You know we’re all about great food, but like any good Southerner, we’ve been known to enjoy a good cocktail (or mocktail) on our porch, listening to the cicadas drone at dusk.
Southern cocktails are much older and wiser than other drinks. When you take a sip of a Sazerac, Gin Fizz, or Mint Julep, you won’t be left with stinging eyes or a funny taste in your mouth. The liquor is often used to highlight rich, local ingredients, like tropical fruits and syrups. They’re meant to be savored just like slow spring and summer nights in the Lowcountry.
Sip back, relax, and indulge in our favorite classic Southern cocktails.
Mint Julep
This quintessential Kentucky cocktail will have you off to the races while using only a few ingredients: bourbon or seltzer water, sugar, water, ice, and fresh mint. Get the recipe here.
Old Fashioned
This blend of bourbon or rye, sugar, citrus peel, and bitters has a fitting name – the drink was deemed “the first cocktail” back in the 1800s. New “candy cocktails” might be popular at the bar today, but the Old Fashioned built the bar. Get the recipe here.
Southern Peach
Nothing beats fresh peaches, but the Southern Peach cocktail comes in close. If you like fruit-flavored drinks, then you’ll probably pour yourself another glass of this peach, bourbon, and simple syrup delight. Get the recipe here.
Sazerac
This amber-hued sipper is the official drink of New Orleans – literally. But you can’t visit anywhere in the South without trying this genius cocktail that packs a powerful punch. Get the recipe here.
Gin Fizz
Back in 1888, a tavern keeper named Henry Ramos invented the Ramos Gin Fizz, which brought something interesting to the table: whipped egg whites. But don’t let this cocktail’s not-so-secret-ingredient throw you off – this frothy drink is mostly a combination of sugar, cream, juice, and gin. Get the recipe here.
Bushwacker
You’ll suck down this boozy milkshake (made with chocolate, rum, coffee, and coconut) before you can say “brain freeze.” Get the recipe here.
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