Spring is here! When the snow begins to melt and grass starts to grow, it’s time to match the warmer season with the ideal drinks. Think about it — you’ve hung up your winter coat for the final time this season and put away your big sweaters, so why would you keep drinking the same beer you did all winter long? It’s time to say goodbye to the season of warm cocktails and heavy beers and lighten things up. Fortunately, there are many distinct types of beer that pair perfectly with the much milder spring weather. Here are some refreshing beer choices that will liven up any spring day.

Sour Beers

If you have never tried a sour beer before, spring is the perfect opportunity to start. In fact, spring is the season many breweries begin brewing these tasty beers with a bite. Don’t let the name “sour” dissuade you from trying out these unique beers, because they come in a variety of different strengths and flavor profiles, many with hints of fruits and berries. The exciting thing about sours is that they are fermented with wild bacteria and yeasts, giving the brew master all kinds of tools to work with when exploring new flavors.

IPAs

While a very hoppy IPA may have kept you warm during frigid winter nights, now is a suitable time to try lighter, more flavorful varieties. An IPA flavored with berries or soft vanilla flavors evokes the sensation of the flowers and fruits and berries that are now beginning to grow. Meanwhile, a citrusy version can be a fresh approach to a warm weather favorite.

Blonde Ales

Springtime means spring break is here, a time when many people travel to warmer climates for some much-deserved vacation time. Fun in the sun often means you’ll want a lighter beer to stay hydrated, and a blond ale is just what you need. These golden beers are easy to drink and don’t feature strong malts or hops, perfect for a refreshing beach beverage.

Witbier

If you’ve never heard of a Witbier, now is the time to give it a taste. Witbier is a Belgian-style beer that gets its name because of its hazy, whitish hue. Witbiers owe their color to the wheats and aromatics involved in the brewing process, and an orange peel adds the perfect touch to this coriander and citrus-forward beer. Witbiers may be lesser known than the other types of beer on this list, but that won’t be the case for long.

Hard Seltzers

This one might be breaking the rules a little bit. After all, hard seltzer is not exactly a beer. However, if you find yourself not in the mood for beer, chances are, you’ll find the perfect beverage in today’s ever-widening selection of fruit-flavored hard seltzers, teas, and lemonades. Hard seltzers are perfect for keeping you refreshed in the spring sun.

It’s been a long winter, but we’ve made it through, and now is the time to celebrate! Payless Liquors has the largest selection of beers in the Indianapolis area, many of them ideal for warm spring weather. Browse our website to pre-order or stop in to talk to our knowledgeable staff to pick out just the right beer to pair perfectly with the springtime sun.

When you think about St. Patrick’s Day, your mind likely fills with ways you can celebrate with family, friends, and a few Irish drinks. Many Americans celebrate by dying beer green, or even with an Irish Car Bomb, a drink enjoyed by filling up a shot glass with whiskey and Irish Cream and dropping it into a glass of Guinness. While these drinks are a great time, they differ in many ways from what people traditionally drink in Ireland. If you want a more authentic St. Patrick’s Day experience, these are few of the drinks that will have you living the real Irish experience. Irish Coffee

What better way to start off St. Patrick’s Day than with a drink that will wake you up and get you in the right mindset for celebration? Good news: the Irish Coffee is a drink actually enjoyed by real Irish people. A traditional Irish Coffee results when you brew your favorite kind of coffee, mix it with a shot of Irish whiskey and top it with a bit of Irish Cream (usually Baileys). You have a long day ahead of you, so you might as well start it right.

Black and Black

A Black and Black is the perfect traditional drink for someone who enjoys Guinness but wants to add a little extra flavor to it. To make a Black and Black, you simply take a shot of blackcurrant juice and add it to your Guinness beer. For the unfamiliar, blackcurrant is a berry grown in Europe that looks a little bit like a grape. Blackcurrants are notoriously tart with delicious hints of raspberry and blackberry-like flavors. When you add this to your Guinness, be prepared for a drink that is a little bitter. However, it is also a very flavorful one that is definitely worth your time.

