Highballs
Kentucky Buck
Made with ginger syrup · Erick Castro, San Francisco, 2009
- collins
- cubes
- shake
Kentucky Buck
- 11 ripe strawberry, hulled
- 2 oz60 ml bourbon
- ¾ oz22 ml fresh lemon juice
- ¾ oz22 ml ginger syrup
- 2 dashes2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Top withTop with soda water
- Muddle the strawberry with the ginger syrup in a shaker.
- Add the bourbon, lemon juice, bitters and ice, then shake until cold.
- Double-strain into an ice-filled Collins glass and top with soda water.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Garnish: lemon wheel (or strawberry slice)
The syrup
In this recipe
Ginger Syrup¾ oz22 ml
Ginger syrup is sugar dissolved into fresh ginger juice for real heat, or simmered with sliced ginger for mellow warmth.
Castro's syrup is slightly less sweet but much spicier than our steeped 1:1; use 3/4 oz, and muddle a small coin of fresh ginger with the strawberry for more bite
As printed: 3/4 oz ginger syrup (3 parts sugar : 4 parts fresh ginger juice)
Where it comes from
Erick Castro created this strawberry bourbon buck in San Francisco around 2008-2009. Accounts differ on whether that was at Bourbon & Branch or at Rickhouse, where it caught on. Imbibe named it one of ten modern classics in 2014.
Source: Imbibe magazine, May/June 2014 ('10 modern classics') by Erick Castro (recipe) (2014).
Checked against: Punch - Kentucky Buck (Castro's ginger syrup + soda version) · Imbibe - Kentucky Buck · Australian Bartender - Kentucky Buck (adapted from Castro) · Tasting Table - Kentucky Buck vs Maid (origin)
Gear for this drink
Mixology & Craft 16-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
OXO SteeL Angled Measuring Jigger
Best for Measuring syrup into drinks
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Stainless Strainers (set of 3)
Best for Every infused or fruit syrup
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