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Cocktail History
The Poppa’s Pride is a modern cocktail that was created by Jay Zimmerman at Bā’sik in New York City, New York. The recipe combines the ginger spice of a Kentucky Mule with the cooling mint and tartness of a classic Whiskey Smash by calling for American whiskey, ginger juice or syrup, muddled lemon, and fresh mint and topping it all off with soda water and bitters.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, grains, malted barley, and water. We used Wild Turkey 101 Straight Bourbon Whiskey because it has a deep oaky whiskey flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the whiskey.
Ginger Syrup: This is a sweetener made with ginger, white sugar, gum Arabic powder, and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s sous vide recipe.
Lemon Wedges: This is a lemon slice that has been cut into a wedge shape.
Mint Leaves: This is an herb. We used Mojito mint leaves.
Soda Water: This is a type of water that has been infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure. We used Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water because it’s light, essentially flavorless, and refreshing.
Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Aromatic Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters.
Mint Sprig: This is an herb. We used Mojito mint.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Tasting Notes
The Poppa’s Pride starts with pungent aromas of allspice and showcases a spicy yet sweet flavor made up of bourbon and ginger with a hint of lemon tartness for balance, and it ends with the lingering aftertaste of ginger burn.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This drink was extremely refreshing and surprisingly light thanks to the soda water. And even with its loud flavors, the Poppa’s Pride went down easily for both of us. Neither of us would call it our favorite whiskey cocktail ever, but we definitely recommend it for warm days when you want something other than a Mojito.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“The first time we tried this recipe I didn’t really care for it, and that could have been because we didn’t get the sweetened ginger juice quite right. When we went back and remade it with our homemade ginger syrup in place of the juice, I found it to be much more in tune with my taste as it featured plenty of ginger flavor but with enough sweetness to cut through the lemon’s tartness. This wasn’t my favorite bourbon drink, but it does have a certain freshness with its combination of ginger, cooling mint, and effervescent club soda that I liked.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐
“This drink was pretty straightforward once Alex make a few changes to it. It’s essentially a Mojito to me but with bourbon and ginger, which I enjoyed. When we tried it using Zimmerman’s exact specs though, I couldn’t drink more than a couple of sips because the ginger’s spiciness was so overwhelming and immediately burned my throat. If you want more balance, definitely give this variation a try. Although I still prefer a classic Mojito, this is an interesting alternative.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
Add bourbon, ginger syrup, lemon wedges, mint leaves, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-15 seconds.
Strain into a highball glass over fresh cracked ice.
Top with soda water and bitters.
Gently dip a bar spoon into the glass for 1-2 seconds to create an ombré effect with the bitters.
Garnish with mint sprig.
Ingredients
Directions
Add bourbon, ginger syrup, lemon wedges, mint leaves, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-15 seconds.
Strain into a highball glass over fresh cracked ice.
Top with soda water and bitters.
Gently dip a bar spoon into the glass for 1-2 seconds to create an ombré effect with the bitters.
Garnish with mint sprig.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the whiskey and All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Ginger Cocktails
If you like this ginger-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Ginger Inferno: A rum cocktail made with ginger liqueur, velvet falernum liqueur, lime juice, lemon juice, cinnamon syrup, a lime slice, and candied ginger
Mountain Man: A bourbon cocktail made with lemon juice, peach liqueur, ginger syrup, maple syrup, and candied ginger
Weathered Axe: A bourbon cocktail made with lemon juice, Combier L’Original Liqueur d’Orange, Cocchi Americano, ginger syrup, absinthe, and rosemary
Jamaican Mule: A rum cocktail made with ginger syrup, lime juice, pineapple juice, Angostura aromatic bitters, candied ginger, a lime slice, and an orchid blossom
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