Nothing says summer like lemonade and that’s the inspiration behind this cocktail! I’ve been trying to find that perfect summer cocktail that my husband would enjoy. He’s not a fan of gin, anything bitter, or any sort of cocktail served up. Basically any sort of cocktail I love, he hates. Since his favorite liquor is bourbon, I figured this drink would work well for the both of us.

As I played around with this drink, my biggest challenge was finding that right amount of lemon. Two parts bourbon to one part lemon juice was not enough and the drink read more like a bourbon Sidecar. Equal parts bourbon and lemon juice was too much lemon and makes the drink overly sour. One and a half ounces of lemon juice was the perfect amount and even just a half ounce of Grand Marnier rounds out the drink nicely.

You’ll notice that I only use fresh lemon juice and not lemonade or Rose’s lemon juice. Store bought lemonade or lemon juice is filled with artificial flavors and sugar. I want to be able to control the amount of sugar and the flavor in my drinks and fresh citrus is the only way to go. I always keep oranges, lemons, and limes in stock at our house.

Bourbon Lemonade

2oz Bourbon (We used Makers Mark)

1.5oz Fresh Lemon Juice (Needs to be fresh. No sugary lemonade!)

.5oz Grand Marnier

.5oz Simple Syrup

Method:

Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake until cold. Do a fine strain over a rocks filled old fashioned glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and a spring of mint! Please enjoy responsibly!