Brandy Crusta

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Cocktail History

The Brandy Crusta is a classic cocktail that was created in the 1850s by Joseph Santini in New Orleans, Louisiana. Named for the crusted sugar around the rim, the recipe, which is considered a precursor to the Sidecar and Margarita, is made with a simple mixture of brandy, citrus juice, both orange and cherry liqueurs, and bitters.

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Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Cognac: This is a type of brandy made in Cognac, France with distilled white wine. I used J.P. Chenet XO Brandy.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Orange Curaçao: This is a liqueur made with oranges, sugar, and brandy or rum. I used Naranja Orange Liqueur.

Maraschino Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with Maraschino cherries, honey, herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol. I used Luxardo Maraschino Orginale Liqueur.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.

Lemon Twist: This is the peel of a lemon that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

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Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus, fruits, and vegetables. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Bright orange brown color

• Aroma: Brandy and citrus

• Taste: Sugar followed by a sharp citrus flavor with cherry notes

• Finish: Prominent brandy taste

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐

Kendall's Take: "This vintage drink is obviously from the early 1900s given how dry it is, and I agreed with most takes I read online that said it needed a dash of simple syrup for more balance. Even with that addition, I still don't think I'd make the Brandy Crusta again because it's so booze-forward and sour, but I'm glad I got to try the original before delving into variations. I imagine I'd like a spruced up version of this one quite a bit more, just like I do with the Manhattan."

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Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Steve The Bartender's Cocktail Guide by Steve Roennfeldt.