To the Core

Local bartenders have their eyes on apples this season

Lola's lays claim to creating the first Appletini in L.A., and there was a time when this sugary green cocktail with a slice of apple floating on top worked for us--but not anymore.

There are two schools of thought to apple cocktails now: Build the drink around apple-based spirits, or use fresh juice or cider to amp up the fruit flavor. At Seven Grand, bar manager John Coltharp uses applejack, a spirit that dates back to colonial times, in his autumnal Seven Sins, a rye-based drink that tastes like a sweet-tart Red Delicious sprinkled with cinnamon.

At Copa d'Oro, ask your bartender for "something with apple" and you'll get the Apple One, a puckery drink made with Old Forester bourbon, organic apple juice, St-Germain and lemon juice. At The Varnish, Eric Alperin tops bourbon and ginger syrup with apple cider for the Chin Chin.

At Akasha, Akasha Richmond combines several seasonal tastes--sage, maple syrup and fresh apple juice--with TRU organic lemon vodka to make The Orchard (click here for the recipe). You can find it on the new lounge menu (offered on Friday and Saturday nights): Its cozy flavors pair especially well with the fried-chicken sliders.

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