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Cocktail History
The Poppa’s Pride is a modern whiskey cocktail recipe that was created by Jay Zimmerman of the bar Bā’sik in Brooklyn, New York. It combines the ginger spiciness of a Kentucky mule with the cooling mint and tartness of a classic whiskey smash.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Bourbon: This is the base spirit. We used Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon because it lends a deeper oakiness to the drink. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Spiritless Kentucky 74 in place of the bourbon.
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: These are shaken in the drink and add a hint of citrus flavor.
Mint Leaves: These are also shaken in the drink and add fresh mint flavor.
Soda Water: This is water that has been infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure. It stretches the drink and adds some fizz. We used Topo Chico because it’s light, essentially flavorless, and refreshing.
Angostura Aromatic Bitters: This is a type of spirit infused with botanicals. They add more spice and complexity to the drink and tie the other flavors together. They also give the cocktail its distinct ombré coloring when dropped on top at the end. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the bitters.
Mint Sprig: This is the garnish. It adds fragrant mint aromas.
Tasting Notes
Our version of 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, it 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 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 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 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 in place of the bourbon and All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Tools & Glassware We Recommend
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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