Even though late winter/early spring is actual maple-harvesting season, maple syrup has long been associated with the fall and winter months. Those baking spice notes have been improving mornings since breakfast was invented. Maple syrup on pancakes and waffles, as an apple cider sweetener, as a popular doughnut flavor, or the condiment that pushes bacon into crack territory. But now bartenders are slipping the syrup into cocktails for seasonal modern classics. Note: Old Fashioned variations are an extremely popular maple medium.
Chicago
Ada Street
Location: 1664 N. Ada Street, Chicago, IL
Bartender: Scott Koehl
Cocktail: At the Drive-In Bingo ($12) with Laird’s Apple Brandy, Don’s Mix (cinnamon, simple syrup, fresh citrus) and bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup, garnished with a sprig of mint.
According to Ada Street beverage manager Scott Koehl, "At The Drive-In Bingo is a bright and refreshing fall cocktail with apple, maple, and barrel undertones of vanilla and char." The drink is made with the cocktail-friendly Laird's Apple Brandy and BLiS maple syrup, which has been aged in a 20-year-old Kentucky bourbon barrel.
Barrelhouse Flat
Location: 2624 N Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL
Bartender: Jimmy Hibbard
Cocktail: Gypsy Christmas ($13) with Lustau East India Solera Sherry, Old Grand-Dad Bourbon, lemon, orange, maple syrup, Fernet-Branca, Angostura bitters and strawberries.
"For the cocktail, I wanted to work with something based in tradition, but with darker and more autumnal supporting flavors," drink designer Jimmy Hibbard. The Gypsy Christmas is a variation of a Sherry Cobbler but with maple, Fernet-Branca, bourbon and Angostura bitters for depth and richness. "The name comes from my grandmother saying that the reason my family was so crazy and artistic was because we have a lineage that stems from Poland, but also of some Hungarian Gypsy tribe."
Bar Toma
Location: 110 E Pearson Street, Chicago, IL
Bartender: Giuseppe Incandela
Cocktail: Tennessee Cider ($12) with whiskey, apple cider, maple syrup, Angostura bitters and a cinnamon stick garnish.
Besides being a cozy autumn cocktail with a mellow bourbon taste, hints of cider, and cinnamon undertones, the Tennessee Cider is 'za-friendly. "We wanted something different, fun, tasteful, delicious but more importantly we wanted cocktails to go with great pizza," explains bartender Giuseppe Incandela.
Sepia
Location: 123 N Jefferson Street, Chicago, IL
Bartender: Griffin Elliott
Cocktail: Ace Kicker ($13) with rye whiskey, mezcal, cranberry-infused maple syrup, Amaro Montenegro, Angostura and Mexican mole bitters.
Leave it to Michelin-starred Sepia to create an Old Fashioned but with a bit more complexity. "The drink is rich, smoky and boozy, with spice from the mole, sweetness from the maple syrup and a touch bitter from the Amaro," says drink creator Griffin Elliott.
Tack Room
Location: 1227 W 18th Street, Chicago, IL
Bartender: Dustin Drankiewicz
Cocktail: Autumn Old Fashioned ($9) with spiced apple brandy, smoked maple syrup (grade A), honey sugar, aromatic bitters, heirloom apples and rosemary.
If any cocktail was made for sipping fireside during a fall evening, it's this brandied Old Fashioned with smokey maple syrup and heirloom apples. The drink was inspired by a childhood in the Midwest. "Growing up near Door County, Wisconsin, in the fall was always a treat and still some of my best memories were created then," says bartender Dustin Drankiewicz. "This season sets such a beautiful landscape to this side of the country."
Dallas
Whiskey Cake
Location: 3601 Dallas Parkway, Plano, TX
Bartender: Bonnie Wilson
Cocktail: The Jester ($10) with cinnamon-infused Evan Williams Bourbon, maple syrup, Laird's Apple Brandy and Regan’s orange bitters.
