Autumn Old-Fashioned

Cozy Up with an Autumn Spice Old-Fashioned: Cocktail and Mocktail Recipes

Fall has officially arrived, bringing along the familiar cravings for warm spices and comforting flavors. This season, I wanted a simple way to transform the classic old-fashioned into a cozy autumn delight. For this I crafted an Autumn Spice Syrup that’s ideal for both classic cocktails and a non-alcoholic variant on the old-fashioned. To make sure nothing goes to waste, I used apple solids left from the syrup to make a flavorful garnishing powder.

The Autumn Spice Syrup and powdered Apple Garnish

The key to an autumn-inspired old-fashioned lies in the syrup. I set out to capture the essence of the season with a blend of apple, cinnamon, clove, star anise, cardamom and just the right sweetness to balance it all out. This syrup brings a spiced profile that pairs beautifully with whiskey or a non-alcoholic alternative. More on that later.

First, here’s how I make the autumn spiced syrup:

Ingredients

• 200 ml water
• 200 g apples (sliced, with skins and seeds removed)
• 2 g whole cinnamon (use Ceylon)
• 2 g whole cloves
• 2 g cardamom seeds
• 2 star anise pods
• 200 g demerara sugar

How to craft Autumn Spice Syrup

1. In a saucepan, combine water, apples, and spices. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to help the apples release their flavors.
2. After about 20 minutes, move the apple pieces (leave the spices and liquid) to a cheese cloth. Release and filter the liquids by pressing the apples.
3. Mix the released apple juice with the water in the sauce pan and reduce the liquid 2-fold by simmering without a lid.
4. Once reduced, add the demerara sugar to the saucepan, dissolve the sugar, remove from the heat and bottle.
5. The syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 month.

How to craft Powdered Apple Garnish

1. Puree the apple solids that were left from the filtration
2. Spread the puree in a thin layer on baking paper
3. Dehydrate it by baking it at 75°C for 1-2 hours (or use a dehydrator)
4. Powder it by grinding it with a mortar or in a spice blender
   • If it is difficult to grind it to a fine powder, it might not be dehydrated enough. You can also make it more brittle by freezing it.
5. Optional: add sugar, salt and/or ground spices to your liking.
   • You can take small amount of the apple powder to experiment with to find your favorite

Autumn Spice Old-Fashioned Recipes

Let’s dive into the cocktail and mocktail. Both of these are exquisite, and though I personally prefer the cocktail, some of my guest prefers the taste of the mocktail. Most importantly, both version delivers that warming, spiced profile. I use Rebels 0.0 % Malt-Blend, which is the best non-alcoholic whiskey alternative I have tasted. However, like all other non-alcoholic liquor alternatives it cannot replicate the taste. It does however have some fantastic vanilla and oak flavors that pair exceptionally well with the Autumn spiced syrup.

*Aromatic bitters contain ∼ 40 % alcohol and 1 dash is roughly 2 mL. This is not enough to raise your blood alcohol levels, but you can also opt for an alcohol-free bitter if required.

1. In a cold mixing glass, combine the bourbon or Rebels Malt-Blend, Autumn Spice Syrup, and bitters. Fill with ice and stir until well-chilled.
2. Pour into a rocks glass with a large ice cube through a julep strainer.
3. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, fresh apple slice and half a rim of powdered apple for an extra touch of autumn fragrance and flavor.

Cheers to Fall!

Whether you’re enjoying this old fashioned with bourbon or a non-alcoholic version, either drink captures the flavors and colors of autumn and is sure to bring you and your guests into a cozy mood. Cheers to a beautiful and tasty season!