Crush the Heat With These 6 Cobbler Recipes
Cobbler at the Imperial, photo by Rey Lopez
This 19th century sherry-based cocktail is still the ultimate summer quencher
Think about that thirst-quenching cup of lemonade or iced tea served over pebble ice that you order from your favorite drive-through and (hopefully) sip through a reusable straw: you have an early nineteenth century cocktail to thank for that. The Cobbler, a concoction of sherry, seasonal fruit, and sugar served over pebble ice, was the original brain freeze-inducing beverage that dates back to the early 19th century. It also popularized the use of the straw so imbibers could get every last sip. With peaches, nectarines and all kinds of berries in season right now, it’s an easy time to experiment with the category. Its low ABV nature works well in the heat, too.
For a basic Cobbler, simply muddle a handful of your fruit of choice in the bottom of a cocktail tin along with half an ounce or so of simple syrup and a lemon or orange slice for a punch of acidity. Add three ounces of your favorite sherry, keeping in mind the flavor profiles of various sherry styles: fino and manzanilla styles are drier with saline notes, amontillado has a touch of nuttiness and oloroso is richer and more luscious. Good crushed ice is key, but if you’re worried that the stuff coming out of your home freezer won’t pass muster, Steve Walton, beverage director for High West Distillery, has a clever hack. “A good cheat here would be to go to Sonic Drive-In [if you happen to live near one] and buy a bag of their ice to go,” he says. “Pebble ice will melt slower allowing you to enjoy the cocktail over a longer period of time.”
Grab those metal or bamboo straws and cool off with one of these recipes:
Classic Cobbler
Recipe courtesy of Andy Bixby, Creative Director of Cocktails for The Imperial/Dram & Grain/Jack Rose Dining Saloon
The Imperial has an entire section of the menu dedicated to the Cobbler—a category that Bixby thoroughly enjoys. “Wine [already fortified or fortified with a spirit modifier] and muddled citrus are key to making an interesting and tasty Cobbler,” he says. “The oils that you are able to get from muddling as opposed to using juiced citrus helps to give flavor sticking power and freshness.”
3 oz. Lustau Sherry Los Arcos or Don Nuño Oloroso Sherry (the latter will be slightly darker and richer)
⅔ oz. simple syrup
1 orange wheel
1 ½ lemon wheels
garnish: mint, orange wedge, lemon wedge, berries (or other seasonal fruits or even veggies like cucumber) and powdered sugar
Muddle the citrus wheels and simple syrup in the bottom of a cocktail tin. Add sherry and ice and shake until well-chilled. Double-strain into a Cobbler cup (or double rocks glass or other tall glass), pack with pebble ice and garnish as desired.
Payroll Train, photo courtesy High West
Payroll Train
Recipe courtesy of Steve Walton, Beverage Director, High West
Walton created this drink as a lighter, more seasonally-appropriate sherry-centric cocktail. Rum and double rye add structure, depth and strength, he says. “[It’s] great for sipping outside on a long hot summer’s day,” he says. The low ABV of a Cobbler and its ability to be refreshing is what allows you to drink it over a longer period of time.”
½ oz. rye whiskey (Walton uses High West Double Rye)
1 ½ oz. mixed berry-infused Oloroso Sherry (instructions follow)
½ oz. amaro
½ oz. cinnamon syrup (see instructions, or can substitute simple syrup)
½ oz. lemon juice
¼ oz. dark rum
garnish: berries and mint
Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a cobbler or rocks glass over crushed ice and garnish with berries and mint.
Mixed berry-infused Oloroso Sherry:
Add a handful of berries of your choice to 4 oz. Oloroso Sherry, cover and allow to infuse for 72 hours at room temperature. Strain off solids and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Cinnamon Syrup:
Add ¼ cup water, ¼ cup sugar and 1 cinnamon stick to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, let steep for 10 minutes then strain out solids. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
photo courtesy the Langham
Chamomile Cobbler
Recipe courtesy of Slava Borisov, Mixologist, Travelle at The Langham
Manzanilla translates to “chamomile” in Spanish, Borisov points out, and it’s not a coincidence. “Besides its dryness, delicate acidity and unique salinity level, this sherry also has chamomile notes.” He advises not to over-infuse the sherry with the chamomile flowers—taste along the way. And the right ice is key. “This recipe is concentrated in flavors, the cocktail opens its character with time when diluted with crushed ice, [making it] perfect for summertime.”
3 oz. chamomile-infused manzanilla sherry (instructions follow)
¾ oz. honey syrup (2:1 ratio of honey to warm water, stirred to combine; they use eucalyptus honey)
¼ oz. lemon juice
2 dashes orange bitters
garnish: orange slice and edible, non-toxic flowers (optional)
Add the first four ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a Cobbler cup (or equivalent sized glass) over crushed ice and garnish with the orange slice and edible flowers.
Chamomile-infused Manzanilla Sherry:
Steep a chamomile tea bag into 4 oz. of manzanilla sherry for two hours; taste and either remove the tea bag or keep steeping until desired flavor is achieved. (Alternatively, add the tea bag to the sherry and stir vigorously for a few minutes until desired flavor is achieved.) Remove the tea bag and store the sherry in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks.
Tio Pepe Sherry Cobbler
Recipe courtesy of Tio Pepe
Fino sherry is tangy, nutty, delicate and drier than other styles—perfect if you prefer a drier cocktail experience. Here it’s mixed with lemon juice and passion fruit for tartness. A few dashes of bitters add dimension.
Tip Pepe Cobbler, photo courtesy Tio Pepe
1 ½ oz. Tio Pepe Fino Sherry
½ oz. lemon juice
½ oz. simple syrup
½ oz. passion fruit juice or fresh passion fruit pulp
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
garnish: red berries and mint
Build the drink in a Cobbler or highball glass over crushed ice. Stir gently and garnish with the berries and mint.
Malabar Cobbler
Recipe courtesy of Chantal Tseng, Co-Founder, Red Eye Menus
Bartender and cocktail consultant Tseng is also a U.S. Sherry Week ambassador and adores all things related to the fortified Spanish wine category. She definitely recommends a dry amontillado style for this Cobbler. If you can’t find Valdespino Tio Diego look for Lustau Los Arcos, Grant La Garrocha, Gutierrez-Colosia or Hidalgo La Gitana Napoleon. Look for fresh ginger juice from The Ginger People at Whole Foods or on Amazon.
3 oz. Valdespino Tio Diego (or other dry amontillado)
½ oz. lemongrass-honey syrup (make 1:1 syrup with honey instead of sugar, with fresh lemongrass, or just use the honey syrup plain)
½ oz. fresh ginger juice
garnish: mint sprig and fresh pineapple wedge
Build the drink in a highball glass or julep cup and stir until well-mixed. Fill with crushed ice, garnish with the mint and pineapple wedge and serve with a reusable or biodegradable straw.
Fleming’s Choice
Recipe courtesy of Gemma Cole, National Brand Ambassador, Aberlour Whisky
The Speyside distillery double-matures all of its whisky in American oak barrels and oloroso sherry butts, so a sherry cobbler is a natural fit. This one gets a bit of an ABV and weight boost with an ounce of Scotch, but the melting ice keeps it from being too boozy or heavy.
1 oz. Aberlour A’Bunadh Scotch Whisky (gold medal winner, 2019 NY International Spirits Competition)
2 ½ oz. amontillado sherry
½ oz. simple syrup
½ oz. orange curaçao
garnish: orange wheel and fresh cherries
Add all ingredients except garnish to a shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain over crushed or pebble ice into a Cobbler or rocks glass, and garnish with the orange wheel, black cherries and an eco straw.