Kentucky Buck
KENTUCKY BUCK
2 oz. / 60 ml. bourbon
¾ oz. / 22.5 ml. fresh lemon juice
½ oz. / 15 ml. simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 strawberry, muddled
1 oz. / 30 ml. ginger beer, to top
METHOD
add all ingredients to shaker tin / add ice and shake until chilled / fine strain into a glass over fresh ice / top with ginger beer / garnish with strawberry and lemon wheel (I went with a twist)
ABOUT
This modern classic cocktail was created by Erick Castro (@hungrybartender) in the late 2000s. I love learning about the history of cocktails, and one of my favorite sources is Robert Simonson (@robertosimonson). In Modern Classic Cocktails, Simonson explains how Castro, after noticing bourbon’s absence in pre-Prohibition recipes, set out to change that. He developed the drink while working at Heaven’s Dog and first served it at Bourbon & Branch, but it didn’t catch on widely until it landed on the menu at Rickhouse, a high-volume bar with broader reach. The ingredients are simple, and even when bartenders stray from the original specs, the flavors still hold up. That adaptability is part of what helped the drink spread to bars across the country. Cheers y’all!
