Tract · Cocktails

Sour · Shaken · Historical · complexity 2/5

Jersey Sour

An apple brandy sour using dry sugar rather than gum syrup.

citrus · sweet · orchard_fruit · refreshing · casual

Served in Sour glass.

Family

Variants (3)

Modern American Drinks by George J. Kappeler (1895, p.106) — George J. Kappeler 1895

0.25 wholeLemon juice (fresh) — juice of one-fourth of a lemonacid
1 jiggerapple brandy — apple brandybase
0.5 tablespoonsugar — fine sugarbase
Seasonal fruit — fruit trimgarnish
  1. Mix in the same manner as Apple Brandy Sour, using half a tablespoonful of fine sugar in place of gum syrup.

Garnish: Seasonal fruit

Nose
Apple brandy and lemon still lead, but the sugar gives a slightly less polished aromatic impression than gum syrup.
Palate
The drink is structurally very close to Apple Brandy Sour, but Kappeler preserves the sweetener distinction, which matters for historical service texture.
Finish
The finish is bright, orchard-fruited, and lightly sweet.
Summary
A sugar-based apple-brandy sour preserving a small but real service distinction.

Jack's Manual by J. A. Grohusko (1910, p.61)

1 lemonlemon juice acid
1 half portionApplejack — Source prints 100%/2 applejack; treated as half portion.base
0.5 teaspoonfulsugar base
Soda water — fizz waterdilution
1 slicelemon slice garnish
1 glassice — cracked iceother
  1. Shake the sugar, applejack, lemon juice, and cracked ice well.
  2. Strain, top with a little fizz water, garnish with a slice of lemon, and serve.

Garnish: Lemon slice

Ice: Cracked ice

Bartenders' Guide: How to Mix Drinks by Wehman Bros. (1912, p.66)

3 dashlemon juice — Lemon juiceacid
1 wine-glassApplejack — Applejackbase
1 large teaspoonsugar — Powdered white sugarbase
water — Waterdilution
berry — Berriesgarnish
ice — Shaved iceother
  1. Dissolve the sugar in a little water, add the lemon juice, applejack, and shaved ice, shake, strain into a claret glass, ornament with berries, and serve.

Ice: Ice

Lineage reconciliation

See also: Jack Rose, Jamaica Rum Sour