The Jester was actually first created last year in answer to the need for a strong, Old Fashioned-style cocktail that highlighted fall flavors. "We chose maple because it adds a great depth to the flavor of the cocktail while providing sweetness and viscosity as well. Maple is a natural accompaniment to cinnamon and apples," says bartender Bonnie Wilson.
Las Vegas
Velveteen Rabbit
Location: 1218 S Main Street, Las Vegas, NV
Bartender: Christopher Ferri
Cocktail: The Bronze Bell ($10) with rye, Aperol, lemon, demerara maple syrup and cherry bitters.
When daydreaming of all things maple flavored, the bitterness of Aperol is the last ingredient one would think to pair with it. But according to bartender and cocktail creator Christopher Ferri, "The depth and complexity of the rye and maple Demerara syrup are lightened with the citrus notes of Aperol and fresh lemon juice, making for a smooth, crisp finish to this cocktail."
Los Angeles
Barrel Down
Location: 525 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA
Bartender: Patrick Cook
Cocktail: Maple Manhattan ($12) with bourbon, sapling maple, sweet vermouth, oak bitters and salt.
This Maple Manhattan is meant to evoke autumn in Pennsylvania where bartender Patrick Cook's parents live. "It’s gorgeous when all of the maple and oak trees surrounding their house start to turn this time of year. I wanted to incorporate something that reminds me of my favorite time back home," he says. This seasonal Manhattan has toasted oak bitters for a nice strong nose, while the oak and salt complement the sweet maple finish.
BS Taqueria
Location: 514 W 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA
Bartender: Michael Lay
Cocktail: Cascabel ($12) with rye whiskey, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, lemon, maple, Peychaud's bitters and egg white.
The Cascabel ("rattle" in Spanish) cocktail is inspired by barman Michael Lay's favorite version of a whiskey sour, the Rattlesnake. The original Savoy Cocktail Book cocktail was made with absinthe, but Lay's is even more provocative with chili liqueur and maple.
Little Dom's
Location: 2128 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
Bartender: Jonathan Rossetti
Cocktail: Peach Pecan Old Fashion ($12) with maple syrup, peach and pecan-infused Buffalo Trace bourbon and black walnut bitters.
For a truly autumn-y twist on an Old Fashioned, bartender Jonathan Rossetti infused bourbon with toasted pecans and soft yellow peaches. Maple syrup was the natural choice for a sweetener to complement the richness of the fall ingredients in the cocktail.
The Mixing Room at JW Marriott Los Angeles
Location: 900 West Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA
Bartender: Jason Logie
Cocktail: Spice Market Old Fashioned ($14) with Knob Creek bourbon, garam masala spiced maple syrup and Bitter End Moroccan bitters.
This exotic Old Fashioned is infused with a spiced maple syrup, which complements the bold flavor of garam masala, a blend of Indian spices that offer a subtle heat and aromatic seasoning. "We are always experimenting with a variety of unexpected sweet and spiced infusions," says bartender Jason Logie. "For the Spice Market Old Fashioned, we blend ambrosial spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves with pure maple syrup. We then mix Garam Masala, a unique blend of Indian spices offering a dash of heat and rich exotic flavor, to complement the sweet notes of the syrup."
Eveleigh
Location: 8752 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA
Bartender: Garrett Mikell
Cocktail: Rye Maple Fizz ($12) with Wild Turkey 101 rye, maple syrup, fresh lemon, egg white and soda.
The Rye Maple Fizz is both cozy and refreshing, the perfect partner for chill fall nights in a temperant place like L.A. "The cocktail is quite refreshing, thanks to the egg white, and the maple syrup adds a savory complement to it that makes a great after dinner, brunch drink, or an anytime you want to enjoy an interesting ride on your palate," says bartender Garrett Mikell.
Madison
Graze
Location: 1 S Pinckney Street #107, Madison, WI
Bartender: Jessica Seemeyer
Cocktail: Retox ($11) with cachaça, maple syrup, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper shaken and served over ice in a glass with a spicy, salty and sweet rim.
Of course when talking maple syrup, there was bound to be a cocktail version of the Master Cleanse recipe. And what better place for it than on a brunch cocktail menu? The aptly named Retox cocktail is light, sweet and refreshing, but with a spicy kick.
