It’s only fitting that the first post regarding cocktails on Cognac Reverie is about the Sidecar. This is the quintessential cognac cocktail. Take a look on Instagram or Facebook under any of the popular cognac brands profiles and you’ll almost certainly see a post somewhere about the Sidecar. This simple, classic cocktail holds just as much importance as the Daiquiri does to rum, the Manhattan does to rye whiskey, or the Rob Roy does to Scotch. Plus, it’s my favorite cocktail. Yes, I said it! I get asked all the time what my favorite drink is. I have a hard time deciding a favorite anything, especially a cocktail, since it solely depends on my mood. But I’ve finally made the hard decision on this specific topic. It’s a Sidecar. No matter the time of year, I’d warmly welcome it. Let’s jump in to its history.
The Sidecar appeared in Europe near the end of World War I, during America’s Prohibition. At that time, most U.S. cocktails were subpar because bartenders lacked access to high-quality spirits. They added sugar and juices to mask the harsh alcohol they had to use. Fortunately, Europeans didn’t face the same restrictions and continued to enjoy a wide range of excellent alcoholic beverages.
The Sidecar first appeared in print around 1922 in both Harry MacElhone’s Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails and Robert Vermeire’s Cocktails and How to Mix Them. Three bars claim to have invented it: Harry’s New York Bar and the Ritz Hotel in Paris, and Buck’s Club in London. MacElhone initially credited legendary bartender Pat MacGarry at Buck’s Club but later claimed he created it himself. Vermeire, however, notes that the drink was already popular in France before MacGarry introduced it in London. Since MacElhone’s story wavers, I’m betting the Sidecar originated in Paris—but which bar? That remains a mystery. Your guess is as good as mine.
This cocktail contains three ingredients: cognac, lemon juice, and orange liqueur. Originally, bartenders mixed them in equal parts, but I strongly advise against that—it produces an unbalanced drink where sugar and citrus completely mask the cognac, leaving little depth. Around 1930, the Savoy Cocktail Book suggested new proportions: two parts cognac to one part each of lemon juice and orange liqueur. That’s an improvement, though I still don’t consider it the ideal ratio.
One thing that you might have noticed if you’ve ever ordered this cocktail or seen it in bars around your town is something that bothers me quite a bit. The dreaded sugar rim. A sugar rim first appeared with the Sidecar in 1934, twelve years after the cocktail’s supposed creation. The reason bartenders added it, when it wasn’t part of the original recipe, remains unknown. The most likely reason for the sugar rim was because there’s a connection between the Sidecar and another classic cocktail called a Brandy Crusta.
The Crusta is the grandfather of the Sidecar being invented back in the 1850’s. This style of cocktail (it could use whiskey or gin, as well) had an extravagant sugar rim from the lip of the glass to at least half way down the body. The Brandy Crusta had the exact same ingredients as a Sidecar, but also the addition of Maraschino liqueur and Angostura bitters. However, the liqueurs were in very small proportions so it made sense to add sugar on the rim to balance it out.
Another theory is that The Great Depression was happening and this was a time when processed foods started to become more popular. Milk was looked at as a ‘wonder food’ because of the high fat and sugar content. Soon after this time period we see things like “sour mix” and other artificially flavored mixers and super preserved canned foods start popping up. Logically, it seems to make sense that this change in food culture in the United States, in the broad sense, would also find its way to cocktails. Whatever the reason, a sugar rim isn’t needed if you make the cocktail correctly and balance your ingredients. If you do enjoy a sugar rim, then that’s wonderful and you should continue drinking it that way. No harm done. But you won’t ever find me dousing my glass in a sticky mess.
Below is the breakdown for what I feel contributes to the best Sidecar.
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Cognac
I prefer a VSOP in my Sidecar. In comparison to a VS, it adds a bit more complexity as well as more body and aromatics. The longer aging contributes to some nice barrel spice and texture, as well. I love using Camus VSOP for my Sidecar. It’s one of my go to cognacs for making all sorts of cocktails.
Orange Liqueur
The list of orange liqueurs available in the market today is very long. A lot of the old recipes call for Cointreau in a Sidecar, including the picture above from the Savoy Cocktail Book. That’s a nice option for sure, but I very much prefer Grand Marnier. It’s a cognac based liqueur, so using it in a cognac cocktail kind of makes sense to me. It adds a hint of zesty spice that other orange liqueurs don’t usually have.
Secret Ingredient
While this wasn’t included in the original recipe, a touch of demerara syrup makes a big difference here. I feel strongly that it’s needed. Demerara is a type of sugar, sometimes also called Turbinado. It’s one of the least refined sugars you can buy and has a caramel or molasses type flavor to it when dissolved in water. It works very well in cocktails with aged spirits. Mix two parts demerara sugar with one part water over medium heat and stir until fully incorporated. This sugar takes a little bit of effort to fully dissolve in hot water, but it’s worth it. Just keep stirring! Adding only a bar spoon to the cocktail gives the Sidecar a touch more body and roundness to it that’s quite pleasant. If you don’t have/can’t find demerara sugar, your standard simple syrup will work just fine.
Recipe
2 oz. (60 mL) VSOP Cognac
.75 oz (22 mL) lemon juice
.75 oz (22 mL) Grand Marnier
1 bar spoon (4 mL) 2:1 demerara sugar
Shake all ingredients in a shaker tin with ice and fine strain into a chilled coupe glass.
I opt for no garnish here. The simplicity of the cocktail doesn’t really need anything else. If you’d like, a lemon or orange twist zested on top would be completely acceptable.
