Sweet Bee Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

The Tony Townie Brooke Williams holds Sweet Bee Bourbon drink in front of home bar.

Earlier this week on Insta Stories I shared my new Asheville Bee Charmer Cookbook by Chef Carrie Schloss and if y'all followed along you already know the recipe I 'bee-lined' for: the Sweet Bee Bourbon Cocktail. Um, let me count the reasons why.

For starters, fall is my favorite time of year to enjoy a bourbon cocktail. The warm smokiness of it is right on time. Plus we've got Thanksgiving just a week away and my menu is never finalized until I know all the food and adult beverages I plan to serve. A bourbon cocktail is a perfect option for a pre- or post-dinner beverage. Not too filling, full of flavor.

And do I really need to say it? I'm southern! With Kentucky blood from my dad's side. Ergo, bourbon must always be in the house. My husband stays on top of this really well.

The Tony Townie Brooke Williams holds Sweet Bee Bourbon cocktail from Asheville Bee Charmer cookbook.

Aerial view of Asheville Bee Charmer cookbook and home bar cart ingredients.

Bourbon decanter and highball glass sit on monogrammed cutting board.

Bourbon cocktail sits on top of Asheville Bee Charmer cookbook.

This bourbon cocktail uses thyme- or ginger-infused honey simple syrup to add dimension, and some ginger ale for a little effervescence. All the ingredients are probably already in your house, making it super duper easy to make a batch in a pinch. Sometimes boutique-y cocktails require all sorts of obscure, expensive ingredients and this one does not at all. Chef Carrie wants her recipes to be accessible to the home cook: straight-forward and delicious!

SWEET BEE BOURBON COCKTAIL

FROM THE ASHEVILLE BEE CHARMER COOKBOOK

BY CARRIE SCHLOSS

1 1/2 OZ top-shelf bourbon
1/2 TSP thyme-infused wildflower honey simple syrup (*see recipe below*)
6 OZ ginger beer or ginger ale

Makes 1 Cocktail

Mix the bourbon and honey simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, cover and shake vigorously for one minute. Strain the mixture into a short cocktail glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer or ginger ale and serve.

Honey Simple Syrup Recipe

1 Cup water
1 Cup honey

Heat the water and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat until the honey is completely dissolved. Make sure the mixture does not boil. Remove the pan from heat, add fresh herbs if you want, and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Transfer the syrup to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. If you infused your syrup, let it sit for up to 48 hours before serving. Syrup is good for up to one month.

Y'all know what else this makes? A great gift idea! Such a good gift for your foodie friend or as an homage to anyone who loves our beautiful mountain town! It would also make a great hostess gift which is always so hard to come up with! You can find the Asheville Bee Charmer Cookbook in their downtown Asheville store, their online shop, or on Amazon.

Asheville Bee Charmer Cookbook Hi-Res image

This bourbon cocktail is a great recipe to have in your back pocket during the holiday season for entertaining or just enjoying on a Sunday evening by the fire. Do you have a go-to cocktail when hosting family and friends for the holidays? Do you change up your cocktails according to changes in the season? I love hearing how y'all get festive this time of year!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing this fun recipe! Sip sip hooray!

xxBrooke

The Tony Townie Brooke Williams cheers the Sweet Bee Bourbon cocktail.