The Stone Fence is one of the oldest American cocktails — and I mean old. There are references to it going back to the Revolutionary War era, when colonial soldiers were reportedly drinking something along the lines of rum or whiskey mixed with hard apple cider. Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys are said to have fortified themselves with Stone Fences before taking Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. Whether that’s historically accurate or a good story that got attached to a drink is hard to say at this distance, but either way it gives the Stone Fence one of the better origin stories in the American cocktail canon.
The modern version is straightforward: bourbon and hard apple cider, built over ice. That’s it. In midsummer it sounds like a fall drink, but the combination of cold cider and bourbon is actually one of the more refreshing things you can make on a warm July afternoon, and the apple character plays beautifully with the caramel and vanilla of the bourbon in a way that feels both natural and a little unexpected.
Woodford Reserve is the featured bourbon here because its higher rye content adds a spice that plays well against the apple sweetness of the cider, and the dried fruit and vanilla notes in Woodford create a natural bridge between the spirit and the fruit.
The Cider Matters
Hard apple cider ranges from quite dry to very sweet, and the style you use changes the character of the drink significantly. For a Stone Fence you want something in the dry to semi-dry range — enough apple character to be present, not so sweet that the drink tips into dessert territory. A good craft dry cider is the ideal choice. Angry Orchard Crisp Apple is widely available and works reasonably well. A local craft cidery’s dry offering is better if you have access to one.
Avoid very sweet or flavored ciders. The bourbon is providing sweetness and complexity, and the cider’s job is to provide apple flavor and effervescence, not more sugar.
A Simple Build
The Stone Fence is a built drink — bourbon goes in first over ice, cider poured on top. A gentle stir is all it needs. The apple aromatics open up nicely as the drink sits, so don’t rush the first sip.
