In between the roaring parties while nursing legendary hangovers, or during the many evenings spent watching that little green light blink on a distant shore, you may have wondered about the differences and similarities of two of your favorite 20th century cocktails: the Jack Rose and the Sidecar. Both drinks start with a brandy, although the brandies couldn't be more different from each other. The Jack Rose's brandy is apple flavored, for example, whether that be applejack (a type of apple brandy first made in colonial America in the 1600s) or any other apple brandy from around the world.
Meanwhile, Sidecars use Cognac, a specific kind of brandy that must be made in the Cognac region of France from white grapes grown there , plus other strict rules and regulations. From there, both drinks also add a splash of lemon juice and a third and final fruity ingredient. The results are two drinks with a lovely balance of sweet and tart that are perfect for cocktail hours or paired with desserts.
How to make a Jack Rose The key flavor of a good Jack Rose is apple , so let's start there. If you want to be authentically American with it, using applejack from the centuries-old Laird & Company is a must. The business goes back hundreds of years, and even had its recipe requested for by none other than George Washington.
But it's far from the only apple brandy on the market, so you can use your own favorites. You can also swap the apple brandy out for other apple-flavored liquors such as v.