Sidecar Cocktail

Sidecar Cocktail Story

The Sidecar is an indelible symbol of post-WWI European social life. Foregoing the fancier trappings of Jerry Thomas’s Brandy Crusta recipe, the Sidecar is stripped down to the basics, resulting in a dry sour that showcases a quality base spirit. As with the history of the Daiquiri, the Sidecar sees as many claims for its invention as variations in its recipe. One factor distinguished the Sidecar as being worlds away from anything made in America during Prohibition: really, really good brandy. While a sugar rim on a Sidecar is as ubiquitous as salt on a Margarita, it's not required (especially if you prefer a slightly more sour take). At the Ritz in Paris, bartender Frank Meier could be found mixing cocktails for his esteemed guests with the best vintage Cognac. Harry McElhone may claim first penning the recipe for the Sidecar in his 1922 publication of Harry’s ABCs of Mixing Cocktails, however it was likely Frank Meier who gave the drink its soul, embodying the elegance and glamour his bar represented as well as the opulence his affluent guests expected.