Admit it: sipping bourbon is a fantastic way to spend a morning. Although you might think of bourbon more as an evening libation, you can buoy your next brunch by throwing in a few whiskey drinks. Let’s face it, Bloody Marys and Mimosas get all the chatter, but bring the smooth, mellow, charred taste of whiskey to your next brunch and see what smiles you create. Here are a few of our favorite recipes:
American Breakfast
You can have your eggs over easy, in a frittata, or baked into an all-American egg bake. Add to that sausage links or patties, bacon, or ham. But no matter what you choose to serve on your brunch table, make sure to give your guests something refreshing and juice-inspired to drink. This drink is simple to create but will impress your guests, especially if you use the perfectly placed Harlem Standard American Straight whiskey. This blend of light whiskey and rye bourbon has a hint of honey maple and refreshing citrus flavors, which will pair perfectly in this cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Harlem Standard American Straight Whiskey 90-Proof
- ½ ounce grapefruit juice
- ½ ounce maple syrup
- pinch salt
Instructions:
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Once it is shaken, double strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with grapefruit zest.
Marmalade Whiskey Sour
Although the whiskey sour is a standard for happy hour, you may never have enjoyed one for breakfast before. But trust us when we tell you, it will change your morning for the better! Take everything you love about a traditional whiskey sour, and then up its game with morning’s favorite flavored juice: orange. With our bourbon whiskey featuring fruity notes and a vanilla bean finish, the mellow spice and roasted nut flavor of the whiskey will shine through while complementing the orange marmalade.
Ingredients:
- ice
- 2 1/2 ounces Harlem Standard Bourbon Whiskey 93-Proof
- 1-ounce fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce Simple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon orange marmalade
- 1 dash of orange bitters
- 1 orange twist
Instructions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the orange twist and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to dissolve the marmalade. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with the orange twist.
The Rambler
If you want to take your brunch to the next level flavor-wise, then this is the recipe for you. With a clever combination twist of mint and ginger, this complex but balanced whiskey palate of vanilla and charred wood will keep the flavor levels high. This drink would pair well with eggs and vegetables on your brunch buffet, as well as muffins and other baked goods. The Harlem Standard whiskey itself is slightly sweet and contains hints of oak, which will be the perfect complement to the spices in this drink recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2 sprigs mint
- 2 slices ginger
- 2 ounces Harlem Standard Whiskey 7-Year 110-Proof
- 1-ounce honey syrup
- 1-ounce lemon juice
- Abita light beer or other light all-malt lager
Instructions:
Muddle 1 mint sprig and ginger in a shaker. Add bourbon, syrup, and lemon juice, and shake. Double strain over fresh ice in a pilsner glass. Top with beer and garnish with the remaining mint sprig.
Wakey Wakey: The Breakfast Old Fashioned
If you know your history, then you know that the Old Fashioned was originally a breakfast drink. And we concur that whiskey makes the perfect morning libation. If you want to impress your guests who are used to a regular old cup of coffee in the morning, this drink will take them to new heights. Serve with pancakes or waffles. With a long smooth finish and hints of maple syrup, brown sugar, and allspice, this Harlem Standard Bourbon is the foundation of an impressive cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Harlem Standard Straight Bourbon Whiskey Four-Grain 111-Proof
- ½ oz coffee liqueur non-creamy (optional)
- ½ oz coffee syrup
- 1 bar spoon maple syrup
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
- Garnish: swipe a little maple syrup on the side of the glass and dust it with some espresso powder if you have it
Instructions:
Prepare the glass by putting a swipe of maple syrup on the lip of the glass and dusting it with espresso powder or finely ground coffee. Set aside. Combine bourbon, coffee liqueur, coffee syrup, a bit of maple syrup, and the orange bitters in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir until well-chilled and strain into the prepared glass filled with ice. Express an orange peel over the cocktail before you take your first sip. Works well as both a morning and evening cocktail.
To make the coffee simple syrup, combine one cup of warmed coffee with one cup of sugar and stir until fully dissolved. Let cool and refrigerate. Will keep for 2 to 4 weeks. Longer if you add a touch of vodka to the simple syrup.
If you want to pack a punch at brunch, put aside the traditional Bloody Marys and mimosas and enjoy a bourbon brunch. No matter what you are serving, there is a winning cocktail to pair with your morning buffet.
