Between the Sheets
Cognac, white rum, orange liqueur and lemon, shaken. The Sidecar with rum added — a Paris drink of the 1930s with a name that has sold it ever since.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a coupe.
Add the cognac, rum, orange liqueur and lemon juice to a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
Double strain into the chilled coupe and garnish with a lemon twist.
A thoughtful finish
- The Savoy's recipe is equal parts of the three spirits and liqueur with a dash of lemon; a half-ounce of lemon makes a modern drink that is not cloying.
- A dry 40% orange liqueur keeps it from being sweet; with a cheap triple sec, add more lemon.
- A lightly aged rum instead of a white one adds depth.
Common mistakes
- Too little lemon, which is the 1930 recipe's weakness.
- A sweet triple sec plus a sugar rim. It becomes a candy.
- Over-pouring: three spirits and a liqueur make it stronger than a Sidecar.
A few good questions.
What is the difference between Between the Sheets and a Sidecar?
Rum. A Sidecar is cognac, orange liqueur and lemon; Between the Sheets adds an equal measure of white rum.
Why the name?
It is a 1930s innuendo and it has never needed explaining.
How strong is it?
Around 30% ABV — two and a quarter ounces of spirit and liqueur against half an ounce of lemon. It is a strong short drink.
Can I use aged rum?
Yes, and a lightly aged rum makes a rounder, better drink than a neutral white.
Variations
- Sidecar — Cognac, orange liqueur and lemon.
- White Lady — Gin, orange liqueur and lemon.
- Daiquiri — Rum, lime and sugar.
- Brandy Crusta — Cognac, curaçao, maraschino and lemon.
Where it comes from
c. 1930 · Paris · Harry MacElhone (attributed) · Harry's New York Bar
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
Between the Sheets appears in the Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930 and is usually credited to Harry MacElhone at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, where many of the Sidecar’s descendants were born; a rival story places it at the Berkeley Hotel in London. It is a Sidecar with white rum added — equal parts cognac, rum and orange liqueur, with lemon — and the name, which has been doing its work for ninety years, refers to exactly what you think. The 1930s versions were very dry; modern bars add more lemon and sometimes a touch of sugar.
Sources
- Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930 (book)
- Harry MacElhone, Barflies and Cocktails, 1927 (book)
- David Wondrich, Imbibe!, 2015 (book)
Strength. About 1.5 US standard drinks at an estimated 26.2% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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