Living in Kentucky, Bourbon is something that runs through our veins. Not only are we the home to many of the top distilleries, our history is rich with stories that go back to the days of prohibition and beyond. Al Capone, an infamous gangster of the 20’s, used to frequent the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville during this time, and was known to escape from a hidden passageway that led to an alley in case of of a raid. Jerry Slater, Director of the Oakroom at the Seelbach, created the Bufala Negra cocktail which is classically made with bourbon, balsamic vinegar, basil, and ginger ale. The recipe has been adapted over the years to subsitute ginger beer for the ginger ale. And in this particular drink we are using Crabbies Spiced Orange ginger beer to give it a fresh citrus flavor. This cocktail is quite stout so if it is too strong for you, you can easily tone it down by adding more ginger beer or even stick to the original and use a good amount of ginger ale! Happy Drinking! (in moderation ;))
- 1 oz. Balsamic vinegar
- 1 oz. Simple syrup
- 1½ oz. Bourbon
- 4 Basil leaves
- 1 tsp Brown sugar
- 2 oz. Spiced Orange ginger beer
- Combine balsamic and simple syrup in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for one minute, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Gently muddle 1/2 oz of balsamic syrup, basil leaves, and sugar in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add bourbon and ice and shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a lowball glass with ice and top with ginger beer.