Dublin Mule

A Dublin Mule is a twist on the Moscow Mule (traditionally vodka, ginger beer, and lime) enjoyed the Irish way. The Irish prefer to use Jameson Irish whiskey in place of vodka, although it is fun to experiment and put your own twist on this Irish favorite. If you want to make your own, fill a copper mug with ice and add 2 oz Jameson. Top with ginger beer and add two dashes of bitters and a squeeze of lime. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Irish Cider

The tradition of drinking hard cider in Ireland goes back a very long time. In fact, archeologists and historians have found evidence that people were enjoying fermented cider on the land that would become Ireland as far back as 5,000 years ago. Traditionally made with apples, the Irish have had plenty of time to perfect the art, and now craft ciders from multiple different fruits. Any respectable Irish pub has more than one brand of hard cider on draft.

Guinness

If your idea of St. Patrick’s Day includes a pint of Guinness, you have the right idea. When you want to live it up like a true Irish person, you can’t go wrong with this Irish classic. Originating in 1759 in a small Dublin brewery, there’s a reason this dark, dry stout has been around so long.

St. Patrick’s Day With Payless Liquors

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Holiday the way it was meant to be celebrated! Whether you want to try something new, or are craving a classic Guinness, Payless Liquors has a huge selection of beverages in the Irish style. Pre-order online, or stop in and browse to prepare for this fun, boozy holiday.

Few cocktails feature a history as varied and intriguing as the Sazerac, widely regarded as the world’s oldest cocktail. According to legend, the Sazerac was invented in 1838 by a Creole apothecary named Antoine Peychaud in his shop on Royal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. He originally provided this drink after business hours to his fellow Masons by serving it in an egg cup, also referred to as a coquetier. This is often considered the source of the word “cocktail.” Peychaud named his drink after his favorite French cognac, Sazerac-de-Forge et fils from Limoges, France, a popular choice among the Creole community during the 19th century.

Sazerac Through the Centuries

Over time, the recipe changed throughout New Orleans, and bartenders began substituting rye whisky for the cognac as the result of the phylloxera epidemic decimating most European vineyards. Sources claim that in 1873, famous bartender Leon Lamothe changed the Sazerac forever by adding a splash of absinthe, a licorice-flavored high-proof spirit known as the Green Fairy for its characteristic green color. Absinthe is made from green anise, sweet fennel, and Artemisia absinthium, or grande wormwood. Grande wormwood contains the substance thujone, which is considered responsible for producing hallucinogenic effects—although the modern US market strictly regulates thujone levels.

Peychaud’s favorite cognac lends its name to the Sazerac House, a famous drinking establishment in New Orleans that served as the social center of the city. Founded in 1850, it quickly became the premier spot for cultured New Orleanians to drink, play cards, and discuss business matters. By 1957, the popularity of the Sazerac cocktail led Peychaud to purchase an ad in the local paper promoting his line of bitters and informing readers of its availability at the Sazerac House and other leading “coffee houses” within the city. In 1903, the Washington Post reported on “the spectacle of the immortal Sazerac,” and today, it is the official drink of New Orleans.

How to Make a Sazerac

Check out this recipe from our friends at My Kitchen for the perfect Sazerac:

1. Muddle two sugar cubes, two dashes of Peychaud’s aromatic bitters, and two dashes of orange bitters in a shaker glass.

2. Add 2 oz of your favorite whiskey to the shaker and stir gently.

3. Place two ice cubes in the shaker and continue stirring the mixture until chilled.

4. Coat the inside of two chilled rocks glasses with ¼ oz absinthe, swirling to evenly cover the glass, then discard the absinthe.

5. Rim the rocks glasses with lemon zest, pour the mixture into the glasses, and enjoy.

Visit Us for Everything You Need to Make the World’s Oldest Drink

If you’re ready to find out first-hand why the Sazerac holds the title of the world’s oldest drink, visit Payless Liquors today to pick up all the necessary supplies to make this beloved cocktail.

Our experienced staff can help you choose the right whiskey from our extensive selection, so your Sazerac turns out just the way you want. We even offer convenient online ordering for curbside pickup. Complete your order today by calling us at (317) 784-9105 or submitting the form on our website.

Everyone loves a delicious cocktail, but many of us rarely have the time or skill needed to prepare our favorite drinks like a master bartender. Whether hosting a party or simply enjoying a relaxing drink after a long day of work, ready-to-drink cocktails are here to save the day. With prepared cocktails, you don’t need to buy an extensive collection of liquors or source rare ingredients that will expire before you have the chance to use them. These products allow you to avoid the hassle of muddling, straining, and shaking while offering the same impressive flavor you can expect from a professionally crafted cocktail.

If you’re interested in experimenting with prepared cocktails, check out the list below of the most popular, highest rated options available, then visit Payless Liquors today to pick up one of these tasty treats!

