Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour
Created by Alec Espiritu
A Thanksgiving bourbon sour made with what's already in the kitchen: cranberry, lemon, maple syrup and a sprig of rosemary, shaken and served over ice.
- 3 min
- Rocks glass
- Shaken
Flavor profile
- Tart
- 75 out of 100
- Sweet
- 76 out of 100
- Fruity
- 54 out of 100
- Smoky
- 43 out of 100
- Boozy
- 55 out of 100
How to make a Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour
To make a Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour, shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass: 2 oz bourbon, 1 oz cranberry juice, ¾ oz lemon juice, ½ oz maple syrup and 2 sprigs rosemary. Garnish with cranberries.
You'll need
- Bourbon2 oz
- Cranberry juice1 oz
- Lemon juice¾ oz
- Maple syrup½ oz
- Rosemary2 sprigs
- Cranberriesgarnish
Pairs well with: Maple syrup · All syrups
Instructions
- 1
Add the bourbon, cranberry juice, lemon juice, maple syrup and one rosemary sprig to a shaker.
- 2
Shake hard with ice, then strain into an old-fashioned glass over fresh ice.
- 3
Clap the second rosemary sprig between your hands to wake it up and set it in the glass with a few fresh cranberries.
The story
Last Thanksgiving we had a bunch of leftover ingredients lying around the kitchen, and I was trying to think of something to mix, until she suggested maple syrup instead of simple syrup. A Thanksgiving cocktail made from things that are probably already in the kitchen: cranberries, rosemary, maple syrup and a lemon. It's a bourbon sour at heart. The cranberry makes it tart and pink, the maple stands in for simple syrup and adds a little caramel, and shaking a rosemary sprig with the rest gives it a piney, savory edge that goes well with the meal. Bourbon is my pick, but rye works if you like it spicier. If your cranberry juice is unsweetened, add a little more maple. For a crowd, mix the bourbon, cranberry, lemon and maple in a pitcher ahead of time, then shake each drink with ice and a sprig as it's ordered.
Featured in the journal
Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour questions
What's in a Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour?
2 oz bourbon, 1 oz cranberry juice, ¾ oz lemon juice, ½ oz maple syrup and 2 sprigs rosemary. Garnish with cranberries.
How do you make a Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour?
Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass: bourbon, cranberry juice, lemon juice, maple syrup and rosemary. Garnish with cranberries.
What does a Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour taste like?
Mostly sweet and tart. It's a strong drink at about 16% ABV once mixed.
How strong is a Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour?
About 16% ABV after mixing with ice, stronger than wine, lighter than a neat spirit.
What's the difference between a Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour and a Bourbon Sling?
Both use bourbon and lemon juice. The Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour adds cranberry juice, maple syrup and rosemary, while the Bourbon Sling uses simple syrup. Both are shaken, but the Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour goes in a rocks glass and the Bourbon Sling in a highball glass. The Bourbon Sling is the stronger of the two.
Should a Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour be shaken or stirred?
Shaken: cranberry juice, lemon juice and maple syrup need a hard shake to mix and chill properly.
Can I make Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sours in a batch?
Yes. For 6 drinks, mix 12 oz bourbon, 6 oz cranberry juice, 4½ oz lemon juice and 3 oz maple syrup, plus muddled rosemary in a jug and chill it. Add 5 oz of cold water to stand in for the dilution from shaking. Pour over fresh ice to serve.
How did I come up with the Cranberry Rosemary Bourbon Sour?
Last Thanksgiving we had a bunch of leftover ingredients lying around the kitchen, and I was trying to think of something to mix, until she suggested maple syrup instead of simple syrup.