A brown derby is one of my favorite summertime bourbon cocktails. The combination of bourbons oaky vanilla flavors paired with tart grapefruit and a simple honey syrup is truly delicious. It is light and refreshing, which is perfect for a hot summer night.
The brown derby was named after the Brown Derby restaurant across the street from the Vendôme Club where the bartenders that developed it worked. It was a hollywood hotspot in the 1920’s where all the actors would come to party after filming, which gives this cocktail a great nod to the golden age in history.
Whether you are a vintage cocktail aficionado or just looking for something new to try, the brown derby should be on your summertime cocktail list.
Let’s get started…
This cocktail is a simple one. You will need bourbon, a couple of grapefruits and some honey syrup. Easy.
Honey syrup is just a simple syrup made with honey. You don’t even need to cook it. Simply heat some water in the microwave and stir in equal parts honey until completely incorporated and then set aside to cool. This mixture will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator, so feel free to make it ahead of time.
When it comes to the grapefruit portion of this cocktail, we only need fresh grapefruit juice, but I love a good garnish, so we are notching things up a bit by charring a few slices of grapefruit to add beauty and another layer of flavor to this drink.
Place your grapefruit slices on a skillet over medium to medium high heat until the bottom is beautifully charred and then transfer the slices onto a plate to use as garnishes.
You can also char your grapefruit halves before juicing them to add a smokey flavor to your brown derby.
Now let’s talk about the bourbon.
If you are a bourbon lover, you most likely have your own favorite. If you are new to the bourbon scene, you may want to check out this link discussing some of the best bourbon options.
Now let’s talk about those of us that don’t drink. Just because you don’t drink alcohol does not mean that you can’t enjoy a brown derby. There are some really good spiritless liquors on the market right now, which give you the flavors of bourbon without the alcohol content. They are an option worth exploring.
Now that we are ready to create our brown derby, fill you cocktail shaker about 80% of the way with ice and add 2 ounces of bourbon, 1 ounce of fresh grapefruit juice and 1/2 ounce of the honey simple syrup.
Shake until the shaker feels ice cold everywhere and then strain into your glass.
Garnish your glass with a slice of charred grapefruit and enjoy!
A brown derby should have a wonderful balance of sweet, tart and that oaky bite that kind of dances on the roof of your mouth. This one definitely does and whether you are making this vintage classic for yourself or mixing it up for a big group of friends, I’d like to toast to your happiness.
Cheers!
Brown Derby
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon
- 1 ounce of fresh grapefruit juice
- 1/2 ounce of honey simple syrup
- grapefruit, thinly sliced (garnish)
Instructions
- Make the honey syrup by whisking equal parts hot water and honey until fully combined and let cool
- Combine 2 ounces of bourbon, 1 ounce of fresh grapefruit juice and 1/2 ounce of honey simple syrup in a shaker and fill with ice
- Shake until fully chilled
- Strain into a glass and garnish with grapefruit slices
