masks the flavor of the gin and makes it nearly impossible to find. If you love the taste of this spirit as much as I do, we might easily address this by upping the serving of the spirit from 1.25oz. to 1.75oz. or 2oz. If you are new to gin and are looking for a simple introduction that avoids the “pinecone” flavor, this fall-centered cocktail is perfect for you.  

For me, I always want to know I am drinking gin. I want to smell it and easily find it on my palette. Here, it is practically non-existent. This is a shame, because a more balanced version of this cocktail would have been a home run.  

Be good to each other,  

Nathan