USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION
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10BEST | DRINKS
JESSICA MONTGOMERY
1911 ESTABLISHED PREMIUM VODKA LaFayette Beak & Skiff, the orchard that provides the apples to make 1911 Established premium vodka, knows what it means to develop high-quality products. In fact, the orchard won USA TODAY’s 10Best.com Readers’ Choice Award for best apple orchard in 2020. The 1911 Established distillery makes a diverse line of spirits spotlighting the mighty apple and its versatile applications. But the premium vodka, the distillery’s oldest product, with its notes of vanilla and caramel, is a fan favorite.
FINGER LAKES DISTILLING
BLACK BUTTON DISTILLING
BLACK BUTTON DISTILLING APPLE PIE MOONSHINE Rochester Be careful with this apple pie moonshine! It’s sweet and smooth, infused with cinnamon and vanilla with a touch of brown sugar. It goes down easy, but at 40 proof, it can sneak up on you.
ROYAL MEADERY
ROYAL MEADERY NEW YORK APPLE CYSER Delmar A cyser refers to a mead that is fermented with apples rather than just water, giving it a bit more tartness. With the Royal Meadery New York Apple Cyser, the mead has a balanced floral aroma from the honey and a sweet tanginess from the fresh apple cider.
BIG DITCH BREWING COMPANY
BIG DITCH BREWING COMPANY CINNAMON APPLE Buffalo When the weather cools, Big Ditch Brewing Company spices things up with its seasonal cinnamon apple beer. This amber ale is brewed with local malts and local apple cider, and it’s flavored with oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice. If fall were a drink, it would be this beer.
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FINGER LAKES DISTILLING MAPLEJACK LIQUEUR Burdett Although the Finger Lakes is known for its wine, several craft distilleries also have taken root in the area. At Finger Lakes Distilling, the 70 proof Maplejack Liqueur starts off with a brandy made from local apples, then it’s aged in oak barrels with a bit of local maple syrup.
