Name: Bourbon Cherry Limeade
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 oz. bourbon; 1 tablespoon simple syrup; 1 tablespoon key lime juice; 2 tablespoons grenadine; 2 oz. simply limeade juice; Garnish: 2 maraschino cherries, 1 lime; sliced

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Looking for a refreshing drink to enjoy this summer? Look no further than the bourbon cherry limeade cocktail! This drink is perfect for hot days, and it’s easy to make. In just a few simple steps, you can be sipping on your own bourbon cherry limeade cocktail. Let’s take a look at how to make it.

Contents

How to pick the perfect bourbon for cocktails

For two reasons, I’m a strong advocate of using mid-level proof bourbon in bourbon drinks:

It does this by maintaining the bourbon flavors active and apparent, even after dilution throughout mixing or shaking up beverages. Second, higher-proof bourbons have more flavor and can handle stronger cocktail components such as a boulevardier or sour with tart lemon juice better.

The goal is to have bourbons on your home bar that don’t fade into the drink. I think mid-range proof bourbons find the sweet spot when it comes to being used as a base, adding proof, or adding flavor, or standing up against a strong-flavored element.

What you’ll need to make bourbon cherry limeade

1 oz. bourbon
1 tablespoon simple syrup
1 tablespoon key lime juice
2 tablespoons grenadine
2 oz. simply limeade juice

Garnish: 2 maraschino cherries, 1 lime; sliced

Ingredient substitutions

In place of key lime juice, you could use regular lime juice. This will give you a similar flavor profile, but it won’t be quite as tart. Another option is to use lemon juice, which will give you a sour flavor.

If you don’t have grenadine on hand, you can easily make your own. Just mix 1 part sugar with 1 part pomegranate juice, and you’ll have a quick and easy substitute. This will give your drink a similar flavor profile to grenadine, but it won’t be quite as sweet.

What you could also add

If you want a stronger cherry taste to your cocktail, you may use cherry soda instead of grenadine. The cherry soda is made by muddling a 1/2 cup of fresh cherries with a cocktail muddler and adding them and their juice to the 8 ounces of soda. Feel free to use lemon-lime soda or simply water instead of Sprite.

How to make the cocktail

Fill a shaker halfway with ice and then add in the grenadine, simple syrup, and key lime juice. Pour in the bourbon. Fill the shaker with ice until it reaches the top of the glass.

Remove the peel from the lime. Using a sharp knife, cut each slice in half.

Fill a glass halfway with ice. Shake the shaker, then pour it over the ice in a cocktail glass. Lime wedges and two Maraschino cherries should also be added to complete the look. Served cold!

Recipe tips

In order to make simple syrup, you will need water and sugar. Combine the two ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Simple syrup can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

When making this cocktail, it’s important to use fresh lime juice. Bottled lime juice just won’t give you the same flavor. If you don’t have key limes on hand, you can use regular limes. You’ll still get a delicious drink, but it won’t be quite as tart.

How to make a cherry bourbon smash

The cherry bourbon smash is a near-duplicate of this one that you may easily create with the stuff you have here plus a few fresh cherries.

To make it, fill a rocks glass halfway with cherries and simple syrup. Muddle the cherries until they are pulpy. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour over ice in a highball glass and add one or two ice cubes.

1 drink