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This cocktail is my spin on a Brown Derby. A classic Brown Derby cocktail is bourbon with grapefruit juice and honey syrup. But it just doesn’t quite work for me. It does, however, prove that bourbon and grapefruit are a surprisingly tasty combination.
When it comes to bourbon, I love brown sugar over honey for adding sweetness, and the addition of grapefruit bitters plays up the flavor in this cocktail.
Makes 1 Brown Sugar Grapefruit cocktail.
2 oz bourbon
1.5 oz fresh grapefruit juice
1 oz brown sugar syrup
3 dashes grapefruit bitters
Combine everything in a mixing glass with ice.
Stir to chill and strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice.
Sip and enjoy!
Tips on Brown Sugar Grapefruit Cocktail
- Make your syrup a few hours ahead of cocktail hour so it has enough time to chill.
- Fresh juice is important here. Buy whole grapefruits and juice them!
- I skip the garnish on this one, but you could add a wedge of grapefruit or a couple Luxardo maraschino cherries if desired.
- If you don’t have grapefruit bitters, leave them out instead of substituting a different bitters. I like the cocktail better with the grapefruit bitters in it, but it’s still tasty without them.
Happy Hour Snack Pairing
The smokiness in this bourbon cocktail pairs deliciously with Bacon Wrapped Dates.
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Brown Sugar Grapefruit Cocktail
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
Description
When it comes to bourbon, I love brown sugar over honey for adding sweetness, and the addition of grapefruit bitters plays up the flavor in this cocktail.
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1.5 oz fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 oz brown sugar syrup
- 3 dashes grapefruit bitters
Instructions
Combine everything in a mixing glass with ice.
Stir to chill and strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice.
Sip and enjoy!
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: Cocktail Shaker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
Keywords: brown sugar, grapefruit, brown derby, bourbon, whiskey, happy hour, homemade happy hour, drinking at home, cocktail
