The most famous of the classic cognac cocktails, the Sidecar features cognac, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and a sugared rim. Created around the end of World War I in either London or Paris, the Sidecar descends from the Brandy Crusta and is tart and dry in flavor.
Two different bars claim to have invented the Sidecar for a guest who arrived at the venue on, you guessed it, a motorcycle sidecar. Bartender and author Dale DeGroff, however, claims the drink's name is actually a reference to the small amount of liquid that's often left at the bottom of a shaker tin after the bartender pours a drink out. Amicable bartenders will sometimes serve that extra bit to the guest in a shot glass on the side—colloquially called a "sidecar".
Our zero-proof version replaces the cognac with unfiltered apple cider, and adds the bracing acidity of its vinegar cousin to create a balanced drink that's both tart and sweet.
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