Nashville
Chauhan Ale & Masala House
Location: 123 12th Avenue N, Nashville, TN
Bartender: Freddy Schwenk
Cocktail: Willie Nelson’s Smile ($12) with Copper & Kings brandy, Amaro di Angostura, Giffard Banane du Brésil, maple reduction and black walnut bitters.
Hoping to get a cocktail on the restaurant's fall menu, barman Freddy Schwenk thought up this slightly sweet, boozy drinks and named it after Willie Nelson's smug smile. He says the resulting libation is perfect for a chilly night with its warm notes of vanilla, maple and banana.
Newark
Restaurant Latour at Crystal Springs Resort
Location: 1 Wild Turkey Way, Hamburg, NJ
Bartender: Stephen Thomas
Cocktail: Maple and Brown Sugar ($18) with Pilar’s 3 Year Old Rum, brown sugar and maple syrup.
This cocktail was actually inspired by instant maple and brown sugar oatmeal of all things. Bartender Stephen Thomas' father ate this flavored oatmeal every day while Thomas was growing up. "I was playing around behind the bar one day and I caught a smell that reminded me of that," he explains.
New York City
Ça Va Brasserie at the InterContinental New York Times Square
Location: 310 W 44th Street, New York, NY
Bartender: Lynnette Agudelo
Cocktail: The B&B ($13) with bacon infused bourbon, Vermont maple syrup and Noilly Prat sweet vermouth.
The B&B was specially made for September's National Bourbon Month and the fall season. The mix of a rich bourbon, a sweet maple syrup, and salty bacon create a cocktail that perfectly embodies "sweet and salty."
Kimoto Rooftop Beer Garden
Location: 216 Duffield Street, Brooklyn, NY
Bartender: Dave Danger
Cocktail: Kimoto ($15) with Four Roses bourbon, lemon juice, herb simple, egg white, mandarin marmalade, orange juice, maple syrup and Angostura bitters.
The Kimoto whiskey sour incorporates herbs (rosemary, thyme, and sage) and mandarin orange into the traditional recipe. Egg white and maple syrup give the drink depth and body, while the citrus keeps it light enough to sip any time of year.
Piora
Location: 430 Hudson Street, New York, NY
Bartender: Shinya Yamao
Cocktail: Beneath the Snow ($16) with Snow Leopard Vodka, homemade apple juice, Busnel Calvados, Earl Grey tea, maple syrup, lemon juice and a sliced apple garnish.
Cocktail maker Shinya Yamao wanted to create a vodka version of a specialty gin fall cocktail already on the menu. And after tasting the Snow Leopard Vodka, Yamao felt it not only paired with the cocktail ingredients, but made for a more wintry-feeling drink. The result is a candy apple cider-ish taste with a deep and complex flavor.
Pouring Ribbons
Location: 225 Avenue B, New York, NY
Bartender: Joaquín Simo
Cocktail: Flapjack Old Fashioned ($15) with Rebel Reserve Bourbon, Laird’s 7 1/2 year apple brandy, maple syrup, house blackstrap rum, orange and cinnamon bitters.
It's said that the Old Fashioned cocktail was originally created in Colonial America to be imbibed in the morning. So bartender Joaquin Simo updated the classic with a modern breakfast staple twist and the result feels like home.
La Pulperia
Location: 371 W 46th Street, New York, NY
Bartender: Luis Villanueva
Cocktail: The Berry Good ($13) with blackberries, maple syrup, gin, fresh lemon juice and Luxardo cherry liqueur.
When the weather first starts to turn from summer to fall, the first thing that comes to mind for bartender Luis Villanueva are flavors like cinnamon, cloves and, of course, maple syrup. But instead of creating a dark, aromatic cocktail, which is normally associated with the season, Villanueva brightens things up with seasonal blackberries from the farmers market. "The berries combined with the last fresh mint of summer, added to the botanical taste of gin and cherries creates the perfect taste and balance of this refreshing cocktail that will last until winter is over," says Villanueva.
