Brandy Crusta: Timeless New Orleans Cocktail
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Named after its main ingredient and its crunchy, sugary rim, the Brandy Crusta is a timeless New Orleans cocktail. It’s also sweet, sour and sophisticated.
We’ve sipped classic New Orleans cocktails like the Sazerac, Vieux Carré and Grasshopper at great bars during multiple trips to the Crescent City but never the Brandy Crusta. The drink simply wasn’t on our radar.
Now that we’ve taken a deep dive into the city’s liquid history, ordering a ‘crusta’ is high on our to-do list when we return. Until that happens, we’ll keep crafting and drinking Brandy Crusta cocktails at home.
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What Is the Brandy Crusta Cocktail?
The Brandy Crusta is a sophisticated sipper that’s crafted with fbrandy, orange liqueur, maraschino liqueur and Angostura bitters plus freshly squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup. This combination results in a timeless cocktail that’s notable both for its complex flavors and appearance.
Mixologists traditionally garnish the Brandy Crusta with a horse’s neck lemon twist that they wrap inside the glass. While that garnish is visually distinct, the cocktail’s big crusty sugar rim is what makes it special.
History of the Brandy Crusta
The Brandy Crusta’s history traces back more than a century to one bartender and one bar – Joseph Santini and The Jewel of the South.
Santini began serving the Brandy Crusta after he opened the French Quarter bar in 1855. It didn’t take long for the cocktail to hit the big time, as evidenced by its inclusion in Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide in 1862. However, after Santini sold The Jewel of the South later that decade, the bar and the cocktail lost their luster. The cocktail was practically forgotten for more than a century.
Two relatively recent events have given the Brandy Crusta new life. First, it was featured in David Wondrich’s Imbibe, a classic cocktail guide that salutes Thomas. Second, and more important, bartenders Nick Detrich and Chris Hannah opened a new version of Jewel of the South in 2019. The duo has won numerous accolades including a coveted James Beard Award. More important, in a savvy full-circle move, Brandy Crusta is the signature drink at the reincarnated French Quarter bar.
Ingredients
This Brandy Crusta recipe requires the following ingredients:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
How to Craft a Brandy Crusta
Crafting a Brandy Crusta is almost as much fun as sipping one.
The first step is to create a wide sugar rim on a coupe glass. To do this, rub a lemon wedge around the rim of a coupe glass. Dip the glass onto a plate topped with granulated sugar. Twirl the glass until the rim is well coated. Set the glass aside.
Measure the cognac, orange liqueur, maraschino liqueur, freshly squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup. We use a Japanese jigger to get accurate measurements and easy pours for these liquid ingredients.
Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.
Pour the liquids into a shaker as you measure them. We use a Boston Shaker to craft this and other cocktails – it’s easy to use and doesn’t make a mess.
Add a handful of ice cubes to the shaker and shake vigorously until the liquids are chilled and blended. This step should take about 20 seconds.
Strain the cocktail into the sugar-coated coupe glass.
Garnish with a citrus twist.
Variations
Consider the following variations once you master this Brandy Crusta recipe:
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Brandy Crusta Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cognac
- 1/2 ounce orange liqueur
- 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- granulated sugar (for sugar rim)
- 1 citrus peel (lemon or orange) (garnish)
- ice cubes (for shaking)
Instructions
- Run a lemon wedge around the rim of a coupe glass and then dip the glass into sugar, twirling the glass until the rim is well coated. Set the glass aside.
- Pour cognac, maraschino liqueur, orange liqueur, lemon juice and simple syrup into a shaker. Add two dashes of Angostura bitters.
- Toss in a handful of ice cubes and shake until liquids are mixed and chilled – approximately 20 seconds.
- Strain into the sugar-rimmed coupe glass.
- Garnish with a long citrus twist.
Nutrition
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
The Brandy Crusta is classic New Orleans cocktail that’s crafted with cognac, orange liqueur, maraschino liqueur, Angostura bitters, lemon juice and syrup. The cocktail is notable for its crusty sugar rim and long citrus peel garnish.
The Brandy Crusta was invented in New Orleans.
Cognac, Orange Liqueur, Maraschino Liqueur, Angostura Bitters, Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed), Simple Syrup, Orange Peel (garnish) and Ice Cubes (for shaking)
The Brandy Crusta cocktail can be shaken or stirred.
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