Make a Jack Rose cocktail with this quick recipe! Blend Calvados, grenadine, and fresh lemon juice for a vibrant drink, ideal for summer.
Prep time: 1 minute
Mixing time: 1 minute
Servings: 1
Calories: 141
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Calvados - or apple Brandy or straight Applejack
- ½ oz grenadine
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- ¼ oz fresh lime juice
- Ice cubes
- Lemon zest twist or maraschino cherry - for garnish, optional
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker
- Cocktail Strainer
- Fine strainer
- Coupe Glass
- Measuring Jigger
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail glass with ice and set it aside.
- Pour ¼ oz fresh lime juice into the shaker.
- Add ½ oz fresh lemon juice.
- Measure out and add ½ oz grenadine syrup as well.
- Finally, pour 1½ oz Calvados into the shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice, cap it and give it a good shake (10-15 seconds).
- Discard the ice inside the cocktail glass. Using both the cocktail strainer and the fine strainer, strain the mixture into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with either a lemon zest (express it on top of the glass and drop it into the drink) or a maraschino cherry and serve immediately.
Notes
Substitutes:
- Calvados/Applejack/Apple Brandy: Even though Calvados is our favorite option for this drink, you can actually use any type of Apple Brandy you’d like to make this cocktail.
- Lemon/Lime Juice: If you’re missing one of those, you can use only lime or only lemon juice (in that case, use ¾ ounce in total). If you don’t have fresh citrus on hand, bottled lime and/or lemon juice can do the trick as well.
- Grenadine: If you're out of Grenadine, you can use raspberry syrup as a substitute. Strawberry syrup can be used as well, but be careful as it usually has a more potent flavor.
Making a Pitcher of Jack Rose Cocktail:
- Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all the ingredients by 8. That would be 12 oz of Calvados, 4 oz of Grenadine, 4 oz of fresh lemon juice and 2 oz of fresh lime juice.
- Mix: In a large pitcher, combine the applejack, citrus juice, and Grenadine. Add ice and stir well.
- Serve: Strain to remove the ice, serve immediately into chilled cocktail glasses and garnish with a lemon zest twist or a maraschino cherry. If you have some leftovers, be sure to keep it in the fridge (make sure no ice cubes are left inside) in an airtight container.
Making it Non-Alcoholic:
- Calvados Substitute: Use a non-alcoholic apple cider as a substitute for the applejack. It won't have the same kick but will provide a similar flavor profile. You can also use kombucha (be careful to stir it well to remove the gas before shaking!) combined with a touch of cloudy apple juice to replace the Apple Brandy.
- Proceed As Usual: Use this non-alcoholic substitute instead of the regular ingredient, follow the original steps, and enjoy a non-alcoholic version.
Making it Vegan:
- Grenadine: Grenadine is usually vegan, but make sure to check on the specific brand you use. Some non-organic brands may use sugar filtered through bone char during production and are not vegan§friendly for that reason.
- Proceed As Usual: Check the label to ensure your ingredients are suitable for a vegan diet, follow the original steps, and enjoy a vegan Jack Rose Cocktail.
What is a Jack Rose Cocktail?
A Jack Rose Cocktail is a classic apple brandy-based cocktail made of Calvados, fresh lemon and lime juice, and Grenadine. It is not a variant of any other well-known cocktail but stands out for its unique use of apple brandy as a base spirit. The Jack Rose gained popularity during the 1920s and ’30s, and despite falling out of favor for some time, it has seen a resurgence in recent years as part of the classic cocktail revival.
What is a Jack Rose Cocktail made of – The ingredients
You’ll need these ingredients to mix up a Jack Rose Cocktail:
- Calvados / Apple Brandy / Applejack: This is the cocktail’s base spirit, providing complexity and a solid apple flavor.
- Lemon & Lime Juice: Adds a citrusy tang to balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Grenadine: Gives the cocktail its signature pink color and adds a layer of sweet, fruity complexity.
- Cocktail Cherry and Lemon Zest (for garnish): These make the drink visually appealing and add subtle hints of fruitiness.
