Getting Started
Interest in bourbon, America's native spirit and a beverage almost exclusively distilled in Kentucky, has never been greater. Thanks in part to both the general popularity of cocktails and the marketing efforts of the bourbon distillers, there are now more brands of bourbons and more bourbon drinkers than ever. Even in New York, where the Manhattan is said to have been invented (using rye whiskey), when you order the hometown cocktail you'll be asked which bourbon you want in it.
Of course, the main reason bourbon is growing in popularity is that it tastes terrific. The dominant flavors in the whiskey, which must be distilled from a mixture of fermented grains containing at least 51 percent corn, are caramel and vanilla. Depending on other factors, such as yeast strains, proportions of barley and rye or wheat, and aging time, you may taste honey, toffee, citrus, and more—even chocolate. Not surprisingly, with the interest in bourbon, there's also an interest in how to drink it.
In addition to the snifter-worthy bourbons that are becoming popular as after-dinner libations in high-end restaurants, bartenders around the country are having fun finding new ways to mix the whiskey. It's obviously natural that a bartender who lives in Kentucky, where almost all bourbon is made, would be at the forefront of bourbon cocktail creativity.
Coincident with renewed interest in bourbon is a trend toward home entertaining, and that's why we've written this guide. It contains more than 100 of Joy's recipes, organized into chapters by drink genre. They range from her versions of the classic bourbon cocktails, such as the Old Fashioned and Mint Julep, to her trademark infusion drinks, many of which are among her award-winners.
If you're wondering about the concept of mixing bourbon with other ingredients, know that infusing bourbon with a variety of flavors has a long Kentucky history. Look at nineteenth- and early twentieth-century cookbooks and you'll find many recipes for punches and cordials using bourbon. Of all the bourbon served in Kentucky bars today, at least half is mixed with something. Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, ginger ale, 7UP, and club soda are the most popular mixers. I've just gone further and used all kinds of ingredients to mix with Kentucky bourbon.
Also included here are seasonal drinks, dessert drinks, and of course Derby cocktails. One chapter is devoted to “guest” drinks from my friends and colleagues. We have also provided suggestions for small bites to serve with your cocktails, as well as a glossary of bourbon terminology and a short list of suggested further reading about bourbon and bartending.
While many bartending guides include some bourbon cocktails, none has the range of drinks presented here. Joy has concocted simple-to-make recipes for the home bartender. Here's how to do it:
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Shakers
Standard shaker made of stainless steel, or
Boston shaker, which has a stainless steel top half that fits over a glass bottom half or a drink glass. (Most home bartenders find the standard shaker easier to use.)
It is very important to have a large shaker with room for lots of ice; smaller ice cubes make a better drink and together should take up only about half of your shaker's volume. In the recipes that call for shaking, don't just tip the shaker back and forth. Shake vigorously. Be enthusiastic! The object is to chill the ingredients thoroughly, not to dilute them with melting ice. If your shaker frosts up, you are doing it right. Although professional bartenders may not use a towel, you'll be more comfortable holding the shaker with one during this process.
Measurers
4-ounce measured shot glass
8-ounce standard glass measuring cup
Tools for the home bartender. Left to right: bottle opener, strainer, muddler, metal bar spoon, channel knife, zester, and wooden bar spoon, arranged on a wooden cutting board.
Hawthorn bar strainer, flat, with a steel coil.
You can find these in any kitchenware shop that carries bar supplies. The strainer fits over the rim of the glass. Pour the chilled contents of the shaker into the glass.
Muddler
A small wooden pestle used for crushing fruits or herbs and “muddling” them, as the name suggests, with water and/or sugar.
Long-handled Spoon
Great for stirring pitchers of drinks. Have both metal and wooden spoons on hand.
Zester/Channel Knife
The gizmo you use to get twists of fruit peel, such as lemon or orange.
Most of the recipes in this book call for either an Old Fashioned (also called rocks) glass or a Martini glass. A few need other types. The following icons indicate the glass required for each recipe:
 Old Fashioned |
 Martini |
 Tall |
 Hurricane |
 Champagne flute |
 Wine glass |
 Shot glass |
 Stoneware mug |
 Pint beer glass |
 Punch cup |
One other technique that you'll come across in some of my recipes is that of floating, or layering ingredients on top of one another. This requires no special equipment but takes a little more practice and a lot more finesse than shaking. The basic method is to hold a teaspoon, bowl side down, over the glass and slowly pour a thin stream of liquid over the back of the spoon so that it dribbles over the spoon edge and gently settles on top of the liquid already in the glass.
INGREDIENTS
Garnishes and Other Ingredients
You'll find a variety of these in this book's recipes. Always buy the best quality available. The basic ones are:
Red maraschino cherries
Oranges
Lemons
Angostura bitters
Bourbon
Feel free to use your favorite bourbon, but just so you know, my Bartender's Dozen bourbons, those I use most frequently in my cocktails, are:
Blanton
Buffalo Trace
Evan Williams Single Barrel
Four Roses Single Barrel
Jefferson Reserve
Jim Beam White Label
Maker's Mark
Old Fitzgerald Prime
Old Forester 86 proof
Pappy Van Winkle 15-year-old
Wild Turkey 80 proof
Woodford Reserve
I hope you'll enjoy using my recipes for Kentucky bourbon cocktails at home. I created these drinks to be fun and easy to make and to taste good. I have specified certain brands in my recipes because they make the drinks taste the way I want. If you use those specific labels, your cocktails will taste most like the ones served at Jack's. In recipes I entered in contests sponsored by particular distilleries, I obviously used their brands of liquor. But don't let that inhibit your creativity. Just as you should feel free to use your favorite bourbon, feel free also to use your favorite brands of mixers and other ingredients and to play with a recipe and make it your own. If it's too sweet, use less sugar. Too sour, add a little more sugar. Too strong, add a little water. And certainly, if you don't like it straight up, drink it on the rocks. There should be a little magic in every drink you pour, too. That will be your pleasure in mixing and serving good drinks to good friends.
Finally, I have a request based on many, many years of bartending. Please enjoy my creations responsibly. Drink in moderation and please, please, do not drink and drive.