Modern Appletini
Vodka, fresh apple juice, and apple brandy — upgrading the DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker (1996) Appletini with fresh fruit instead of synthetic schnapps.
- 2 ozvodka
- ¾ ozapple liqueur
- 1 ozfresh apple juice
- ½ ozfresh lemon juice
- ¼ ozsimple syrup
- Apple slicegarnish
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The Modern Appletini represents the evolution of the Appletini — the apple schnapps and vodka drink that became one of the most recognizable cocktails of the late 1990s and early 2000s, partly through its association with the television series Scrubs — into a more refined, craft-era interpretation. The original Appletini relied heavily on DeKuyper's Sour Apple Pucker (launched 1996) for its neon green color and candy-sweet apple flavor, which drew criticism from classically trained bartenders. The Modern Appletini substitutes fresh apple juice or muddled apple and a quality apple brandy or dry apple liqueur for the synthetic schnapps, creating a cocktail with genuine apple character and more balanced sweetness that appeals to the craft cocktail sensibility of the 2010s and beyond.
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Everything you need to make a great Modern Appletini at home.
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