North American Press Cider Sonoma Ca Recipe

Toast spices

Place a small dry saucepan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and whole cloves and toast, gently shaking the pan, for 30–45 seconds until fragrant—be careful not to burn them.

Add the fresh-pressed hard apple cider to the saucepan with the toasted spices and bring to a gentle simmer over low-medium heat. Do not boil; keep it just below a simmer for 3–4 minutes so the spices infuse the cider.

Stir in the maple syrup until dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness (add up to another 1/2 tablespoon if you prefer sweeter).

Remove the pan from heat. Add the brandy and pear liqueur, then stir to combine. Adding the spirits off heat preserves more aromatic character.

Squeeze the fresh lemon juice into the warmed mixture and gently stir. Then take the orange peel and express (twist) it over the liquid to release the oils, rub it along the rim of two heatproof glasses, and drop the peel into one of the glasses (or discard if you prefer).

Strain the warm cider mixture into two pre-warmed heatproof glasses, dividing evenly. Add the toasted cinnamon stick to one or both glasses and float a thin apple slice on top. Garnish with an orange twist. Serve immediately while warm.

If you prefer a chilled cocktail, lightly toast the cinnamon stick and cloves in a dry skillet for 30 seconds to coax aromas, then lightly crush the toasted cloves (use the back of a spoon) and place with the cinnamon stick in a small heatproof jar.

Pour 2 cups of hard apple cider into the jar, seal, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes to cold-infuse the cider with the spices. Alternatively, gently warm for 2 minutes and cool completely for quicker infusion.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 1.5 oz brandy, 0.5 oz pear liqueur, 0.5 tbs maple syrup, and 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice. Add 4 oz (1/2 cup) of the chilled spiced cider to the shaker.

Shake well for 12–15 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted. Strain into two chilled coupe or rocks glasses over a single large ice cube if desired.

Express an orange twist over each glass, rub it on the rim, and drop it in. Float a thin apple slice as garnish and serve.

For nonalcoholic version: substitute the hard cider with sparkling apple soda or fresh apple juice and omit brandy/pear liqueur or use nonalcoholic alternatives listed in ingredients. Proceed with warming or chilling as above.

Adjust sweetness with maple syrup to taste. Pear liqueur may be replaced with a small splash (1/4–1/2 oz) of pear juice concentrate or elderflower liqueur for a different floral note.

All measured components in the ingredients list are used in the directions; scale quantities linearly for larger batches.