The Story Behind The Strawberry And Maple Brown Derby

Today I’m sharing a version of the classic cocktail, the Brown Derby, that really captures the time period between winter and spring. The idea for this version came to me during a recent trip to the supermarket, where I was inspired by all the fresh, bright strawberries on display. Together with the bourbon’s spiciness, the fruit serves to really spring-ify the cocktail.

Instead of the honey that the recipe traditionally calls for, I decided to substitute in maple syrup. Not only did this substitution give the cocktail a deeper flavor, one that perfectly supplemented the delightful burn of the bourbon, but it also made me nostagic for those childhood weekends of fruit-filled pancakes doused in syrup. The grapefruit juice, which is the traditional citrus in this cocktail, balances out all the flavors and adds a bit of bitterness. As the seasons change and more fruits come into season you will have multiple ways to make this cocktail. I know I’ll be trying blueberries as soon as they are available!

Ingredients

1.5 ounces of bourbon
1 ounce of grapefruit juice
½ ounce of maple syrup
3 chopped strawberries plus more for garnish

Directions

Fill cocktail shaker with bourbon, grapefruit juice, maple syrup, and chopped strawberries.
Shake mixture then double strain into the serving glass.
Garnish with a strawberry.