A Golden Era Cocktail: The Sidecar

[Ben]

I am very fond of this cocktail, but I don't think of it as a summer drink. Perfect for Autumn with its amber hue and the warm flavor of brandy.



Early on MK mentioned the Trader Vic Bartender's Guide. I have the 1947 edition as well as the Trader Vic Book of Food and Drink from 1946. Both have some great cocktails. What makes them more fun is that they were both owned by my Great Grandmother who scribbled little notes in the margins like "no good", "use half the sugar", and such. Whenever I peruse it and read them it's like I am reaching back half a century to brush my fingertips to hers.

Cheers

Jamie

I'll chime in and say the Trader Vic's Guide is great, especially the sections on patrons bar tenders love and hate.

The only drawback is occasionally the ingredients are hard to find. However, Imbibe magazine often has recipes and sources for hard to find ingredients.

 

[Cricket]

I found an interesting recipe for a side car at www.drinkoftheweek.com:

There are numerous stories on the Sidecar's origins. However, Harry's Bar in Paris is generally credited with inventing the Sidecar for a patron who often rode in the sidecar of a motorcycle. I am grateful to this unknown and unsung mixologist who brought us this cocktail, as it is my personal favorite, and I am eternally grateful to the Bix in San Francisco for introducing me to the wonderful libation.

Like the Martini, the Sidecar has recently experienced a renaissance. The Sidecar was invented in the early 1900's and was popular until the beginning of World War II, but unfortunately was forgotten by most when the War came to an end. A few years ago, my request for a Sidecar was often met with "are you sure, that's what my grandmother drinks?" Luckily, the Sidecar is now enjoying a renewed popularity and can be easily had at most drinking establishments.
Over the past few years we have diligently attempted to recreate that first wonderous Sidecar at the Bix. Although we never recreated our first Sidecar, we have perfected my personal favorite (listed below) made with equal parts armagnac (a french brandy very similar to cognac with a mellower taste), cointreau and lime juice.
When we began our Sidecar journey, I had no idea so many types of Sidecars existed. There are Sidecars for those who prefer brandy, cognac, gin, vodka and even irish whisky. Join me in a toast to the Sidecar with a few of the concoctions listed below. After all, it would be a shame if the Noble Sidecar were once again forgotten.

...And Now on to the Sidecars

Sidecar
The Original from Harry's Bar - Paris

1 1/2 oz. Brandy
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1/2 oz. Lemon or Lime Juice


Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.
top

Rachel's Sidecar
Our Favorite - A Sweet Sidecar

1 oz. Armagnac
1 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Lime Juice

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.
top

Hennessey Sidecar

1 1/2 oz. Hennessey Cognac
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1/2 oz. Lemon Juice

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.
top

Boston Sidecar

1 1/2 oz. Light Rum
1/2 oz. Brandy
1/2 oz. Triple sec
1/2 oz. Lemon or Lime Juice

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.

In case someone already posted this, I apologize. But drink up

 

[Fletch]

A few years ago, my request for a Sidecar was often met with "are you sure, that's what my grandmother drinks?"

Was the sidecar regarded as a "woman's" drink back in the day? Perhaps due to the sweetness?

 

[Feraud]

Was the sidecar regarded as a "woman's" drink back in the day? Perhaps due to the sweetness?

I do not think so. From what I have read the sidecar seems firmly entrenched in the male's corner.
Of course time changes perceptions..

 

[Buddy]

"Run along dear and have Ito fetch me a light breakfast - black coffee and a sidecar. Oh, oh, and a cold towel for your Auntie Vera." - Auntie Mame

I love a well made sidecar, but I prefer it in the martini glass with the sugared rim. I spend a lot of time on cruise ships and if you don't specify that, you often get it in a tumbler, drowning in ice, and, in the case of Holland America Line, made with orange juice. Ick.

Mike

 

[univibe88]

when mixed by a professional who knows what their doing.

That is the key. Too many bars today will use sour mix and that stuff is vile. This drink (as all cocktails) should be made with fresh squeezed juice.

 

[Senator Jack]

Been drinking this since they forgot how to make 'em - about twenty years now. I know Drinkboy and the gang at The Museum have proclaimed another official ratio, but I still have to go by 4 parts Cognac, 1 part lemon, .5 parts Cointreau. Too much Cointreau makes the drink syrupy. (Got that ratio from the 1948 Embery classic, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks) Stinging cold cocktail glass, of course, as this is one drink that's really terrible when served warm.

 

[univibe88]

Definitely go with whatever ratio tickles your fancy, and have fun experimenting. I like to go with 2 parts brandy, 1 part Cointreau and 1 part lemon. This is the "classic" ratio of base liquor, sweet, sour that can be applied to many drinks.....sidecar, margarita, daiquiri, etc.

 

[MK]

.

Was the sidecar regarded as a "woman's" drink back in the day? Perhaps due to the sweetness?

Bite your tongue, sir. It was first made for an officer in WWI. It is a manly drink.

 

[Mojito]

Definitely go with whatever ratio tickles your fancy, and have fun experimenting. I like to go with 2 parts brandy, 1 part Cointreau and 1 part lemon. This is the "classic" ratio of base liquor, sweet, sour that can be applied to many drinks.....sidecar, margarita, daiquiri, etc.

I'm a fan of this ratio as well - I think I originally found it in the Savoy Cocktail Book, but it was many moons ago! It fits into what I think of as the "Sidecar family" - White Ladies, Pink Ladies, Box Cars and one or two others. And I also use the 1/1/2 ratio for margaritas and daiquiries.

