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The tartness of grapefruit and the smokiness of bourbon come together with brown sugar to create this citrusy Bourbon Grapefruit cocktail.
Looking for a cocktail that’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart, and totally delicious? This Bourbon Grapefruit Cocktail is a cozy twist on a classic citrus drink. Fresh grapefruit juice pairs perfectly with warm brown sugar simple syrup and your favorite bourbon or rye whiskey to create a cocktail that's bright, balanced, and easy to make. Whether you're hosting brunch, planning a cozy night in, or just craving a unique grapefruit cocktail, this simple recipe is sure to impress.
This cocktail is my variation on a Brown Derby. The classic Brown Derby cocktail recipe is made with bourbon, grapefruit juice and honey syrup. But I love tweaking classic cocktails, and bourbon and grapefruit are a surprisingly tasty combination.
When it comes to bourbon, I love brown sugar syrup over honey syrup or unsweetened simple syrup for adding sweetness. The addition of grapefruit bitters plays up the fresh grapefruit juice in this cocktail. This drink is perfect for your next party and a great way to introduce bourbon to friends who don't love an Old Fashioned.
What's in a Grapefruit Bourbon Cocktail
- Bourbon - Choose your favorite bourbon for this recipe, but there's no need to choose the most expensive one since we're mixing it with other ingredients. If you're new to bourbon, go with a Kentucky Bourbon like Buffalo Trace or Four Roses.
- Fresh grapefruit - Squeezing a fresh grapefruit will take only a couple extra minutes versus pouring it from a bottle and give you such better flavor. One large, red grapefruit should produce enough juice for at least 3 cocktails.
- Brown sugar simple syrup - The little bit of molasses in the brown sugar plays up the flavors of the bourbon while adding sweetness.
- Grapefruit bitters - These bitters enhance the fresh grapefruit juice in this drink while adding in delicious flavor and keeping the sweetness in check. 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.
How to Make a Brown Sugar Grapefruit Cocktail
Combine grapefruit juice, bourbon, brown sugar syrup, and grapefruit bitters in a mixing glass half-filled with ice cubes.
Stir for 10-15 seconds to chill.
Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice cubes, or one big ice cube.
Garnish with a grapefruit slice. Sip and enjoy!
Bourbon Grapefruit Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1.5 oz grapefruit juice fresh squeezed
- 1 oz brown sugar simple syrup
- 3 dashes grapefruit bitters
Instructions
- Combine bourbon, brown sugar syrup, bitters, and grapefruit juice in a mixing glass half filled with ice cubes.2 oz bourbon, 1.5 oz grapefruit juice, 1 oz brown sugar simple syrup, 3 dashes grapefruit bitters
- Stir to chill and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice cubes or one big cube.
- Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.
- Sip and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Either pink grapefruit or white grapefruit is delicious in this cocktail, though as the names indicate, there is a color variation so your cocktail will look a little different from what's pictured here, depending on which one you use.
- Be sure to make your brown sugar syrup a few hours (or days) ahead of your cocktail hour so it has enough time to chill! You want to use cold syrup in your cocktails.
- Don’t have a mixing glass on hand? Stir up your cocktail in a cocktail shaker or wide-mouth mason jar.
How should I garnish this cocktail?
Grapefruit slices, a grapefruit twist, or a couple cocktail cherries would be easy, fun garnish for this bourbon grapefruit drink.
Happy Hour Snack Pairings
A slow-sipping cocktail pairs well with hearty appetizers. Try some stove top barbecue meatballs, grilled chicken flatbread, caprese bruschetta with mozzarella, or bacon wrapped dates.
Looking for More Grapefruit Cocktails?
Fresh grapefruit is a staple for my home bar, right alongside the lemons and limes. It pairs well with most any liquor. Try it in a traditional Paloma cocktail, a refreshing Triple Citrus Margarita, a Grapefruit Elderflower Cocktail with gin, or save the peels and make some Grapefruit Infused Tequila.
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