Apples to Apples

While this tall, refreshing sipper from Brian Evans—head bartender at Sunday in Brooklyn—sounds super light and airy, it’s more complex than you might think, thanks to a robust homemade sarsaparilla syrup. “Sarsaparilla root, a medicinal spice used to flavor root beer and sodas consumed by cowboys of the American Old West, gives a nostalgically familiar flavor of vanilla bean and licorice,” Evans says. He mixes the spiced simple syrup with Neversink Gin (made using New York state apples) and Lo-Fi Dry Vermouth, which contains spices like cardamom and anise. “Together, when combined with Shacksbury’s Sunday in Brooklyn Dry Rosé Cider, [the ingredients] make for a delightfully sessionable springtime Shandy,” he adds.