A wide collar of lemon peel hugs the inside of the glass, the rim glitters with sugar, and inside sits a pale amber sour built on good brandy. It takes a few minutes of knife work, and every sip through that sugary edge pays you back.
4.3Editors’ rating
Taste4.4
Balance4.3
Easy to make3
Popularity30
Reader rating: No reader ratings yet. Be the first.
Garnish: Sugar rim and a long lemon peel lining the glass · Ice: Served up, no ice
Method
Moisten the rim of a small wine glass with lemon and dip it in fine sugar, then line the inside with a long, wide strip of lemon peel.
Add brandy, maraschino, curaçao, lemon juice, syrup and bitters to a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
Double strain into the prepared glass without ice.
Link copied
Watch it made
Brandy Crusta
Taste
Bright and tart with brandy's dried fruit and oak, a hint of cherry from the maraschino and a spicy finish. The sugar rim softens every sip.
History and origin
The Crusta is one of the oldest named drink families in American bartending. It is credited to Joseph Santini, a bartender in New Orleans, who served it in the mid-19th century. Jerry Thomas printed a Brandy Crusta in his 1862 book, the first American bartender's guide, and the recipe there already calls for the sugared rim and the peel of half a lemon.
What made the Crusta new was the combination of citrus juice with a spirit, sugar and liqueur, a step towards the sours and the Sidecar that came later. The drink faded for most of the 20th century and returned with the classic cocktail revival, when bartenders rediscovered it in Thomas's book and restored the elaborate presentation.
Bartender tips
Cut the peel in one continuous spiral with a sharp paring knife or channel knife, sugar the rim first, then curl the peel inside the glass so it holds its shape.
Prepare the sugar rim a few minutes ahead and let it dry; it sticks better and does not dissolve into the drink.
A VS or VSOP cognac gives the cleanest result; very oaky brandies can overpower the maraschino.
Variations
Whiskey Crusta
Swap the brandy for bourbon or rye, a variant already known in the 19th century.
Gin Crusta
Use Old Tom or London dry gin for a lighter, more herbal Crusta.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Brandy Crusta the same as a Sidecar?
No, but they are related. The Sidecar uses more orange liqueur and no bitters or maraschino, and it came several decades later.
Which glass is used for a Brandy Crusta?
Traditionally a small stemmed wine glass, wide enough to hold the lemon peel collar. A small coupe works too.
Can I skip the lemon peel collar?
Yes, the drink tastes nearly the same. The peel adds aroma and is the signature look, so keep it if you can.
The perfect sound
Early New Orleans jazz
A refined sip of nineteenth century New Orleans.
When the Saints Go Marching InLouis ArmstrongSpotifyYouTube
