Sidecar, PDT

A brandy produced in the wine-region surrounding Cognac, France. Cognac must be twice distilled and aged for at least two years in French oak.

A brand of triple sec produced in France. It is drunk as an aperitif, degestif, and used in cocktails like the margarita; 40% ABV.

The most common fruit juice used in cocktails. This citrus juice is about 6% acid; pure citric acid. Lemon juice should be used the day it is squeezed, some like it freshly squeezed and others like it a few hours old.

A syrup made from dissolving granulated sugar (sucrose) in water. Regular simple is made by combining 1:1 sugar:water by mass, rich simple is 2:1 sugar:water by mass although only 1.5 times as sweet as regular. We always use 1:1 syrup unless otherwise noted in the recipe itself.

Granulated sugar is a sucrose formed with glucose and fructose join by covalent bonding. Sugar is soluble in water, increasing the surface area (smaller grain size) or heating the water, dissolves sugar faster. Some cocktails use sugar directly but more use it indirectly in syrups/liqueurs.