Gold Rush Cocktail

Gold Rush Cocktail With Whiskey and Ginger Liqueur

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Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

Bourbon gets dressed up in the simple Gold Rush cocktail. It's a fun and snappy way to enjoy your favorite whiskey, and there are two accepted recipes you can use to make it.

In both Gold Rush cocktails, bourbon is paired with lemon juice. For the snappier of the two drinks, a ginger liqueur is used and it actually dominates the drink, outpouring the whiskey. In the other variation, things are a bit sweeter as a homemade honey syrup replaces the liqueur.

Either Gold Rush cocktail is a fine drink and they offer the perfect canvas for exploring new and familiar bourbons.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.

  3. Shake well.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  5. Serve and enjoy.

The Sweeter Gold Rush Cocktail

This Gold Rush recipe is much milder in flavor than the other. The absence of ginger is the primary difference and a honey syrup is used instead. It is very similar to the gin-based Bee's Knees with just a slight variation between the sweet and sour elements. You could also consider it a different approach to the Whiskey Sour.

It is a delightful cocktail and one that may work better with some bourbons more than others.

To make the drink, shake 2 ounces bourbon with 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice and 1 ounce honey syrup. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Choosing the Bourbon

Each bottle of bourbon has its own unique characteristics and that is why this style of whiskey is so beloved. Yet, they're generally grouped into two flavor profiles: bold and soft. This gives you some interesting options when choosing a good whiskey for either Gold Rush.

Much of this is going to depend on taste, so play around with bourbons to see which you enjoy most.

  • Bold bourbons are often higher than 80-proof and are full of big, bold flavor.

  • Soft bourbons have a milder flavor profile though they may be bottled above 80-proof and in no way are they a 'delicate' whiskey.

Which to choose? It's actually quite fun to pair either style of bourbon with either Gold Rush cocktail. If you're in the mood for a full-flavored drink, try a bold bourbon with the ginger recipe. If something smooth and relaxing is in order, try a soft bourbon with the honey syrup. Then again, you can mix and match the two flavor profiles.

There are many possibilities here and each new drink you mix up can be an entirely new experience.

How Strong Are the Gold Rush Cocktails?

Either way you make it, the Gold Rush is about as strong as other whiskey cocktails of this style. It is a little lighter than those like the Manhattan because there are some alcohol-free mixers included in both recipes.


Yet, the Gold Rush is not the lightest drink you can mix up and they are full of flavor. With an 80-proof whiskey, we can estimate that these cocktails have an alcohol content of:

  • The Ginger Gold Rush: 23 percent ABV (46 proof)
  • The Honey Gold Rush: 18 percent ABV (36 proof)
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
242 Calories
0g Fat
25g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 242
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 2mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 33mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)