This is one sting you’ll be happy to have.
Bartender Sam Ross is known for creating some of the best modern cocktails. From the Paper Plane to the Penicillin and Kentucky Maid, Sam Ross knows how to whip up a stunning whiskey cocktail. But the Midnight Stinger is truly one of his best.
The Midnight Stinger is essentially a Whiskey Sour with one cheeky little twist – Fernet-Branca. Originally mixed in Milan back in 1845, Fernet-Branca has been popular in America since Prohibition, where it was sold in pharmacies as a medicine. (Apparently it was the prescribed cure for sobriety…) Since the 1960s though, Fernet-Branca has been a top choice for bartenders as both a cocktail ingredient and a solo drink.
Technically speaking, Fernet-Branca is an amaro which is usually served as a digestif after dinner. There are dozens of amaros out there, including big names like Nonino, Luxardo, and Campari. Each amaro has its own personality and Fernet-Branca certainly isn’t shy. With a whopping 27 separate herbs, Fernet-Branca can hold its own as a traditional digestif or absolutely steal the show in a cocktail. And that’s definitely the case with the Midnight Stinger.
The Midnight Stinger follows a one-to-one ratio of bourbon whiskey and Fernet-Branca for a complicated and boozy combination. The lemon juice and simple syrup help mellow it out, but don’t be confused – this is a bold and brash drink no matter what.
Needless to say, the Midnight Stinger will create quite the buzz on your bar.
Midnight Stinger
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 Rocks Glass
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Bourbon
- 1 ounce Fernet-Branca
- ¾ ounce Lemon Juice
- ¾ ounce Simple Syrup
- 1 sprig Mint
Instructions
- To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 ounce of Bourbon, 1 ounce of Fernet-Branca, ¾ ounce of Lemon juice, and ¾ ounce Simple Syrup.
- Shake until well chilled and strain into a Rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a mint sprig.
