“I like poaching apples versus juicing because it gives a more intense flavor,” says Christiaan Röllich, who set out to create the liquid equivalent of apple pie in his McIntosh. A combination of malty genever, apple purée and sweet pecan-brandy syrup, the drink also alludes to the longstanding Dutch beer-and-genever-shot ritual, kopstootje (literally, “little headbutt”) when it gets shaken with IPA.
McIntosh
Christiaan Röllich, Lucques and a.o.c. | Los Angeles
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 ounce genever, preferably Bols
- 1 ounce lemon juice, fine-strained
- 3/4 ounce pecan syrup (see Editor's Note)
- 1 ounce poached apple purée (see Editor's Note)
- 1 1/2 ounces IPA, preferably Pizza Port Swami's
Garnish: 2 apple slices through cocktail pick
Directions
- Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker without ice and dry shake.
- Add ice, shake and strain into Collins glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with apple slices.
Editor's Note
Poached Apple:
3 lbs mixed apples
1 cup sugar
4 cups of white cooking wine
3 cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves
Place apples, sugar, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves in large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, turn heat to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Place apples in a blender, add wine, blend and strain through a chinois. Cool and reserve.
Pecan Syrup:
1 cup water
2 ounces brandy
1 cup pecans
1 cup sugar
Place the water, brandy and pecans in a blender, blend. Let the mixture sit overnight, then strain through chinois. Warm the resulting pecan milk on the stove and add in equal parts sugar (about 1 cup) to dissolve. Cool and reserve.