Poppa’s Pride

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Cocktail History

The Poppa’s Pride is a modern cocktail that was created by Jay Zimmerman at Bā’sik in New York City, New York. The recipe combines the ginger spice of a Kentucky Mule with the cooling mint and tartness of a classic Whiskey Smash by calling for American whiskey, ginger juice or syrup, muddled lemon, and fresh mint and topping it all off with soda water and bitters.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

Soda Water: This is a carbonated beverage made with water and dissolved carbon dioxide gas, which gives it a fizzy, neutral flavor.

Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, with other grains, water, and yeast, which are distilled and then aged in new charred oak barrels to develop a rich, caramelized flavor.

Ginger Syrup: This is a sweetener made with ginger root, white sugar, and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a spicy, aromatic flavor.

Lemon Wedges: This is a lemon slice that has been cut into a wedge shape.

Mint: This is an herb made from the leaves of the mint plant, which are harvested and used for their cool, aromatic flavor.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with a blend of herbs, spices, roots, and botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop an aromatic, bittersweet flavor.

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.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Golden yellow and red-ish orange with an ombré effect

• Aroma: Allspice and ginger

• Taste: Spicy bourbon and ginger flavor with lemon tartness and cool mint

• Finish: Lingering ginger burn

Kendall’s Take: “This drink was pretty straightforward once I made a few changes to it. It reminds me of a Mojito but with bourbon and ginger, which I enjoyed. When I tried the Poppa’s Pride using Zimmerman’s exact specs though, I couldn’t drink more than a couple of sips because the ginger’s spiciness was so overwhelming and immediately burned my throat. If you want more balance, definitely give this variation a try. Although I still prefer a classic Mojito, this is an interesting alternative.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.