1. Bacardi Mai Tai – This ready-to-drink cocktail features Bacardi rum distilled in Puerto Rico mixed with exotic fruit flavors. Purchase a few 1.75-liter bottles of this delectable concoction, and you’ll be totally prepared for your next impromptu get-together.

2. Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktail – For a new, refreshing spin on your favorite whiskey, these cocktails can be enjoyed right from the bottle. With flavors like Berry Punch, Jack Apple, Lynchburg Lemonade, and Southern Peach, the only difficult part will be selecting which one to try first.

3. Jack Daniel’s & Cola – This prepared cocktail takes the guesswork out of measuring the right portions of whiskey to Coke, leaving you with the perfect mix every time. Along with the regular version, the company also carries versions with Diet Coke or Ginger.

4. Jose Cuervo Golden Margarita – When you want to relax on the beach and enjoy the best cocktails with the least amount of effort, check out these expertly mixed classics. Jose Cuervo is the most popular name in tequila for good reason, and these smooth cocktails offer the tartness we love in margaritas without the syrupy texture found in most pre-made mixes.

5. Kahlua Mudslide – Combining Kahlua with chocolate, vanilla, and buttery caramel, this creamy, decadent ready-to-drink cocktail is best enjoyed with hot coffee or chocolate ice cream for a boozy milkshake.

6. Smirnoff Grand Cosmo – This prepared cocktail mixes Smirnoff No 21, the world’s top preferred vodka, with cranberry juice, triple sec, and a splash of lime. Simply pour over ice and enjoy.

7. White Claw Hard Seltzer – Our list concludes with a brand that has taken the market by storm, Mark Anthony Brands’ White Claw Hard Seltzer. In the three years since its initial release, sales of this extremely popular drink have increased exponentially, from less than half a million cases sold in 2016 to a whopping 27.5 million cases sold in 2019. Consider it a fresh alternative to mixing your own liquor and flavored seltzer or sodas.

Transform Your Home Bar with Our Ready-to-Drink Cocktails

Ensure your next cocktail hour is as easy, simple, and carefree as possible with prepared cocktails from Payless Liquors. We carry a wide selection of the most beloved ready-to-make cocktails to suit even the most discerning tastes, and our knowledgeable staff can assist you in selecting the right variety for you. Contact us today by calling (317) 784-9105 or filling out the form on our website.

Depending on who you ask, the “right way” to drink coffee varies by country, by culture, and can even be wildly different within each household. Whether your preferences are light or dark roast, espresso or machine drip, black or with as much creamer as possible, we’d like to present our take on the “right way” to drink coffee—with a healthy dose of spirits in coffee cocktails.

Best Coffee Cocktails

The coffee cocktail offers an ideal start to any evening out, with the perfect blend of caffeine and booze. Similarly, the right coffee cocktail can provide additional warmth to a weekend morning in, with just the right kick to start your day. This list of our favorites provides a variety of ways to imbibe in your preferred coffee and some choice spirits all at once:

1. The Perfect Irish Coffee. While many people pour a shot of whiskey into a steaming hot mug of coffee and call it an Irish, you’ll need a couple of extra steps to make this drink in the traditional fashion. You’ll need:

• 1 cup prepared coffee
• 2 oz. Jameson Irish whiskey
• 2 tsp. light brown sugar
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Chocolate shavings

Start by pouring hot water into two mugs to warm them, and let them sit for two minutes. Pour out the water and add a teaspoon of brown sugar to each. Pour hot coffee over the sugar and stir to dissolve sugar. Add whiskey and stir to mix. In a separate bowl, whisk heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Pour-over coffee and top with chocolate shavings.

1. Siciliano. Forget coffee-flavored liqueur and cream in a stemmed glass—this “coffee martini” comes with far fewer frills and even more boozy flavor. You’ll need:

• 2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1½ oz. Amaro (Campari or Averna work quite well)
• 1½ oz. cold-brewed espresso (strong)
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• Club soda
• Orange wheel for garnish

Pour Amaro, vermouth, cold-brew, and simple syrup into a tall glass. Add ice until filled, and top with club soda. Strain into a stemmed martini glass or enjoy over ice.

1. Coffee Old-Fashioned. This twist on an American staple gives you the warmth of whiskey and the buzz of espresso, all in one glass. You’ll need:

• 2 oz. espresso (room temperature or cooler)
• 1 oz. bourbon
• ¼ oz. simple syrup
• Dash Peychaud’s bitters
• Lemon peel

Add espresso, bourbon, simple syrup, and bitters to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake and pour over ice in a rocks glass. Twist lemon peel over the drink, rub around the glass rim, and use as a garnish.

