Nothing’s cooler than this tart and tangy cocktail.
If you’ve been on the hunt for a sweet and refreshing summer cocktail, look no further than the Lawrenceburg Cooler. This drink actually comes straight from the Four Roses Distillery, which just so happens to be located in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky – in case you were wondering about the name.
Although the Lawrenceburg Cooler is a fun cocktail in its own right, it’s a bit of a play on two other cocktails: The Tom Collins and the Brown Derby. A Tom Collins is a classic gin cocktail that’s mixed with lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda. And sure, the Lawrenceburg Cooler isn’t a direct descendant of the Tom Collins, but rather a member of the Cooler cocktail family. This category of cocktails loosely includes Highballs, Collins, Rickeys (like the Bourbon Rickey), and other coolers like the currently trendy, Ranch Water. However, most coolers tend to rely on soda water for the cooling effect, which this particular cooler lacks. That’s where the Brown Derby comes in.
Originating in 1930s Hollywood, the Brown Derby was named for the “Brown Derby Restaurants” that were popular at the time. This cocktail combined bourbon, grapefruit juice, and honey syrup for a tart treat. Sounds a bit familiar right? As a play on the Brown Derby, the Lawrenceburg Cooler adds in lemon juice and bitters to amp up the flavor.
So at the end of the day, the Lawrenceburg Cooler sits somewhere between a Brown Derby and a Cooler cocktail. Of course, very rarely is a cocktail variation better than the original, or originals for that matter, but the Lawrenceburg Cooler just might be the hip, cool, exception.
Lawrenceburg Cooler
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 Rocks Glass
Ingredients
- 3 ounces Bourbon
- ½ ounce Lemon Juice
- ½ ounce Grapefruit Juice
- 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
- ¾ ounce Honey Syrup
- 1 twist Lemon
Honey Syrup
- 1½ ounces Honey
- 1½ ounces Water
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 3 ounces of Bourbon, ½ ounce lemon juice, ½ ounce grapefruit juice, ¾ ounce of honey syrup, and 3 dashes of Angostura Bitters.
- Shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a Rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.
Honey Syrup
- Combine 1½ ounces of honey and 1½ ounces of water into a small saucepan and stir over medium heat.
- Once the honey has dissolved, remove from the heat and let cool.
Notes
- The honey syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.
