Brandy and Cognac stills with California grapes and aged four years in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels .
“ The farm-to-table movement ,” has moved beyond food menus to beverages , including fruit-based brandies , says Jeanine Racht , development and marketing manager for Clear Creek Distillery in Portland , Oregon . Owned by Hood River Distillers , Clear Creek specializes in brandies made from Northwestern products , notably pears , cherries , plums , raspberries and even Douglas fir buds .
“ Before Prohibition , apple brandy and rum were the most produced and consumed spirits in the U . S .,” notes Racht . “ We are just seeing history repeat itself .”
“ We see growth due to the increasing interest in brown spirits that is driving all categories falling under it – including bourbon , Scotch and Cognac . Brandy is no exception ,” says Roberts at Gallo . “ Consumers are looking to go deeper into well-established brown-spirit categories , and to explore other brown spirits like brandy .”
THE WHISKEY CONNECTION “ Undoubtedly the interest in American whiskey has helped boost the American brandy and apple brandy category ,” says Lisa Laird Dunn , vice president of Laird & Company .
The Scobeyville , New Jersey-based company is America ’ s oldest family-owned licensed distillery . It produces Laird ’ s Blended Applejack , Laird ’ s Apple Brandies and Laird ’ s Jersey Lightning , as well as Laird ’ s Straight Applejack 86 , which revives the company ’ s pre-Prohibition style .
Recently Laird re-released its Bottled in Bond Straight Apple Brandy . “ Brandy has a longer history in America than whiskey ,” notes Laird Dunn . “ Applejack has been distilled here since the 1600s and was more commonly drunk than whiskey .”
Laird Dunn also sees crossover of interest from the burgeoning cider category . “ They are enjoying cider and think , let me try some Applejack .” Boilermakers joining apple cider and applejack seem like a natural combo .
“ American Whiskey is the front end of the spear in terms of encouraging brown spirits consumption ,” says Heron , which translates into interest in American brandy and American-made spirits in general .
Hurst at Heaven Hill agrees . “ The rise of American Whiskey contributes greatly , as there is a symbiotic relationship between the two categories . Consumers are more interested in education and the authentic heritage of a bourbon or American whiskey , of which brandy has a similar story to tell .”
SIP OR STIR ? What is the best way to introduce newbies to brandy — in a snifter or a cocktail ?
“ Cocktails are the category door opener — as it is for most brown spirits ,” says Heron . At-home consumption is likely to be brandy on the rocks , or to a lesser degree , the home cocktail enthusiast .
“ Brandy is versatile ,” says Laird Dunn . It can be enjoyed both neat in a snifter , on the rocks or in a cocktail like the Jack Rose ( apple brandy , lemon or line juice , grenadine ). Most consumer trial , she notes , begins on-premise .
Mixologist Bell designed the recently launched Bertoux brandy with mixology in mind .
AN AMERICAN STYLE ? Is there truly an American style ? Or does the lack of regulations and parameters liberate American producers to carve out their own ?
“ Our opportunity as a brandy-producing nation is that we are not poisoned with provincial dogma , and the rigidity of neutral grapes and prescriptions ,” says Heron . “ Our opportunity is continental diversity , and the use of highly nuanced aromatic grapes ( or other fruits ) and continual invention and innovation relative to barrel finishes .”
“ American , and specifically Californian , brandy offers bright notes from grapes used to craft each distinct style ,” says Roberts at Gallo . “ In contrast to most imported brandy , we utilize a wide range of grape varieties that allows for complex characteristics and unique taste profiles .”
American style is still emerging , believes Harris at Catoctin Creek . “ The dominant style is certainly defined by California brands that have been around for ages .”
“ California has a particularly close association with brandy dating back to the times of the Spanish Missions , and is the epicenter of the country ’ s brandy-making ,” agrees Bell at Bertoux . But he notes : “ American Brandy has more leeway than categories
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