Other Coffee Cocktails

You may have noticed a lack of some of the most popular coffee-flavored drinks on our list, including the White Russian and the Colorado Bulldog. Kahlua—the coffee element in both of these drinks—is made by combining Arabica coffee with sugar, vanilla, and rum. The caffeine contents are negligible compared to using coffee itself (5 mg versus up to 200 in a cup of coffee). Therefore, we’ve kept our list to our favorite buzzy and boozy cocktails that include full-fledged coffee.

Need help finding some of the items mentioned in these recipes? Simply place an advance order online, or call ahead to inquire about our stock at your nearest Payless Liquor location. We look forward to serving you.

Resources:

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a58347/irish-coffee-recipe/
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/drinks/g13510875/alcoholic-coffee-drinks-cocktails/

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/siciliano

https://www.kahlua.com/us/faq/

When it’s bone-chillingly cold outside, there’s nothing better than curling up beside the fire with the perfect soul-warming drink. For some, a simple mug of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate will do. However, for the cocktail aficionado, the ideal winter drink likely includes a generous helping of spirits and some cold weather-friendly mixers.

Since the best place to enjoy a few winter cocktails is in the warm and cozy comfort of your own home, you’ll need to put some thought into stocking your home bar for cold-weather drinks. However, unless you aim to build a fully stocked bar that rivals your favorite cocktail hub, there’s no reason to rush out and buy dozens of liqueurs, cordials, and mixers. Make a brief list of your favorite winter cocktails, browse our suggestions below, and use our checklist to build your winter stock list, customized to your tastes.

Popular Winter Cocktails

When it’s cold outside, you want a cocktail that will warm you from the inside—whether that warmth is due to a cozy-hot mixer or the delightful heat of a stiff liquor is up to you. Depending on your tastes, multiple winter cocktails could fit the bill, but these are the most common:

• Spiced apple ciders, spiked with a generous helping of whiskey, bourbon, or cinnamon schnapps, and winter spices like cinnamon, anise, cloves, and more
• Mulled wines, infused with those same winter spices
• Adult hot chocolate, which can be spiked with whiskey or any wintery schnapps like peppermint or cinnamon
• Hot coffee drinks, including Irish coffee bolstered by whiskey, or even a simple Irish cream and coffee
• Hot buttered rum, featuring spiced rum topped with butter, sugar, and cinnamon
• Hot toddies, crafted from whiskey, honey, and lemon juice
• Old-fashioneds, featuring bourbon, Angostura bitters, orange peel, and sugar
• Whiskey sours, including your favorite bourbon, simple syrup, lemon juice, and a cherry
• Martinis, either gin or bourbon, with your choice of vermouth and a lemon peel or olive

What You’ll Need to Stock Your Bar

The best thing about winter cocktails is that the sheer diversity in taste we’ve listed above can be built on a base of just a few spirits, as well as a few ingredients you’re likely to find in your kitchen during the winter months. Use this checklist (ordered from most to least critical) to develop your personalized winter bar stocking shopping list:

• Whiskeys—you’ll find whiskey in a number of the above cocktails, and it proves a warming drink all on its own. Start with:

• Kentucky bourbon
• Irish whiskey
• Tennessee whiskey

• Gin—the piney aroma is perfect for the cold season and can be substituted for whiskey in sours and martinis
• Spiced rum
• Schnapps to add that flavorful kick to cocoas, coffees, and ciders. Consider:

• Cinnamon schnapps
• Peppermint schnapps

• Irish cream liqueur
• Red wine for mulling
• Angostura bitters
• Dry and sweet vermouth, for martinis and Manhattans
• Apple juice or cider
• Hot cocoa mix
• Lemons, Lemon juice, Oranges
• Honey
• Cinnamon sticks and Cloves
• White and brown sugar
• Butter

Of course, you may need additional or fewer items as your tastes dictate—there’s no point in stocking your home bar with bottles you’ll never use, and if you enjoy a nice Mai Tai in the dead of winter, we’re not here to tell you you’re wrong. However, the above list will give you a great start and allow you to prepare each of the most popular winter cocktails in the comfort of your home bar. For more recipes, bar stocking suggestions, and insight into what’s new at Payless Liquors, check out our blog and five-star rating guide.

