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    Home » Recent Posts » Cocktail Recipes

    Light and Fizzy Bourbon Ginger Cocktail (Video)

    Published: Aug 31, 2021 · Updated: Aug 23, 2021 by Katy McAvoy

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    Bourbon drinks have a reputation of being strong cocktails reserved for the end of the evening. But they don’t have to be! This Bourbon Ginger Cocktail recipe uses ginger and lemon to create a light and fizzy bourbon drink that’s perfect for sipping during happy hour. 

    Bourbon Ginger Cocktail

    The smokiness of bourbon pairs deliciously with the fresh bite of ginger. Using ginger ale in this recipe keeps the ginger flavor in check while giving the drink a bit of sparkling fizz. This is a great drink to serve to someone without a lot of bourbon experience or who’s never had a bourbon cocktail beyond an Old Fashioned.

    What You Need 

    Ingredients for bourbon ginger cocktails
    • Bourbon
    • Ginger liqueur
    • Brown sugar syrup
    • A lemon
    • Ginger ale 

    How to Make It 

    Combine bourbon, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and brown sugar syrup in a mixing glass filled with ice. 

    Pouring bourbon into a mixing glass full of ice

    Stir the mixture with the ice for 5-10 seconds to chill it. 

    Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. 

    Pouring the mixed drink into a rocks glass full of ice.

    Top with ginger ale. 

    Pouring ginger ale on the top of the bourbon cocktail.

    Enjoy! 

    Try These Bourbon Cocktails

    Blueberry Citrus Julep
    Blueberry Citrus Julep
    Coffee Old Fashioned
    Coffee Old Fashioned

    Tips on Bourbon Ginger Cocktail

    What kind of bourbon should I use? 

    Choose your favorite! I like Bulleit or Buffalo Trace in my bourbon cocktails. Skip the rye or flavored bourbons for this recipe. 

    Don’t have a mixing glass? 

    Use a mason jar! A wide mouthed mason jar is a great substitute for a mixing glass. Follow the directions for the cocktail. When it comes time to pour the drink into a glass, use the flat piece of the mason jar lid to hold the ice in the jar while you pour. 

    Can I use bottled lemon juice? 

    Fresh juice is best here. After all, there are only 5 ingredients in this cocktail! You’ll need about ½ of a fresh lemon per drink. Before cutting it, give your lemon a roll on the counter while pressing down on it to release all of its juice and make it easier to squeeze.

    Use ginger ALE, not ginger beer. 

    Ginger ale keeps this a light and refreshing drink. It’s also good with ginger beer (if that’s all you have on hand), but you’ll have a much stronger ginger flavor in your cocktail. 

    Make your syrup ahead of time. 

    Be sure to make the brown sugar syrup a few hours before you intend to make your cocktail. I like to make my syrups in the morning so they have lots of time to chill before happy hour arrives. Warm syrup will cause the ice to melt faster when you’re mixing your cocktail resulting in extra water in your drink, so always use cold syrups. 

    Happy Hour Snack Pairings

    Bacon Wrapped Dates
    Bacon Wrapped Dates 
    Homemade Potato Chips
    Homemade Potato Chips

    Print the Recipe

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    Light and Fizzy Bourbon Ginger Cocktail

    Bourbon Ginger Cocktail
    Print Recipe
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    This Bourbon Ginger Cocktail recipe uses ginger and lemon to create a light and fizzy bourbon drink that’s perfect for sipping during happy hour.

    • Author: Katy McAvoy
    • Prep Time: 5 min
    • Cook Time: 0 min
    • Total Time: 5 min
    • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
    • Category: Cocktails
    • Method: Stir
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 oz bourbon
    • 1 oz ginger liqueur
    • 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
    • 0.5 oz brown sugar syrup
    • 1 oz ginger ale

    Instructions

    Combine bourbon, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and brown sugar syrup in a mixing glass filled with ice. 

    Stir the mixture with the ice for 5-10 seconds to chill it. 

    Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. 

    Top with ginger ale. 

    Enjoy! 

    Equipment

    Image of Mixing Glass

    Mixing Glass

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    Image of Cocktail Strainer

    Cocktail Strainer

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    Image of Rocks Glass

    Rocks Glass

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    Notes

    Be sure to use ginger ALE, not ginger beer! 

    Keywords: bourbon, ginger cocktail, ginger liqueur, bourbon drinks, bourbon cocktails, happy hour

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag me @katymcavoy on Instagram! I can’t wait to see what you made!

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    I love when you share my recipes!

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    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com. Since 2017, she's been crafting easy-to-make cocktails and delicious meals, along with sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

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    Katy McAvoy

    Hi! I’m Katy (she/her). I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that a couple hours of meal prep pays off for days. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

    More about me →

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