Iron Ranger Cocktail Recipe
Iron Ranger Cocktail Recipe

Iron Ranger

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Cocktail History

The Iron Ranger is a modern tiki cocktail that was created by Erick Castro at Raised by Wolves in San Diego, California. It uses a fairly classic tiki formula but substitutes a punchy bourbon in place of the typical rum and pairs it with pineapple, citrus, velvet falernum, and bitters. This variation also adds cinnamon flavor into the mix via a homemade syrup for additional spice.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, grains, malted barley, and water. I used Wild Turkey 101 Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid juice of a pineapple. I used fresh pineapple juice.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Velvet Falernum Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with ginger, lime, almond, cloves, sugar, and alcohol.

Cinnamon Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cinnamon sticks, white sugar, gum arabic powder, saline solution, and water. I made mine using this sous vide recipe.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters.

Mint Sprig: This is an herb. I used Mojito mint.

Cinnamon Stick: This is a dried spice that has been rolled into a stick. I used Simply Organic Cinnamon Sticks.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut larger fruits and vegetables into slices for the garnish. I used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.

Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple before it’s juiced. I used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus, fruits, and vegetables. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer for the lemon and the Hamilton Beach Large Juicer for the pineapple.

Libbey Tiki Mai Tai Glass, 6.75 ounce, Set of 4
Libbey Tiki Mai Tai Glass, 6.75 ounce, Set of 4
Stylish shape makes a classy vehicle for your favorite wine, mixed drink or mocktail; Lead-free
$39.99 Amazon Prime
OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Pairing Knife,Black/Silver,3-1/2-Inch
OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Pairing Knife,Black/Silver,3-1/2-Inch
Sturdy, stainless steel blade; Soft, comfortable, non-slip handle ensures a safe grip; Hand wash with warm, soapy water and promptly dry
$12.99 Amazon Prime
OXO Good Grips 8 Inch Chef's Knife
OXO Good Grips 8 Inch Chef’s Knife
Contoured handle design provides control while chopping and cutting; Soft, comfortable handle ensures a safe, non-slip grip, even when wet
$20.74
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer & Slicer,Silver/Black
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer & Slicer,Silver/Black
Cores and slices whole pineapples quickly and easily; Measurement markings help prevent piercing the bottom of the shell
$22.95 Amazon Prime
Hamilton Beach Juicer Machine, Big Mouth Large 3” Feed Chute for Whole Fruits and Vegetables, Easy to Clean, Centrifugal Extractor, BPA Free, 800W Motor, Black
Hamilton Beach Juicer Machine, Big Mouth Large 3” Feed Chute for Whole Fruits and Vegetables, Easy to Clean, Centrifugal Extractor, BPA Free, 800W Motor, Black
Source: Circana/Retail Tracking Service, US Unit Sales, 12 Months Ending September 2024.; CUP NOT INCLUDED
$59.99 Amazon Prime

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-02-14.

Iron Ranger Cocktail Recipe

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

Appearance: Orange-brown color

• Aroma: Mint and cinnamon

• Taste: Pineapple-forward flavor accented with whiskey spices and tangy citrus

• Finish: Slight ginger and more pineapple

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “Bourbon and cinnamon are already a match made in cocktail heaven, but when you turn them tiki, you get this untraditional yet surprisingly delicious drink. I didn’t expect to love a bourbon base in a tropical recipe quite as much as I did, but the Iron Ranger is next-level. Add it to your summer rotation pronto!”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette.

Sale
Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes
Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes
Hardcover Book; Frechette, Chloe (Author); English (Publication Language); 176 Pages – 05/12/2020 (Publication Date) – Ten Speed Press (Publisher)
$11.39 Amazon Prime

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-02-14.

Iron Ranger

The Iron Ranger is a modern tiki cocktail that was created by Erick Castro at Raised by Wolves in San Diego, California. It uses a fairly classic tiki formula but substitutes a punchy bourbon in place of the typical rum and pairs it with pineapple, citrus, velvet falernum, and bitters. This variation also adds cinnamon flavor into the mix via a homemade syrup for additional spice.

Prep Time 3 mins Assembly Time 2 mins Total Time 5 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Servings: 1 Calories: 280 Best Season: Summer

Ingredients

Method

  1. Add bourbon, pineapple juice, lemon juice, velvet falernum liqueur, cinnamon syrup, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.

  2. Shake for 10-20 seconds.

  3. Strain into a tiki glass over fresh cracked ice.

  4. Garnish with cinnamon stick and mint sprig.

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All:
How do I make this cocktail recipe non-alcoholic?

Use Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the whiskey, BG Reynolds Falernum Bar Syrup in place of the velvet falernum liqueur, and All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters to try a mocktail version of this drink.

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About The Author

Kendall is the creator of Novel Nightcaps, a mixology blog chronicling recipes she tries from her cocktail book collection.