Start your weekend with the refreshing zip of bourbon, strawberries and ginger beer by crafting a Kentucky Buck cocktail.
Yesterday was a pretty normal day, but involved a lot of running around. After we had gone shopping, took the cat to the groomers, and managed to squeeze some work in between these little life events, a rusty feeling started to come over us. A mix of feeling tired and a little stiff. Nothing too serious, but sometimes the hinges need a little lubrication.
So I ran around the corner to buy myself a bottle of something… The only problem was that I didn’t really know what I was in the mood for. Did I want to make a Gin Martini for myself, or perhaps something that had a little age on it? With a little coercion from my friend behind the counter, I opted for the smoky and spiced American spirit instead of a herbaceous London Dry. And to go with it? Some Fever-Tree ginger beer, my favorite brand of mixers. Sometimes you just want a simple and bubbly beverage to end the day with.
And then there’s tonight’s recipe, the Kentucky Buck. It’s simple and refreshing, yes, featuring bourbon and ginger beer. But it also has a little something special going for it. Invented by celebrity bartender Erick Castro in 2008 while he was at San Francisco’s Bourbon & Branch, the Kentucky Buck takes its name from the state that bourbon was born in, and the “Buck” style of cocktail, which is a spirit and citrus combination topped with either ginger ale or ginger beer.
What is the best bourbon to use in a Kentucky Buck?
Originally, for whiskey to be considered bourbon, it had to come from the great state of Kentucky. But these days, since 1964, many companies around the country produce their own dram that can be considered bourbon. High West in Utah, for example, makes one of my very favorite spirits, and Woody Creek from Colorado is an excellent libation as well. There are plenty to choose from, and with the smooth and smoky notes of caramel, vanilla and other spices, whichever you go with is sure to give your Kentucky Buck the right amount of kick.
Ingredients
- 1 strawberry hulled
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 3 ounces ginger beer
- Strawberry slice and lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Place the hulled strawberry and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Gently muddle to release the strawberry juices.
- Add bourbon, fresh lemon juice, and Angostura bitters to the shaker. Fill with ice and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds until well chilled.
- Strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with ginger beer and gently stir. Garnish with a strawberry slice and a lemon wheel.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
Fill a highball glass with ice, and garnish the rim with a fresh slice of strawberry and lemon wheel. You can even pop a few straws in, too, if you like.
How do you “hull” a strawberry?
You know the little green hat a strawberry wears? Just slice that off by cutting a circular cone around it with a sharp knife, preferably a clean one, and you’ve successfully hulled a strawberry.
Similar cocktails to the Kentucky Buck
Ginger beer and ginger ale are both tall figures in the mixed drink community. Pick any spirit you like, be it whiskey, rum, gin or tonight’s liquor, bourbon, and there’s a beverage out there that’ll need some bubbly and spiced accompaniment. Here are a few tipples that require the use of our favorite fizzy friend.
- Gin Buck – Ginger ale, gin, and lemon juice make up this thirst-quenching sipper.
- Horse’s Neck – Bourbon, ginger ale and a long twist of lemon craft this classic.
- Kentucky Mule – Another bourbon and ginger beer concoction that brings a mighty kick.
- Dark and Stormy – Ease into the evening with this dark rum and ginger beer favorite.
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