Saltaire Oyster Bar and Fish House
Location: 55 Abendroth Avenue, Port Chester, NY
Bartender: Clinton Terry
Cocktail: My Mom’s Maple ($12) with bourbon, Vermont maple syrup, citrus and chili bitters.
"My Mom's Maple" cocktail truly gets its name from consulting mixologist Clinton Terry's mom. "My mom makes a small quantity of syrup from the few trees in our yard, and actually at one point got permission from the town to tap the trees in the cemetery at the end of our street, from which she makes her 'Syrup to Die For,''' explains Terry. Fortunately, Mom sent him a care package of the syrup so he made the cocktail in her honor. The barrel-aged libation starts off sweet from the maple, but is balanced by the tart lemon."It's a Vermont whiskey sour of sorts, but has so much more depth of flavor," he states.
Tanner Smith's
Location: 204 W 55th Street, New York, NY
Bartender: Kevin Doherty
Cocktail: The Winona ($14) with Old Forester Bourbon, maple syrup and Jerry Thomas bitters.
This variation of the Old Fashioned is part of a style of cocktails made at Tanner Smith's where the drink is barrel-aged and then smoked. For the Winona, with its bourbon and maple syrup combo, the result is a campfire-in-Vermont feel.
Phoenix
Salty Sow
Location: 4801 E Cactus Road, Phoenix, AZ
Bartender: Peter Van Etten
Cocktail: Maple Glazed Old Fashioned ($8) with Maker's Mark bourbon, maple syrup, pomegranate, blood orange bitters and Amarena cherry.
"We all know that everyone loves a good Old Fashioned, so we decided to put a sweet twist on it," says bar manager Peter Van Etten. Bourbon is still the focus, but the maple syrup makes the drink seasonal while complementing the classic cocktail's elements.
Portland
Red Star Tavern
Location: 503 SW Alder Steeet, Portland, OR
Bartender: Brandon Lockman
Cocktail: Port Old Fashioned ($12) with Bulleit Bourbon, tawny port, maple syrup and Angostura bitters.
"Ports and sherries have been a popular tinkering ingredient the last couple years, so I decided to tweak the Old Fashioned further by using maple syrup as a sweetener and a small dash of walnut bitters," explains cocktail creator Brandon Lockman. The combination of the port and maple syrup brings a depth and richness to the cocktail, while taking the edge off the whiskey.
San Diego
Polite Provisions
Location: 4693 30th Street, San Diego, CA
Bartender: Erick Castro
Cocktail: Scottish Breakfast ($9) with scotch, apple brandy, cream, maple syrup and cinnamon.
For bartender Erick Castro, maple syrup was a natural to complement scotch. "I love the way the maple syrup plays well off the scotch and fruity notes from apple in this cocktail — as a result, you get this delicious baked apple pie flavor," he says.
San Francisco
ABV
Location: 3174 16th Street, San Francisco, CA
Bartenders: Todd Smith and Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud
Cocktail: Whiskey in Church ($15) with smoky scotch, oloroso sherry, maple syrup and smoked pear bitters.
Bartenders Todd Smith and Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud are fans of Ardbeg 10 year and wanted to create a cocktail with it. Unfortunately, the sherry they figured would be a perfect match was a little too dry, so they added maple syrup. "After trying several sweeteners (honey, gomme syrup, simple) we tried just a bar spoon of maple and it was fantastic," says Smith. Finishing the cocktail off with smoked fruit bitters is the punctuation point for this fall cocktail.
Spoonbar
Location: 219 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA
Bartender: Alec Vlastnik
Cocktail: Divine Swine ($11) with bourbon, maple pear purée, lemon and bacon bitters.
Everyone loves whiskey and bacon, right? As an ode to the heavenly pairing, bartender Alec Vlastnik created the Divine Swine which has "a lovely balance of bright pear, tart lemon, and sweet maple, with the savory bacon flavor showing through on the finish." For the cocktail's sweet fall element, he marinated pears in maple syrup for 36 hours before blending them into a purée.