Gold Rush Cocktail
A Gold Rush is a comforting drink made with smooth bourbon, bright lemon juice, and sweet honey syrup. It’s especially perfect on cooler evenings in the company of good friends!
What Is a Gold Rush Cocktail?
A Gold Rush is a simple yet delicious bourbon cocktail made with lemon juice and honey syrup. The golden-hued cocktail is served over ice with a lemon twist and a sprig of thyme.
The drink was first invented at the Milk & Honey bar in New York City in the early 2000s. It draws inspiration from the Bee’s Knees cocktail, but bourbon is used in place of the usual gin.
The resulting cocktail is incredibly smooth, with the lemon juice adding a much needed bright and tart contrast to the rich bourbon and sweet honey.
In my opinion, the homemade honey syrup is what makes this cocktail truly spectacular. Honey provides the same level of sweetness as a traditional simple syrup, but it infuses the cocktail with subtle floral undertones.
A Gold Rush cocktail is wonderful for sipping year-round, but the comforting notes of caramel and vanilla in the bourbon make it especially perfect for cooler evenings.
Tools You’ll Need
- Liquid Measuring Cup — For measuring the ingredients in the honey syrup.
- Small Saucepan — For making the honey cocktail syrup.
- Cocktail Shaker — A Gold Rush is always shaken, never stirred. Make sure your shaker comes with a strainer, as you’ll be straining the cocktail into a glass.
- Cocktail Jigger — For measuring out the cocktail ingredients.
- Rocks Glasses — The traditional choice for serving a Gold Rush drink.
Recipe Ingredients
This is a simple honey and bourbon cocktail that requires just three ingredients:
- Bourbon
- Lemon Juice
- Honey Syrup (honey and water)
- Ice (for serving)
- Lemon Twist (for garnishing)
- Fresh Thyme (for garnishing)
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
What Is Bourbon?
For a whiskey to be classified as bourbon, it must contain at least 51% corn in the mash (the remaining grains are some blend of rye, wheat, or barley). Additionally, it must be bottled at a minimum of 80 proof (40% ABV) and a maximum of 150 proof (75% ABV).
Anything labeled as ‘straight bourbon’ has been aged for at least two years in new charred oak.
Most interestingly, “bourbon” is only bourbon if it’s made in the USA. Unlike other whiskies, bourbon is sweeter in flavor and has cozy undertones of caramel and vanilla.
How to Make a Gold Rush Cocktail
- Make the honey syrup: Add equal parts honey and water to a saucepan. Warm over low heat until the honey dissolves into the water.
- Make the cocktail: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the bourbon, lemon juice and honey syrup.
- Secure the lid on the cocktail shaker, then shake vigorously until the outside of the cocktail shaker feels very cold and is frosty on the outside.
- Add a large ice cube to a rocks glass. Pour over the cocktail using a cocktail strainer.
- Garnish: Add a lemon twist and sprig of thyme to garnish then serve immediately.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Choose a quality bourbon. This is such a simple cocktail recipe, so the bourbon is important! Remember that a quality bottle of bourbon will last you for a while, so choose a brand you look forward to sipping.
- Experiment with different types of honey. Honey can vary in flavor and color depending on where it was produced and what season it was harvested in. Visit your local farmers market to see what types of regional honey are for sale, and see how it affects the flavor of your bourbon honey lemon cocktail!
- Use a large ice cube. You can use regular ice cubes when shaking the Gold Rush ingredients, but it’s best to pour the cocktail over one large cube of ice. It will melt much slower than multiple, smaller ice cubes which in turn will prevent your cocktail from becoming watered down.
- Chill your glasses. For an even colder cocktail, pop your rocks glasses into the freezer 15 to 20 minutes ahead of time.
Recipe FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
What type of bourbon is best for this cocktail?
Choose a quality bottle of bourbon from a good brand. In the past, we’ve enjoyed bourbons from Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark, as well as local Colorado brands.
Can the bourbon be substituted?
Bourbon is a type of whiskey, so feel free to use one or the other in this cocktail.
However, I don’t recommend using an aged whiskey, which would be much stronger in flavor and would overpower the flavor of lemon and honey.
If you don’t have any bourbon or whiskey on hand, use gin to make a classic Bee’s Knees (noting that the flavor will be totally different from the Gold Rush!).
Is a Gold Rush served over ice?
Yes, serve this bourbon honey cocktail over one large cube of ice. We love using our clear ice cube maker for making pretty cocktail ice.
What type of glass should a Gold Rush be served in?
This drink is traditionally served in a rocks glass, but feel free to use any glass or jar you have on hand!
Can I make this cocktail recipe alcohol-free?
Yes! Simply use an alcohol-free bourbon to make this into a Gold Rush mocktail.
Some alcohol-free bourbon brands include: Spiritless, Ritual Zero Proof, Free Spirits, and Monday.
Safety tip: Note that depending on brand you use, some alcohol-removed spirits may still contain trace amounts of alcohol. Check before using, serving to kids, or drinking during pregnancy, etc.
Storage Instructions
The Gold Rush Cocktail is best served as soon as it is made and enjoyed cold.
Any leftover honey syrup should be stored in an airtight jar. It will last 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Try Making a Gold Rush at Home!
Next time you’re looking for a unique bourbon cocktail, give this honey and lemon version a try!
Did you love the bright yet comforting flavor of this cocktail? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo of your bourbon Gold Rush!
More Bourbon Cocktail Recipes:
Sweet, creamy, and spiced, this Spiked Eggnog is the perfect holiday drink! It’s easier than you think to make your own eggnog.
This Cranberry Rosemary Shrub Cocktail is the perfect Thanksgiving cocktail! A homemade cranberry shrub with hints of black pepper, rosemary, and cinnamon is combined with bourbon and seltzer for a festive and colorful drink.
This Blood Orange Whiskey Sour is a fun twist on a classic cocktail. This drink starts with whiskey – feel free to use your favorite – and then we add freshly squeezed blood orange and lemon juice with a hint of simple syrup.
This Cranberry Orange Whiskey Sour is tart and boozy with a hint of sweetness and a flavor profile that is perfect for the winter holidays. You’ll love this holiday spin on the classic whiskey sour!
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
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Gold Rush Cocktail
A Gold Rush is a comforting drink made with smooth bourbon, bright lemon juice, and sweet honey syrup. It’s especially perfect on cooler evenings in the company of good friends!
Ingredients
- ice
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce honey syrup
- lemon twist, to garnish
- thyme sprig, to garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Honey Syrup
- To make the honey syrup simply add 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of honey to a saucepan set over a low heat.
- Heat for a couple of minutes to allow the honey to dissolve into the water.
Make the Cocktail
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the bourbon, lemon juice and honey syrup to the ice.
- Secure the lid on the cocktail shaker, then shake vigorously until the outside of the cocktail shaker feels very cold and is frosty on the outside.
- Add a large ice cube to a rocks glass. Pour over the cocktail using a cocktail strainer. Discard the ice left in the cocktail shaker.
- Add a lemon twist and sprig of thyme to garnish then serve immediately. Cheers!
Notes
Honey syrup: You can make more or less honey syrup as desired by keeping to the 1:1 ratio.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 77Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 9mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
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