Cocktail Hour - The Kentucky Mule

I know, my obsession with ginger and bourbon continues...

They weren't both for me. Honest.

A Moscow Mule is made with ginger ale and vodka, so unsurprisingly the Kentucky variant is a mix of bourbon and ginger ale. This is often confused with a Mark n' Stormy, made with ginger beer. The clue is in the name...

Just to further cloud the issue, I've heard this cocktail called a Kentucky Gentleman, however I'm reliably informed that this moniker should apply only to brandy based versions.

I used Makers Mark again for this, which is a trifle sweet, so to lift things a bit I fell back on Angostura Bitters.
In addition I opted a large twist of lemon rind, squeezed/rubbed and thrown in - the natural oils in the rind combine with the ginger and bitters to give a spicy counterpoint to the sweet vanilla notes of the bourbon.
For a bit of extra freshness a mint garnish finishes things off nicely, but is not essential.

What you'll need:

• 60ml Makers Mark
• Ginger Ale
• Twist, lemon rind.
• Liberal dash, Angostura Bitters
• Ice
• Highball glass
• Mint, to garnish

Procedure:

• Throw a few ice cubes in to a highball glass
• Add a dash of bitters and then the bourbon
• Rub the lemon rind over the glass and put in
• Top with ginger ale
• Finish things off with a couple of mint leaves.

I don't really go in for this Valentine's Day stuff & nonsense, particularly when it comes to making pink frothy cocktails. However, I'm sure your dearly beloved / civil life partner will appreciate a Kentucky Mule or two before dinner this evening.

Failing that it ought to help numb the pain of seeing lots of nauseating couples swanning about like lovestruck teenagers.

With thanks to Hanna and Cathrine for acting as tasters. Much like the mint, female Scandinavian scientists are not strictly essential, but they're entertaining and do make proceedings look good.

(Despite slightly questionable big cat themed sock / jumper combinations.)

Cheers!

Cocktail Hour

Mark N' Stormy

A bourbon based riff on the classic Dark N' Stormy this week. (Traditionally a hot weather highball, it seems rather fitting given the endless stormy weather.)

Traditionally made with Goslings Rum, the swap for bourbon, in this case Makers Mark, works just as well. The sweetish vanilla notes of the bourbon complement the spiciness of the ginger beer. I find Old Jamaica perfect here, but feel free to experiment with different types.

Depending on the spiciness vs sweetness of the ginger beer used you can either simply garnish with a lime wedge or take the trouble to squeeze 20ml of fresh juice.
Old Jamaica is quite fiery so I have chosen to former, giving the wedge a bit of a squeeze as throw it in.

Equipment & Ingredients

60ml Makers Mark
Old Jamaica Ginger Beer
Lime wedge
Highball glass
Ice

Procedure

Chuck a few ice cubes in the highball glass
Pour over the ginger beer
Top with the bourbon
Squeeze the lime wedge over the glass a little and add.

Perfect for dreaming of warm Bermudian beaches on a dreary winters evening.