Resources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/dining/drinks/virus-stocking-liquor-cabinet-bar.html

https://www.epicurious.com/shopping/its-time-to-stock-your-bar-for-winter-article

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/top-10-winter-drinks

Can you think of any better way to send off the Holiday Season than with Eggnog?

Well, we couldn’t either.

We’re finishing off our 12 days of a Very Bourbon Christmas with this household favorite recipe for Bourbon Eggnog. Enjoy!

Bourbon Eggnog

Ingredients

● 2 eggs, separated
● 1/4 cup sugar, divided
● 1/2 cup rum, bourbon, or brandy
● 1 1/2 cups whole milk
● 1/2 cup heavy cream
● Garnish: grated nutmeg

Steps

1. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with 3 tablespoons sugar until fluffy.
2. Stir in milk, heavy cream, and your spirit of choice.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar until soft peaks form.
4. Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture.
5. Divide between four rocks glasses or punch or teacups.
6. Garnish each with freshly grated nutmeg.

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

For Day 11 of our Very Bourbon Christmas, we’re going to be trying out the Bourbon Sour!

Jerry Thomas made the simple formula for a sour law in his 1862 The Bartenders Guide: spirit, sweetener, citrus.

One of the most popular cocktails in this family is the Whiskey Sour, which can be made with many types of whiskey, but we prefer to make it with a Bourbon instead.

The Bourbon Sour

Ingredients

● 2 ounces bourbon
● 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
● 1/2 ounce simple syrup
● 1/2 ounce egg white (optional)
● Garnish: Angostura bitters

Steps

1. Add bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white, if using, to a shaker and dry-shake for 30 seconds without ice.
2. Add ice and shake again until well-chilled.
3. Strain into a coupe glass.
4. Garnish with 3 or 4 drops of Angostura bitters.

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

The 9th day of a very Bourbon Christmas has brought to you the New York Sour!

The New York Sour updates the Whiskey Sour recipe with a bit of dry red wine.

The wine lends its aromatic attributes and deep red color to the drink.

Reports trace the New York Sour back to the 1870s or 1880s, although it likely first appeared under other names.

New York Sour

Ingredients

● 2 ounces rye whiskey or bourbon
● 1-ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
● 3/4 ounce simple syrup
● 1 egg white (optional)
● 1/2 ounce red wine

Steps

1. Add all ingredients except the wine into a shaker with ice and shake hard until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
3. Slowly pour the wine over the back of a bar spoon so that it floats on top of the drink.

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

On the 8th day of hoping it gets warmer soon… We made a Boulevardier!

The boulevardier cocktail is composed of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari.

Its creation is credited to Erskine Gwynne, an American-born writer who founded a monthly magazine in Paris called Boulevardier, which appeared from 1927 to 1932.

Boulevardier

Ingredients

● 1 1/4 ounces bourbon (or rye)
● 1 ounce Campari
● 1-ounce sweet vermouth
● Garnish: orange twist

Steps

1. Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
3. Garnish with an orange twist.

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

7 days into our Very Bourbon Christmas we give you… The Bourbon Smash!

The Whiskey Smash is as classic as a cocktail can get.

You can think of it as a citrusy take on its famous cousin the Mint Julep.

It’s a perfect way to dress up your favorite bourbon into a refreshing delight.

Bourbon Smash

Ingredients

● 3 lemon wedges
● 2 ounces bourbon
● 3/4 ounce simple syrup
● 4 mint leaves
● Garnish: mint sprig

Steps

1. Muddle the lemon wedges in a shaker.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, plus ice, and shake until well-chilled.
3. Double-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

We’re halfway through our 12 days of a Very Bourbon Christmas! We’ve got a home remedy today for you if you’ve been enjoying our recipes a bit too much.

A hot toddy, also known as hot whiskey in Ireland, is typically a mixed drink made of liquor and water with honey, herbs, and spices.

Hot toddies are traditionally drunk before going to bed for the night, in wet or cold weather to relieve the symptoms of the cold or flu.

Hot Toddy

Ingredients

● 1/2 cup water
● 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
● 1 tablespoon honey
● 2 teaspoons lemon juice
● Cinnamon stick, for garnish
● Lemon slice, for garnish

Steps

1. In a teapot or a small saucepan, bring water to simmer.
2. In a mug, combine bourbon, honey, and lemon juice to a mug. Pour over hot water and stir to combine.
3. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and lemon slice.

