A Perfect Fall Cocktail: Seasonal Cider Sipper

It’s autumn in Colorado, and most of the apples have been harvested. They’ve made their way into pies and pastries or — my favorite method — they have been eaten crisp and fresh. Colorado’s various cideries process a lot of the amazing fruit we grow here into hard cider, which is the base of this fall-inspired twist on the classic French 75 cocktail. Opt for a dry cider to bring balance to the local-honey syrup, bright squeeze of lemon, and aged rum. This cozy, effervescent sipper is stellar either served up or over a large ice cube.

Photo by Jayme Henderson

THE POMME 75 COCKTAIL Yield: 1 cocktail

1 oz aged rum, like Crested

Butte’s Montanya Oro

½ oz honey syrup

¼ oz freshly squeezed

lemon juice

3 oz chilled, dry, sparkling hard

cider, like Big B’s Original

Thinly sliced apple, for garnish

Ground cinnamon, for garnish

1. In a mixing tin, combine the rum, honey syrup, and lemon juice. Add a handful of ice, and shake well.

2. Strain into a coupe glass or flute and top with the chilled hard cider. Garnish with a thin slice of apple, and lightly dust with cinnamon through a sieve.

HONEY SYRUP

Yield: 1 cup

½ cup local honey

½ cup water

1. In a saucepan, combine the honey and water. Over low heat, stir just until the honey softens and the mixture fully integrates.

2. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.