More cocktails that use honey syrup? Once you’ve made a batch, use it to make the Bees Knees, Penicillin, and Gold Rush. Why we love this recipe: The Brown Derby is so much fun! Grapefruit juice is so refreshing in cocktails, and the honey syrup makes it so unique. We love it as a great signature drink for a party, or you can dilute it with soda water to make into a highball for brunch. It’s very similar to a cocktail called De Rigueur in 1920’s cocktail books, the only difference being the use of bourbon and the quantities. The ingredients in a Brown Derby are:
Bourbon whiskey Grapefruit juice Honey syrup
Serving the Brown Derby as a brunch drink
Some people say the Brown Derby is a brunch drink: likely because it contains grapefruit. But we can’t necessarily say we recommend 3 ounces of whiskey for brunch! If you’d like to use it for brunch, we’d recommend diluting it with soda water to make it into a highball cocktail or a spritzer. Here’s what to do:
Step 1: Add 3 oz bourbon, 1 ½ oz grapefruit juice and ¾ oz honey to a cocktail shaker. Fill it with ice and then shake until very cold. Step 2: Strain the drink into a cocktail glass. Step 3: If you’d like, a grapefruit slice garnish makes the glass festive.
Grapefruit juice is less tangy than lemon juice and lime juice: like orange juice, it’s got more sweet notes. If you love tangy sour cocktails (like we do!), you may want to add a squeeze of lemon to your Brown Derby to add a hint of brightness.
$: Elijah Craig Small Batch $$: Four Roses Small Batch or Woodford Reserve $$$: Bulleit 10 Year Bourbon
Make up a mix that’s 3 or 4 times the recipe below. Estimate that 1 serving below equals 2 servings of the diluted drink. Pour it into glasses using equal parts Brown Derby mix and soda water.
A few more grapefruit cocktails
Love citrus? Here are a few more grapefruit cocktails you might enjoy:
Try the Greyhound or Salty Dog Cocktail, a combination of grapefruit and gin. Grab tequila for a Paloma. Opt for the sophisticated Hemingway Daiquiri. Mix up a laid-back Sea Breeze with cranberry juice.
Frequently asked questions
No reviews **If you love tangy drinks, you may want to add a squeeze of lemon to your Brown Derby to lend a tart brightness.