We had *great* sidecars at "The Toff" bar in Melbourne last weekend - I was a bit wary of Apricot Brandy, let alone a sugared rim, but was delighted to find they weren't overly sweet at all, and absolutely perfect for a winter's evening:

Splatt, Gingermore, Mojito and Jill

 

[Senator Jack]

I like to go with 2 parts brandy, 1 part Cointreau and 1 part lemon. This is the "classic" ratio of base liquor, sweet, sour that can be applied to many drinks.....sidecar, margarita, daiquiri, etc.

This is where many a bartender has run afoul and why, till the recent cocktail renaissance, drinks were served too sweet; the ratio of liqueur to mixer had over the years either become reversed or set to 1:1. There's a lot of sugar in your liqueurs, so instead of being light and sparkling, cocktails with the 1:1 tend to be heavy and murky. As you said, to each his own, but the classic ratio is actually 4:1:.5 /liquor/mixer/liqueur, or, for something like a classic daiquiri, 3:1:.5 with sugar syrup being the .5 rather than a liqueur (though I cut mine with an equal part orgeat).

Of course, experimenting with ratios will get you the drink that's right for you and your guests, so never take anything as written in stone.

As an aside, I think the Sidecar might now be thought as a girl drink because a) the current ratio favors the Cointreau which makes it sweet, and, b)it's served frosted.

Regards,

Jack

 

[Mojito]

This is where many a bartender has run afoul and why, till the recent cocktail renaissance, drinks were served too sweet; the ratio of liqueur to mixer had over the years either become reversed or set to 1:1. There's a lot of sugar in your liqueurs, so instead of being light and sparkling, cocktails with the 1:1 tend to be heavy and murky. As you said, to each his own, but the classic ratio is actually 4:1:.5 /liquor/mixer/liqueur, or, for something like a classic daiquiri, 3:1:.5 with sugar syrup being the .5 rather than a liqueur (though I cut mine with an equal part orgeat).

I'll have to experiment with the 4:1:.5, Senator Jack - it sounds intriguing, and there are days I like my balances to vary!

I'm not so sure if that's the classic ratio, however - I guess it depends on your source, and how you define "classic". The earliest recipes, even predating the Savoy Cocktail Book, generally go for a 1:1:1 with cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice (I haven't tried this - it's on the agenda for the near future!). That's MacElhone and Vermiere. The Savoy gives us the 1:1:2 (Cognac as a base, although I said Brandy above). In the 20s and 30s it seems to have had quite a lot of latitude, as it does today. I find a well shaken drink using the Savoy Cocktail Book's measures is never heavy - I find it a fairly concise balance of flavours, with the light syrup quality of the liqueur a perfect counterpoint to the acidic fresh fruit juice and the spirit base the dominant note. If anything, people educated to a modern cocktail palate find it too sharp rather than too sweet - I've sometimes been asked to add a dash of sugar syrup to sidecars, and particularly white ladies.

You're right on the earliest Daiquiri recipes - they did call for sugar or sugar syrup rather than a sweet liqueur. In its original form, it reminds me a lot of the other South American Stickies, like the Caprhina.

As an aside, I think the Sidecar might now be thought as a girl drink because a) the current ratio favors the Cointreau which makes it sweet, and, b)it's served frosted.

Not too sweet! I think Cointreau gives the perfect counterpoint to an equal measure of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Maybe it's winter, but I like the citrus current throughout. And if it's any comfort, I'd never been served a frosted glass until this past weekend - I was a bit surprised and it certainly wasn't my normal preference, but I actually found it quite tasty.

 

[gingermore]

The earliest recipes, even predating the Savoy Cocktail Book, generally go for a 1:1:1 with cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice (I haven't tried this - it's on the agenda for the near future!).

Mojito, I'm curious, have you tried this ratio? I have been experimenting and have found that I like 2:1:.5, but I don't like it as much as at other times when someone else has made it for me. I'm using using brandy, maybe I need to use cognac. However, I think I'll always be chasing my first sidecar experience (as pictured).

 

[univibe88]

Cognac is brandy, just from a specific reason. Switching one for the other won't make much difference. It depends on the quality of the liquor itself. A very nice brandy will make a much nicer cocktail than a cheap Cognac and vise versa.

 

[univibe88]

b)it's served frosted.

By frosted to you mean a sugar rimmed glass or a cocktail glass that's been in the freezer?

If the former, then I agree. It makes the drink even sweeter and gives it a "girl drink" persona. If the later, I completely disagree. ANY cocktail benefits from a cold glass and if one think that makes it a girl drink, he doesn't know the first thing about cocktails.

 

[Fletch]

As an aside, I think the Sidecar might now be thought as a girl drink because a) the current ratio favors the Cointreau which makes it sweet, and, b)it's served frosted.

Aha. Thus, in 1000 little ways, does culture subtly rewrite itself, and the present "unman" the manliness of the past. Much like what's happened with good clothes and manners, actually. So no surprise.

 

[Feraud]

Thursday evening I met friends for drinks downtown. One co-worker asked what everyone was drinking and I replied a Sidecar. She commented, "is that old man drink?"
I had to smile and replied, "something like that" as she ordered some Sex in the City inspired fusion, ridiculously named, hip, sugary sweet excuse for a cocktail.

 

[gingermore]

I decided to try the 1:1:1 ratio and I much prefer it. Also, given the state of my finances, I tried triple sec in place of cointreau. Although it's not as nice, it is passable and given that it's a great deal cheaper, I will continue to use it for my "everyday" sidecar and save the cointreau for special occaisons.

 

[Girl Friday]

I once asked for a Boxcar by accident...that was embarrassing.

 

[scotrace]

It has now been a couple of years since my last sidecar...