I always figured people either loved bourbon and whiskey or they didn’t. Before making and enjoying this cocktail, I would have told you that I drink clear liquors only, and even that’s a bit of a stretch. The key for me was making a cocktail that’s well-balanced, smooth, and tasty. While I may never be someone who drinks bourbon on its own or even neat, this cocktail has definitely helped me to appreciate and, quite honestly, enjoy it. If you’re going to make and sip on one cocktail this fall, have it be this honey ginger cider bourbon cocktail.
I didn’t start making my own cocktails at home until fairly recently, and I didn’t realize how much fun it is. Prior to crafting homemade drinks, when I heard the term shrub in relation to cocktails, I always pictured a small bush. Quite honestly, I figured a shrub was some specialty bush used by high-end bartenders. Now knowing what a shrub is, as well as making my own, I feel a bit silly. There are several ways to make a shrub for a cocktail and I find the method I use here, similar to the one I used for my strawberry lime gin cocktail, to be the quickest and easiest. To put it simply, you’re cooking down ginger in a simple syrup and then straining and adding vinegar. The result is an intensely flavorful and balanced mixture that’s especially delicious when paired with bourbon and apple cider.
A honey ginger cider bourbon cocktail that’s refreshing, seasonal, and wonderfully flavorful. Homemade honey ginger shrub is combined and shaken with bourbon, strained, and topped off with dry apple cider. It doesn’t get much more fall and yummier than this cocktail.
Enjoy on a chilly fall or winter evening with a piece of crystallized ginger on your glass.
This honey ginger cider bourbon cocktail is boozy, yet balanced, sweet and spicy. Made with a homemade honey ginger shrub, bourbon, and apple cider- only 3 ingredients, and you'll enjoy drinking these all season.
- 1 1/2 oz bourbon
- 1 1/2 oz honey ginger shrub (recipe below)
- 3 oz dry apple cider- such as this one from Treehorn
- ice
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Add ice to a cocktail glass and set aside.
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In a cocktail shaker combine bourbon, honey ginger shrub, and 5 cubes of ice. Shake well.
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Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass. Add the cider to the glass and garnish with crystallized ginger.
A sweet and spicy honey ginger shrub made with lots of fresh ginger, honey, sugar, and apple cider vinegar.
Yields 2 cups of shrub
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 cups ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 7 oz apple cider vinegar (volume may vary- see instructions below)
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In a medium saucepan over low heat combine the water, sugar, and honey. Heat and stir frequently until the sugar is dissolved.
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Add the sliced fresh ginger to the saucepan and cook for 15 minutes. At this point, the water should have a caramel-colored tint and be fragrant. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool on the counter.
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Strain and discard the ginger, reserving the liquid in a jar. Weigh the reserved liquid and add in half as much apple cider vinegar (for ex. my liquid was 14 oz, so I added in 7 oz. of vinegar). Store jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
2 Comments
Delish!! Gotta try this!
It is seriously so yummy and the perfect fall cocktail!