Cocktail hipsters savor rye’s bite

There’s a modern day whiskey rebellion brewing.

Rye, once the quintessential American whiskey (it even was distilled by George Washington), is pushing back from an obscurity triggered in part by Prohibition, but also by the post-Prohibition rise of its cousin, bourbon.

“Cocktail trendsetters across the country really dig on rye,” said Duggan McDonnell, a bartender at San Francisco’s Cantina. “And tastemakers love the flavor profile. It’s being rediscovered and applied to a ton of cocktails. What was hip long ago is cool again.”

Whereas bourbon is distilled primarily from corn, rye must be distilled from a mash of at least 51 percent rye grain. That difference is part of what accounts for rye’s bite. Rye tends to be more bitter and spicier than bourbon. Many ryes have a peppery undertone.

“Rye’s got that Cassius Clay uppercut,” McDonnell said. “People don’t sip it as much because it doesn’t have that svelte, back palate finish that bourbon does.”

Summer rye sparkling cider

2 lemon wedges

1 ounce rye

1/2 ounce apricot brandy

2 to 3 ounces sparkling apple cider

Squeeze 1 lemon wedge into a tall glass, then drop it into the glass. Fill the glass with ice. Add the rye and apricot brandy, then top with sparkling cider. Stir gently, then garnish with a lemon wedge. Makes 1 serving.

Recipe adapted from Kathy Casey’s “Sips &Apps”