The Brandy Crusta was perhaps the pinnacle of 1800s cocktailing. First created around 1840 or 1850, the Brandy Crusta modified the classic cocktail template — spirit, sugar, water and bitters — with some fresh lemon juice and a dash of orange liqueur. The result was a bright, easy-to-gulp cocktail that didn’t shy away from its boozy backbone.
The Brandy Crusta wasn’t the first drink to utilize citrus and liqueur, but it’s one of the few 1800s-era cocktails to do so and really stand the test of time. For that, Brandy Crusta, we salute you.
As Brandy and Cognac cocktails have made a resurgence in bars across the country, classics like the Brandy Crusta are becoming easier to find. And with its stable of simple ingredients, it’s a quick fix to at-home sobriety.
Brandy Crusta
2 oz Cognac
.5 oz fresh lemon juice
.5 oz simple syrup
.25 oz triple sec
2 dashes Angostura BittersShake all ingredients and strain into a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.
For the best results, use a good, highly-mixable Cognac like Deau or Pierre Ferrand.
