Tart lemon, sweet honey, and rich bourbon make up a Gold Rush cocktail. This simple drink adds an elegant flair to your at-home happy hours.
The Gold Rush cocktail is a simple mixture of bourbon, fresh lemon juice, and honey syrup. This 3-ingredient cocktail tastes smooth, sweet, and refreshing. It’s the perfect drink for a cocktail party or a relaxing night at home. Dress the drink up with a gold leaf garnish, and serve it for a gold medal celebration or as a leprechaun’s pot of gold.
A Brief History of the Gold Rush Cocktail
The Gold Rush is essentially a classic whiskey sour with honey in place of sugar syrup. The modern classic was invented at the famed New York City bar Milk & Honey in 1999. The bartender told a friend about a honey syrup he made for a different cocktail recipe. The friend asked for a bourbon sour with the new honey syrup and no egg whites. The result was the Gold Rush cocktail. The drink became a staple for Milk & Honey bar within a few years.1
Gold Rush Cocktail Ingredients
- Bourbon – This rich and smooth spirit has notes of caramel and vanilla. It tastes fantastic with honey and is the perfect base spirit for this Gold Rush cocktail. Use your favorite bourbon or a mid-shelf brand like Maker’s Mark or Four Roses. More affordable bourbon brands include Evan Williams and Jim Bean. I used Brother’s Bond Bourbon for this drink.
- Lemon Juice – The acidity of the lemon juice balances the sweetness of the honey syrup and bourbon. It also adds a bright flavor to the cocktail.
- Honey Syrup – This syrup is thinner than honey, which is ideal for cocktails. It doesn’t congeal at the bottom of a glass like regular honey, but it still has all of the flavor.
Homemade Honey Syrup
Homemade syrups are a great way to add signature flavor to a cocktail. They are easy to make, too. If you can stir, you can make a homemade simple syrup.
- In a small saucepan, combine equal parts water and honey. Typically, one cup of each is more than enough for several cocktails.
- Heat the pan over medium heat and stir frequently.
- After the honey dissolves into the water and the syrup is thin and golden, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for at least an hour.
- Pour the homemade honey syrup into a bottle or an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. The syrup lasts for about a month.
Use this honey syrup in other cocktails like a Bee’s Knees or a Penicillin cocktail.
How to Make a Gold Rush Cocktail
This simple classic cocktail is the perfect balance of sweet and spirit-forward flavor. The bright lemon and rich honey syrup bring out the smooth flavor of the bourbon.
Step One – In a cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, lemon juice, and honey syrup.
Step Two – Add ice to the cocktail shaker. Firmly secure the lid on the shaker and shake for 30 seconds to combine and chill the ingredients.
Step Three – Strain the cocktail over a large ice cube in a chilled rocks glass.
Step Four – Garnish with a twist of lemon peel or lemon wheel.
Add an extra flair to this Gold Rush cocktail with a gold leaf or gold glitter rim. Apply honey syrup to a small section of the glass with a pastry brush. Then, press the syrup-coated side of the glass into edible gold glitter or edible gold leaf. It looks gorgeous and is extra fun if you serve this cocktail for St Patrick’s Day, at an Oscars party, or during the Olympics.
What Type of Glass Do I Use?
- Old Fashioned Glass – This short, thick glass, also called a rocks glass, is ideal for a Gold Rush. The thickness of the glass helps keep the drink cold. The shape is ideal for gently swirling spirits or cocktails without spilling.
Can I Batch This Cocktail?
The Gold Rush cocktail is a fantastic batch drink for large gatherings. Multiply the ingredients by the number of guests in attendance. For example, for a group of 8 people, you need 16 ounces of bourbon, 6 ounces of lemon juice, and 6 ounces of honey syrup. Combine the ingredients in a large pitcher and stir until well combined. Add about 4 ounces of cold water or half a cup of ice to the pitcher for dilution. The ice in the cocktail shaker dilutes the drink, so this makes up for that factor.
More Bourbon Cocktail Recipes
- Blackberry Bourbon Smash
- Peach Bourbon Prosecco Punch
- Apple Butter Old Fashioned
- Peach Bourbon Smash with Mint
Gold Rush Cocktail
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 3/4 oz lemon juice
- 3/4 oz honey syrup
Homemade Honey Syrup
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, lemon juice, and honey syrup.
- Add ice and firmly secure the lid on the shaker. Shake for 30 seconds to combine and chill the ingredients.
- Strain over a large cube of ice in a cocktail glass.
- Garnish with lemon peel.
How to Make Honey Syrup
- Combine honey and water in a small saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat until the honey dissolves. Stir frequently.
- Let cool for 1 hour, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