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

On the 5th day of Bourbon Christmas, my true love gave to me… Sazerac!

The Sazerac is a local New Orleans variation of a cognac or whiskey cocktail, named for the Sazerac de Forge et Fils brand of cognac that served as the original main ingredient.

Sazerac

Ingredients

● Absinthe, to rinse
● 1 sugar cube
● 2 dashes Angostura bitters
● 2 ounces bourbon

Steps

1. Rinse the chilled old-fashioned glass with absinthe, discarding excess, and set aside.
2. Muddle 1 sugar cube
3. 2 dashes of Angostura bitters in a mixing glass.
4. Add 2 oz bourbon
5. Fill with ice and stir.
6. Strain into an old-fashioned glass.
7. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

For our fifth day of a Very Bourbon Christmas, we’re going to be making the Brown Derby.

The Brown Derby is a three-ingredient cocktail that was named after the Brown Derby hat-shaped Los Angeles diner.

The cocktail was created at The Hollywood Reporter founder Billy Wilkerson’s Vendôme Club on Sunset Boulevard in 1930.

The Brown Derby

Ingredients

● 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
● 1-ounce grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
● 1/2 ounce honey syrup
● Garnish: grapefruit twist

Steps

1. Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled
2. Fine-strain into a cocktail glass.
3. Express the oil from a grapefruit twist and drop in to garnish (or garnish with a grapefruit wedge).

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

Day 4 of your Very Bourbon Christmas is here! Today we’re going to be making a Mint Julep.

The Mint Julep is the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby, which has helped it become immensely popular.

Tens of thousands of Mint Juleps are served at Churchill Downs in Louisville every year!

With a balance of sweet, smoky, and herbal flavors, the Mint Julep is delicious any time of the year.

Mint Julep

Ingredients

● 8 mint leaves
● 1/4 ounce simple syrup
● 2 ounces bourbon
● Garnish: mint sprig
● Garnish: Angostura bitters (optional)

Steps

1. In a Julep cup or rocks glass, lightly muddle the mint leaves in the simple syrup.
2. Add the bourbon then pack the glass tightly with crushed ice.
3. Stir until the cup is frosted on the outside.
4. Top with more crushed ice to form an ice dome, and garnish with a mint sprig and a few drops of bitters (optional).

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

For your 3rd day of a Very Bourbon Christmas, we’ll be throwing together a wonderful Kentucky Mule!

The Kentucky Mule is a play on the famous Moscow Mule.

Except it subs bourbon in for the vodka, hence the “Kentucky” moniker.

The bourbon cuts through the ginger more easily than vodka, resulting in a more flavorful drink when compared to its vodka counterpart.

Kentucky Mule

Ingredients

● 2 ounces bourbon
● 1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
● Ginger beer, to top
● Garnish: mint sprig

Steps

1. Add the bourbon and lime juice to a Moscow Mule mug or a highball glass.
2. Fill the mug or glass with ice and top with ginger beer.
3. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!

On the 1st day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…

some distillery hand sanitizer and a bourbon county stout.

On the 2nd day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
a 7 to 10-day quarantine, and a bag from Maker’s Mark.

On the 3rd day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
a thermometer and a bundle of larceny.

On the 4th day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
curbside delivery of a bouquet of Four Roses.

On the 5th day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
a nasal swab and Old Forester for my Hot Toddy.

On the 6th day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
antibacterial wipes, and a surprise from Willett Distillery.

On the 7th day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
some Elijah Craig for my homeschool headaches.

On the 8th day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
a face mask to cover your nose and 8 horses racing.

On the 9th day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
binge-watching of Act 4 Scene 5

On the 10th day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
a negative test and a shot of Old Rip to celebrate.

On the 11th day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
a bundle of paper towels and a surprise of Baterhouse.

On the 12th day of Christmas, the bourbon master gave to me…
a 12 pack of toilet paper and a Van Winkle Lot B.

These past 6 months, we have missed seeing you in our stores for events.

We hope you enjoyed our 12 days of Christmas COVID-19 edition. We look forward to doing more in 2021 and hopefully can have you back in-store for events again. We want to wish you a safe and happy new year! With the new year approaching also comes new opportunities for bourbon. As long as no new COVID-19 restrictions are imposed, various selections of allocated bourbon will be up for grabs. Click here to enter to win a special right to purchase a Christmas bourbon surprise! We are hoping to draw names in January.

Click here for more 12 days of bourbon Xmas and a Christmas bourbon surprise!