Caramel Apple Highball

2 oz Applejack

.5 oz Clarified Green Apple Juice

.5 oz Lime Juice

.5 oz Salted Caramel Apple Syrup

Mtn Dew Original or Zero Sugar

Combine all ingredients except Mtn Dew in a cocktail shaker with a large piece or full scoop of ice and short shake (3-5 sec).

Strain over clear ice in a highball or collins glass and fill up with Mtn Dew.

Gently lift the ice from the bottom with a cocktail spoon to fully incorporate without over disturbing the carbonation and garnish with a slice of fresh green apple (covered in lemon juice to stay green)

“Clarified” Green Apple Juice

2 - 4 Green apples Juiced (centrifugal juicer).

Discard the pulp, scrape the foam or floating sediment off the top, and immediately strain the juice through fine mesh strainers and a coffee strainer or a superbag if you have one. The finer the strain the better because any remaining sediment will turn brown and start to dull the flavor and color as it oxidizes. Store in a sealable glass container in the fridge and best if used that day or the next, but it doesn’t hold up much longer.

Caramel Syrup

100 g Clarified Apple Juice

100 g Demerara Sugar

     1 g Salt

In a small saucepan combine the sugar, salt, and 40 g of the apple juice over medium heat.

Stir constantly to keep from binding up while it boils.

Allow it to bubble and foam up for about 1 min before removing the pan from heat and setting aside to let cool.

Once fully cooled, add remaining 60g of apple juice, combine well, and store in a sealable glass container in the fridge. This will last several weeks and can be fortified with some everclear/vodka/alcohol of choice to extend that life.

Applejack

Applejack predates American Whiskey and was originally made by freezing apple cider and removing the frozen water to “jack” the alcohol content. The process got an upgrade when the Scotch-Irish brought over pot stills and distilling knowledge resulting in 100+ proof pure apple brandy. As American preferences evolved towards whiskey, Applejack distillers (notably Laird’s) began blending with whiskey to stay relevant and in doing so re-branded the new blended product as “Applejack” and the older recipe as 100% Apple Brandy. The current Lairds “Applejack” blend that is used in this recipe is 35% Apple Brandy and 65% Whiskey.