There are two essential bourbon cocktails you need to be able to make for those who don't drink their bourbon neat. Luckily, these cocktails share a lot of the same ingredients, so it’s just a matter of keeping your home bar stocked with the basics. You should be able to find most of these items at a good liquor store. Here's what you need:
Hardware:
-Glassware (Martini type for a Manhattan, Old Fashioned or rocks glass for and Old Fashioned)
-Muddler
- Jigger (1.5 oz. on one side, .75 oz. on the other)
-Cocktail Shaker
Beverage Items:
-Ice
-Bourbon (I prefer something with high rye content for cocktails such as Four Roses Yellow Label or Old Granddad Bottled in Bond)
-Sweet Vermouth (refrigerate after opening)
-Sugar cubes
-Oranges
-Cocktail cherries (brandy or bourbon soaked or just plain Maraschino or Morello)
And these are the two cocktails you'll make with these ingredients:
Old Fashioned
-Orange slices
-Sugar Cubes
-Cocktail Cherries
-Bitters
-1 ½ oz. Bourbon
In the glass, muddle 1 sugar cube with an orange slice. Add a few dashes of bitters and bourbon and stir. Drop in a few ice cubes and a cherry or orange peel garnish.
Manhattan
-1 ½ oz. bourbon
- ¾ oz. sweet vermouth
-2-4 dashes bitters
-splash of cherry juice from the jar (optional)
Combine all ingredients in shaker filled with ice. Strain into a chilled glass and add a cherry for garnish.
These are very basic cocktail recipes. As with many popular cocktails, there are endless variations. Master the basics first and then you can expand your repertoire to include variations as well as new cocktails. Do you have a favorite variation on these recipes? Tweet me @LouGirl502!
Photos Courtesy of Bourbon Barrel Foods and Four Roses
