Snappy Happy Hour: Lift Your Spirits and Celebrate Fall

By Jenna Allen

               As temperatures begin to drop outside, my taste for dry rosés, cold citrusy Hefeweizens and icy vodka cocktails shifts to richer, full-bodied cabernets, darker nuttier ales and mixed drinks made with my all-time favorite spirit, smoky sweet bourbon. Bourbon is considered “America’s Native Spirit” and I think Autumn is the perfect time to enjoy it. With its rich layered flavors and toasty finish, it seems a perfect match for crisper days and chillier nights.

One of my favorite cocktails is the sidecar, which is traditionally made with brandy. I recently sampled it with bourbon and was delighted to discover this new twist on a classic. Purists insist that this drink must be served up in a sugar-rimmed martini glass. Instead, I suggest slipping a few ice cubes into a sugar-rimmed Ball Mason jar and serving the cocktails to your friends at your next fall bash. This is a fun and casual way to celebrate the new season.

Perfect Bourbon Sidecar (Adapted from The New York Times “The Pour”)

First, assemble the necessary equipment and ingredients. You’ll need:

A shaker
A Ball mason jar
A lot of ice
A shot glass
A lemon reamer or old school glass juicer

A strainer
A saucer of sugar
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce good bourbon (I like Basil Hayden’s or Knob Creek)
1 ounce Cointreau

Fill the shaker all the way up with ice and put it in the freezer. Cut a lemon in half and use it to wet the rim of the mason jar. Stick the rim in the sugar and swish it around until lightly sugared. Juice the lemon through the strainer and into a shot glass. Grab the shaker and pour in the juice, a shot of bourbon and a shot of Cointreau. Put the lid on, hold on tight and shake the heck out of it. Place ice in mason jar (cubes are fine, but crushed is even better). Fill your glass up. No garnish, just drink it.