Applejack Fix

The fix is one of those classic cocktail families that has never quite resurfaced in the modern cocktail world, partly because nobody seems to be really sure what one is. The term dates back to before the first cocktail guide in the 19th century—by the time we see the Applejack Fix in Tom Bullock’s 1914 The Ideal Bartender, the world had seen all manner of fixes. Bartenders tend to agree it is a glammed-up sour, where the spirit, citrus, and sugar are dressed up with a little something extra, whether that’s fresh fruit as a garnish, fruity liqueurs, or soda water. You can think of a fix as a bartender’s special, where each establishment or bartender or cocktail book writer would have their own little spin on the standard sour, one they’d be happy to fix right up.

Here we take inspiration from Bullock’s version of the Applejack Fix as well as his very similar Applejack Cocktail, where he beautifully pairs apple brandy with raspberry syrup. The bar legend from St. Louis via Kentucky had a talent for summer cocktails, often served on shaved ice—these days, we generally use crushed ice. Don’t let the hearty spirit scare you off in hot weather: This is a perfect sipper for a warm day. The boozy sour is tempered by lots of ice and brightened by tart and tender raspberry. Laird’s makes the quintessential American apple brandy—be sure to stick with the 100-proof version. The lower proof one, which says “Applejack” on the label, doesn’t have the backbone to stand up in this sour.