Appletini
Cocktail of vodka and apple, created in 1996.
The appletini, short for apple martini, is a cocktail containing vodka and one or more of apple juice, apple cider, apple liqueur, or apple brandy. Originally called an Adam's Apple Martini, it was created in 1996 at Lola's West Hollywood restaurant by a bartender named Adam. Despite containing no vermouth by default, the drink is considered a martini in the trend of calling any straight liquor in a martini glass a 'martini.'
Quick Facts
- Ingredients
- 4.5 cl (3 parts) Vodka / 1.5 cl (1 part) Apple schnapps / Calvados / 1.5 cl (1 part) Cointreau
- Served
- Straight up
- Garnish
- Apple slice; Cherry
- Prep
- Mix in a shaker, then pour into a chilled glass. Garnish and serve.
- Drinkware
- Cocktail glass
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The appletini was originally named the Adam's Apple Martini after its creator, Adam, a bartender at Lola's West Hollywood restaurant in 1996. In its purest form, the drink contains 4 cl of top shelf vodka or gin and 2 cl of apple juice, cider, or apple pucker, shaken or stirred and strained into a cocktail glass. Variations include adding a sweet and sour mix before shaking, or optionally including vermouth as in a regular martini. A similar cocktail can be made with Martini Bianco white vermouth and apple juice in a long drink glass filled with ice.
Reader's Guide
The appletini's significance lies in its role as a cultural marker in popular media. TV and movies have used male characters drinking appletinis to signify them as effeminate and presenting as gay, most prominently in the case of John 'J.D.' Dorian in Scrubs, and also in depictions of Phil Dunphy in Modern Family, Alan Harper in Two and a Half Men, and Ted Mosby in How I Met Your Mother. Professional wrestler Christopher Daniels incorporated the drinking of appletinis into his heel, 'snarky [and] sarcastic' character work beginning in 2012 for Total Nonstop Action. Other media depict the cocktail as drunk by 'college-aged girls' and 'uncultured types.' The drink's legacy includes its association with these stereotypes, as well as its place in the broader trend of calling any straight liquor in a martini glass a martini.
Did You Know?
- The appletini was originally called an Adam's Apple Martini because the bartender who created it was named Adam.
- The drink contains no vermouth by default, but vermouth may optionally be included.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Appletini and what goes into it?
The Appletini is a vodka-based cocktail that muddles together one or more apple elements—juice, cider, liqueur, or brandy—over the spirit. It's a shortened nickname for the 'apple martini' and is typically poured into a V-shaped cocktail glass.
Who invented the Appletini and where did it come from?
A bartender named Adam mixed the drink in 1996 at Lola's, a restaurant in West Hollywood. The original name was 'Adam's Apple Martini,' which eventually got trimmed down to the snappier 'Appletini.'
Why is the Appletini called a martini when it has no vermouth?
It rides on a wider naming convention in which any straight spirit poured into a martini glass earns the 'martini' label, vermouth or not. The Appletini follows that same rule despite its default recipe containing zero vermouth.
Can I swap the vodka in an Appletini for something else?
Yes—gin is a recognized alternative base spirit for the drink. The apple components (juice, cider, liqueur, or brandy) remain the defining flavor layer regardless of which clear spirit you choose.
What makes the Appletini different from a regular apple juice cocktail?
The Appletini is a spirit-forward, undiluted pour served cold in a stemmed cocktail glass, built around vodka or gin rather than being a mixed juice drink. Its identity as a 'martini' comes from that straight-spirit, no-ice presentation in the classic martini vessel.
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