Summer spirits: Use local whiskey, hard cider to make refreshing seasonal cocktails

Summery drinks using Thistle Finch Distillery’s white rye whiskey include, from left, the Martin Mule, the Old Fashioned and the Whiskey Sour (Photo by Chris Dunn)

Central Pennsylvania is in the midst of a spirits revival.

Perhaps following in the foamy footsteps of local brewpubs and microbreweries, several regional entrepreneurs are trying their hands at distilling and cidering.

And with warm summer breezes beckoning you to the nearest deck or patio, there’s no better time to enjoy the fermented fruits of their labor than right now.

Adam Redding, founder of Gettysburg’s Good Intent Cider, says that this time of the year is perfect for sipping his full-juice cider. It’s dryer and less sweet than mainstream hard ciders and is technically sold as a wine.

“Cider is very refreshing,” he said. “It’s lighter. It has more flavor than a light beer — and not so heavy as a wine — and very slightly effervescent.”

Redding, a chemist by profession, started selling Good Intent two years ago, after taking a cider-making class at Cornell University. And while he and his family are now based in State College, he plans to keep his business rooted in Gettysburg to take advantage of Adams County’s signature crop: apples.

And his isn’t the only business tapping into central Pennsylvania’s agrarian roots.

Great grains

Andrew Martin, who opened the doors to Lancaster’s Thistle Finch Distillery in December, gets the grain for his rye whiskey from an area farm.

“Our product is definitely different — even for regular whiskey drinkers. It’s clear and un-aged and has a different flavor,” he said.

Because the white rye whiskey has not been stored in an oak barrel, it lacks the wood flavor that distinguishes other aged spirits, he said. The result is a spirit that’s drier, spicier and earthier than bourbon with greater emphasis on the flavor of the grain.

Martin’s excited to bring back a spirit that has historical ties to Pennsylvania and Maryland and only disappeared because of Prohibition — not because people lost interest in it. Most of the popular whiskey in America is either scotch or bourbon, but Martin said the rye whiskey he makes at Thistle Finch is experiencing a bit of a comeback. He’s started filling barrels, as well, and hopes to have an aged product available before Christmas.

Full of flavor

Brother-sister team Bill and Denise Mathias opened Old Republic Distillery in March 2013, producing a variety of flavored vodkas and liquors that embrace local flavor and lore. So far, their most popular offerings are their Apple Pie Moonshine and Battlefield Vodka.

“A lot of people are shocked that they are able to drink a moonshine or a liquor straight,” Denise Mathias said.

Located just a couple of blocks off the Rail Trail in Seven Valleys, the distillery is becoming a pit stop for cyclists who might stuff their backpacks with a bottle or two before continuing on their rides.

“Some people actually said that they have their ride planned out and that they stop at certain bars and restaurants along that route,” she said. “I don’t know how they get back home.”

Shake it up

We asked these local spirit makers for their favorite summer cocktail recipes using their products. Whether you’re unwinding after a ride on the Rail Trail or throwing a weekend barbecue, enjoy responsibly.

Thistle Finch
417 W. Grant St., Lancaster
717-478-8472
www.thistlefinch.com

Buy it: Available at the distillery for $32 for 750 mL bottle

Founder Andrew Martin’s favorite place to sip in the summer: A backyard barbecue.

Martin’s summer picks:

Old Fashioned

1. Place one orange slice and two cherries with splash of cherry juice in glass and muddle.

2. Add 2 ounces Thistle Finch White Rye,
1/4 ounce simple syrup and three dashes
angostura bitters.

3. Add ice and roll gently between glass and shaker.

4. Pour into tumbler and top with splash of water. Add stir stick and serve.

Whiskey Sour

1. Combine 2 ounces Thistle Finch White Rye with 2 ounces lemon sour or lemon simple syrup blend in mixing glass.

2. Add ice and roll back and forth.

3. Pour into tumbler and garnish with lemon on rim.

Martin Mule

1. Pour 2 ounces Thistle Finch White Rye and 1 ounce of lime simple syrup mix into shaker.

2. Add ice and roll contents.

3. Pour into highball glass and top with ginger beer

4. Squeeze lime wedge into glass, drop lime into glass and stir.

Buy it: Available at the distillery for $25 to $35 for 750 mL bottles

Co-founder Denise Mathias’s favorite place to sip during the summer: “I would love to have a beach nearby,” she says. “With two kids and two dogs, usually I enjoy it on my back patio.”

Mathias’s summer picks:

Lovenade

Mix one part chilled Rutter’s lemonade with one part Old Republic Distillery’s Love Potion.

ORD Black Cherry Tea

Mix one part Turkey Hill Cherry Pomegranate Black Tea with one part Old Republic Distillery’s Love Potion Black Cherry.

ORD Pudding Shots
Ingredients

One small box instant pudding

One cup ORD spirits

One 8-ounce container of Cool Whip

Directions

Mix pudding and ORD, add Cool Whip and stir until well blended. Pour into cups, freeze and enjoy.

Buy it: Available for $12 to $20 for a 750 mL bottles by emailing adam@goodintentcider.com , or find it by the glass at select Gettysburg restaurants.

Founder Adam Redding’s favorite place to sip during the summer: Out on the deck.

Redding’s summer pick:

Good Intent Julep

Ingredients

3 ounces North Meets South Cider

1.5 ounces high-quality bourbon

4 fresh mint leaves

1 ounce simple syrup

Directions

Muddle mint leaves and simple syrup. Add cider and bourbon and shake. Pour over tumbler of crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig.