Bourbon Lemonade Recipe

Gavin Wrigley Written by Gavin Wrigley

This simple Bourbon Lemonade recipe is perfect to chill out with! It's the ideal spring cocktail with bourbon, fresh lemon juice, and a little sugar.

Prep time: 1

Mixing time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 204

Fill a highball glass with ice cubes and stir them using a bar spoon.
If using, pour 2 dashes of Lemon bitters into the shaker (optional).
Start by measuring and pouring ¾ oz simple syrup into the shaker.
Add 1 oz fresh lemon juice.
Add 2 oz Bourbon to the mix.
Fill the shaker with ice, cap it and give it a good shake (10-15 seconds).
Using the cocktail strainer, strain the mixture from the shaker into the ice filled glass.
Top-up with chilled still or sparkling water and stir gently to combine.
Finally, place a lemon slice and a mint sprig into the glass for garnish.

Bourbon: If you don't have bourbon, use rye whiskey or dark rum for a different flavor profile. I've also used brandy when I was out of bourbon, and it worked surprisingly well.
Fresh Lemon Juice: You can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch, but the flavor will be less bright and fresh. Another option is to use fresh lime juice for a slightly different citrus kick.
Simple Syrup: If you're out of simple syrup, you can make your own by dissolving equal parts sugar and water over low heat. Alternatively, honey syrup or agave syrup can work as natural sweeteners, but they will change the flavor slightly.
Lemon Bitters: If you don’t have lemon bitters on hand, you can simply omit them or experiment with other types of bitters such as Orange or Grapefruit bitters.

Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all the ingredients by 8. That would be 16 oz of bourbon, 8 oz of fresh lemon juice, and 6 oz of simple syrup.
Mix: In a large pitcher, combine the bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Add ice and stir well. Then, add mineral water (still or sparkling) to top-up. Adjust the quantity to taste and stir gently.
Serve: Pour the mixture into ice-filled highball glasses, garnish with a lemon slice or twist, and serve immediately.

Bourbon Substitute: Use a non-alcoholic bourbon substitute. Several brands are available that mimic the flavor of bourbon without the alcohol. If you’re feeling crafty, you can also make your own bourbon substitute by infusing together rooibos tea and a bunch of spices of your liking (vanilla and cinnamon are always a good way to start). Mix all the ingredients together, add hot water, cover and let it infuse for at least 3h (the stronger the better, so if you have time let it infuse overnight. In that case, you can either let it rest in the fridge once the liquid has cooled down). Give it a taste, adjust the spice level if necessary and strain it once you’re happy with the result. Stored properly (in an airtight container in the fridge), this “tea-whiskey” can be kept for up to a week.
Lemon bitters: To get the citrusy touch brough by the Lemon bitter, you can slightly muddle an orange zest into the shaker/mixing glass before adding the rest of the ingredients. Also note that 2 dashes of bitter in an otherwise alcohol-free drink won’t raise the overall ABV of the drink. The drink will indeed chemically contain a drop of alcohol, but won’t make you intoxicated at all. Depending on your reason for not drinking alcohol, this can also be a suitable option.
Proceed As Usual: Use these non-alcoholic substitutes instead of the regular ingredients, follow the original steps, and enjoy a non-alcoholic version.

Simple Syrup: Ensure your syrup is made with white sugar or another vegan-friendly sweetener. Brown sugar, for example, is often not vegan as it can be processed with bone char. Agave syrup is a great alternative that's naturally vegan.
Proceed As Usual: With your vegan-friendly simple syrup, follow the original steps to enjoy a delicious vegan Bourbon Lemonade.