We were making plans for a holiday party, and we knew we had the recipe for a great one. With Ed Nash’s gallery in East Nashville as the venue, food from Tinwings, a great DJ, a photo booth and a Santa/Elvis impersonator, what more does one need, right? A great cocktail, that’s what!
We thought about several different ideas but landed on what we called a Kentucky Mule. And, it’s truly the drink that will fit all your holiday and festive celebrations for the entire year!
The key was the ingredients: get the best! Your favorite bourbon, your favorite ginger ale and fresh limes!
For our cocktail, this means Coopers’ Craft bourbon, which is what we used for our recipe. This company is an underwriting sponsor of StyleBlueprint and through this relationship, we’ve all had the chance to really appreciate what sets this bourbon apart. It’s a milder bourbon with a beech and birch charcoal finishing process, meaning the bourbon passes through three woods before it’s bottled. This makes it more approachable, without the burn. With an equally approachable price point, it’s the perfect bourbon to reach for to combine with other ingredients, like ginger ale or ginger beer. Save your more expensive stuff to sip on its own! Coopers’ Craft is a good way to introduce yourself to bourbon and again, it’s the one to use for your cocktails as it blends so nicely.
(Check out this related article on Coopers’ Craft, Brown-Forman’s first bourbon to be released in two decades. The article is: “A Bourbon Perfect for Aficionados & Newbies Alike“)
For the ginger ale, our favorite is Buffalo Rock, bottled in Birmingham, AL, and distributed throughout the Southeast, but know that it’s not everywhere. For example, I’m writing this in Nashville, TN, and we can’t get it here. We actually drive to Alabama to get it! But, you can pay a premium and get it through Amazon. (Update: Apologies as we seem to have sold out the supply on Amazon. You can use the “email me” feature on their site to get notified when it is restocked, which will hopefully be soon!) Once you try it, you’ll be hard-pressed not to order enough to have on regular supply for your bar. Soon, Buffalo Rock will have an online shop, but in the meantime, see if you can find it locally by checking out their locator page.
So, assuming that you have your Coopers’ Craft and Buffalo Rock on hand, simply combine these two over ice and squeeze a nice-sized slice from a juicy lime and serve. If you want to get fancy, serve in a copper mug, but any cup will suffice. Warning, this drink is really good, so make plans to drink at home, have a designated driver or travel by Lyft!
After our holiday party, we had an influx of people emailing and calling us about what exact bourbon and what exact ginger ale we used, as the signature cocktail was a certified hit. With that, we know that you will enjoy it just as much!
Here is the recipe, but feel free to adjust portions to your taste.
Coopers' and Ginger
Ingredients
- 2 parts Coopers' Craft bourbon
- 6 parts ginger ale again, we used Buffalo Rock
- SB Tip: large wedge of lime squeezed
Instructions
- Combine and serve over ice and serve with a large slice of lime!
Nutrition
For more ideas and recipes to make with Coopers’ Craft, see their drinks section on their website. With 18 options to choose from, you’re sure to find one perfect for your gathering. But, do try the Coopers’ and Ginger!
