Brandy Crusta

Steps

1. 1

   Take a lemon half and run the juicy side along half the rim of your chilled wine glass. Dip that wet half of the rim into a plate of sugar, pressing gently so the sugar sticks in an even layer. You want a thick, visible crust on one side of the glass, leaving the other side bare.

   

   !Getting the inside of the glass wet, which makes sugar fall into the drink.

2. 2

   Take your wide lemon peel and press it against the inside of the glass, curving it so it follows the shape of the bowl. The peel should sit above the sugar line, with one end tucked into the bottom of the glass and the other resting on the rim.

   

   !Leaving the peel flat against the glass so it doesn't release its oils into the drink.

3. 3

   Pour 45ml brandy, 22ml lemon juice, 7ml maraschino liqueur, 7ml orange curaçao, 7ml simple syrup, and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters into your shaker. Add a handful of ice cubes — enough to fill it about two-thirds full.

   

   !Using too little ice, which waters down the drink instead of chilling it fast.

4. 4

   Seal the shaker and shake hard for about 10 to 12 seconds. You want the outside of the shaker to feel very cold to the touch and frosty, which tells you the drink is fully chilled and properly diluted.

   ~12s

   

   !Shaking too gently, leaving the drink warm and not mixing the thicker liqueurs fully.

5. 5

   Pop the top off the shaker and fit your Hawthorne strainer over the mouth. Pour the drink through the strainer into your prepared wine glass, letting the liquid fill the space inside the lemon peel. Stop pouring when the liquid sits just below the sugared rim.

   

   !Pouring too fast and splashing liquid onto the sugar crust, which melts it into the drink.