Cold Spiced Pear Brandy

Name: Cold Spiced Pear Brandy
Yield: 1 cocktail
Ingredients: 2 oz (60 ml) pear brandy (Poire William, Clear Creek, or substitute regular VS/VSOP Cognac); ¾ oz (22 ml) Spiced Pear Syrup (recipe below); ½ oz (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ½ oz (15 ml) Amaro (Averna or Montenegro); 2 dashes Angostura bitters; Ice; Thin pear slice and cinnamon stick, for garnish; *For the spiced pear syrup (makes about 1 cup):**; 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and chopped; ½ cup (100 g) sugar; ½ cup (120 ml) water; 1 cinnamon stick; 3 whole cloves; 2 slices fresh ginger; 1 strip lemon peel

Stirred, spirit-forward, and finished with a thin pear slice — this is the cold version of the winter staple. Pear brandy meets spiced syrup, Amaro, and bitters in a mixing glass. Elegant enough for a holiday dinner, simple enough for a Tuesday.

1 cocktail

Yield

5 minutes (+ 20 minutes if making the syrup fresh)

Time

Spiced pear syrup keeps 2 weeks refrigerated. The cooked pear solids make a nice topping for oatmeal or yogurt.

Keeps

Ingredients

2 oz (60 ml) pear brandy (Poire William, Clear Creek, or substitute regular VS/VSOP Cognac)
¾ oz (22 ml) Spiced Pear Syrup (recipe below)
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) Amaro (Averna or Montenegro)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice
Thin pear slice and cinnamon stick, for garnish
*For the spiced pear syrup (makes about 1 cup):**
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
½ cup (100 g) sugar
½ cup (120 ml) water
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
2 slices fresh ginger
1 strip lemon peel

Method

**Make the syrup.** Combine all syrup ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 10 minutes, mashing the pear occasionally. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing gently. Cool completely.
**Combine** brandy, spiced pear syrup, lemon juice, amaro, and bitters in a mixing glass with ice.
**Stir** for 25-30 seconds until well-chilled.
**Strain** into a chilled coupe glass.
**Garnish** with a thin pear slice and a short cinnamon stick.
*Variations:**
**Pear Sidecar**: 2 oz brandy, ¾ oz pear syrup, ¾ oz lemon juice. Shake and strain into a sugar-rimmed coupe.
**Pear Champagne Cocktail**: Pour ½ oz pear syrup into a flute, top with sparkling wine, garnish with a pear slice.
*Storage:** Spiced pear syrup keeps 2 weeks refrigerated. The cooked pear solids make a nice topping for oatmeal or yogurt.

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