Harvest Moon Recipe

Make syrup

Combine 0.5 cup water and 0.5 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Add 2 oz peeled, sliced fresh ginger. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 2–3 minutes to infuse, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature (30–45 minutes) for stronger flavor.

Strain into a clean jar, pressing on ginger to extract flavor. Refrigerate. Yields about 6 ounces. Use 0.5 oz per cocktail.

Combine

Whisk 1 cup apple cider (or tart apple juice) with 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar and 0.25 cup honey until honey dissolves. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness if needed (add up to 1–2 tbsp more vinegar for tang or a tablespoon more honey for sweetness).

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. Strain if cloudy. Yields ~6 ounces. Use 0.5 oz per cocktail.

Chill: Begin with a highball or Collins glass chilled with ice, or build in a rocks glass over fresh ice depending on desired presentation.

Add to a mixing tin: 2 oz Reyka vodka, 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.5 oz ginger simple syrup, 0.5 oz honey-apple shrub, and 0.25 oz Broken Spanish (mezcal). Add 1 dash Angostura bitters.

Shake: Fill the tin with ice and shake vigorously 10–12 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted.

Strain & top: Strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice (if using Collins/highball use a tall ice cube or pebble ice). Top with 2 oz club soda and gently stir once to combine.

Smokestack / final smoke (optional): If you want a pronounced smoky 'smokestack' effect, briefly flame a lemon peel over the drink and express oils across the surface, or use a handheld smoker to capture smoke in a glass dome placed over the drink for 10–20 seconds and then release at service.

Garnish: Float a thin apple slice on top, add a lemon twist on the rim. Serve immediately.