Home Bar Awards

Sprezzatura 📸: @amymakescocktails • -30ml bourbon -30ml Amaro Lucano -30ml peach cordial* -150ml soda water -Mint bouquet for garnish ~Stir all but the soda with ice, strain into a large glass with ice, and top with soda water. Stir gently to combine, and garnish. . *Peach cordial: in a pan, heat 200g fresh diced peaches, 200g caster sugar, and 100g water, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then simmer for three minutes. Add 1/2tsp citric acid powder and 1/4tsp malic acid powder, and steep overnight. Strain, bottle, fridge. . 8% ABV | 20.4ml pure alcohol | 2 UK units | 1.2 USA standard drinks . Here is my last entry in the @homebarawards Bourbon Sessions challenge with @basilhayden . This one is all about the beauty of simplicity: equal parts of three main components, creating one deliciously complex refresher. The caramelised grains and oaky vanilla of the bourbon mesh so naturally with the bittersweet depths of Lucano. Lifting things back up, bright peach cordial is both a lovely partner for bourbon and a delight in combination with Lucano’s specific set of herbal, rooty, and spiced flavours. The amaro’s brighter, almost minty notes helps it to work really well in a refreshing aperitivo context, and to take the bourbon with it. I could drink these all summer long. . This simple build allows any bourbon to shine, so the original Basil Hayden would work perfectly, but if I could, I’d also like to try the Toast expression here, to fit the light, refreshing style of drink and boost the caramelised depths. • #cocktailgram #nowdrinking #cocktailoftheday #cocteles #imbibe

Rose Hips Don’t Lie 📸: @heavymuddle • Summer is the season for refreshing and sessionable cocktails 🌞 As luck would have it, @homebarawards + @basilhayden + @smallest_batch have teamed up for the month of May to ensure we can all enjoy more of the bourbon drinks we love by dialing down the proof and dialing up the flavor. For my submission, I'm channeling Big Strawberries & Champagne Energy with a luscious combination of 🍓 infused bourbon, Lillet Rosé and Aperol; 👅 Tongue-tickling spice from a green peppercorn tincture;🍷Wine-like acidity from a tartaric and malic acid solution;🌹and a soft floral finish from a rose hip & saffron infused sparkling water. Hope y'all enjoy this one as much as I did - cheers! —— ROSE HIPS DON'T LIE ▪️1 oz Strawberry-Infused Bourbon* (@basilhayden) ▪️1 oz Lillet Rosé ▪️1 oz Aperol ▪️½ tsp Wine Acid* ▪️1-2 dashes Green Peppercorn Tincture* ▪️Top with ~2 oz Rose Hip & Saffron Infused Sparkling Water* ▪️Garnish: Strawberry Slice Build in glass over ice. Add first 5 ingredients and stir briefly to chill. Top with infused sparkling water. Also works great as a batched cocktail - combine first 5 ingredients at desired scale and keep refrigerated, then measure out servings and top with infused sparkling water a la minute. * Bourbon infusion - sous vide 100g diced strawberries with 250mL Basil Hayden bourbon for 2 hours at 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Let cool and strain. * Wine acid - 3g malic acid, 3g tartaric acid, 94g water. * Green peppercorn tincture - sous vide 1/2 tsp crushed green peppercorns per 2 oz vodka for 2 hours at 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Let cool and strain. * Cold brew botanicals up to 24 hours, to taste. Strain. Force carbonate to ~42 psi. • #alcohol #homebartender #cocktails #bartender #liqpic

Pink Boa 📸: @amymakescocktails . • -30ml bourbon -30ml Cocchi Americano Rosa -45ml fresh pink grapefruit juice -15ml fresh lime juice -1 barspoon Giffard Pêche de Vigne -1 barspoon pink peppercorn tincture* -7.5ml 2:1 sugar syrup (unless grapefruit very sweet) -2 dashes Bittermens Burlesque Bitters -Grapefruit twist to garnish ~Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, express grapefruit oils, and garnish . *Pink peppercorn tincture: grind 15g pink peppercorns in a pestle and mortar, and combine with 100ml vodka in a glass container (scale as needed). Steep for a week or until desired flavour is achieved, shaking daily, then strain. . 13.4% ABV | 20.63ml pure alcohol | 2 UK units | 1.2 USA standard drinks . For my second entry in the May @homebarawards , I wanted to try to create a sessionable bourbon cocktail that’s served ‘up’ rather than as a long, fizzy aperitivo. Achieving a sessionable strength without lengthening with soda is more challenging, but my Pink Boa contains about 70% of the pure alcohol of something like a Margarita, classic Daiquiri, or Sidecar, which all work out around 20-25% ABV, so I’m happy to call this a lower-ABV alternative for this style of drink. . It’s also delicious! Juicy and crushable, but with a big hit of aromatic complexity and a satisfying bourbon heart. Grapefruit and peach are established friends of bourbon, and they meld with all the berry and floral notes of the Cocchi to create a luscious fruity palate that also has enough bittersweetness to satisfy the desire for a proper cocktail. The bourbon oak is subtly boosted by the pink peppercorn, and the vanilla note works perfectly with all that fruit. Burlesque Bitters unite everything: a bit fruity, a bit peppery, and a bit floral. . I couldn’t find any in the UK, but I would suggest @basilhayden Red Wine Cask Finish in this cocktail, for complimentary red fruit flavours and unity with the wine-based aperitif, as well as the toasty oak that grounds the drink. • #imbibegram #cocktailculture #cocktails #cocktailhour #cocteles

Buzz-Worthy 📸: @thedilettantemixologist • My third submission to the Home Bar Awards May challenge partnering with basil Hayden bourbon. It’s honestly hard to reign myself in on these challenges because I just enjoy the creative aspect and being challenged to create new things. this is my personal favorite bourbon based cocktail that I have created. Buzz-Worthy 3/4 ounce bourbon (basil Hayden) 3/4 ounce honey liqueur 3/4ounce yellow chartreuse 1/2 ounce meyer lemon juice 1/2 ounce honey simple syrup Stir with ice until chilled, give a couple shakes at the end and strain into tumbler. • #spirits #cocktailhour #cocktails #greatdrink #cocteles

Vellichor 📸: @thedilettantemixologist • My fourth and final submission to the Home Bar awards May challenge partnering with Basil Hayden bourbon. I was inspired to make this cocktail by old classic books and mysterious adventures. A little earthy, a little citrus a little spice. VELLICHOR 1 ounce bourbon (Basil Hayden Toast) 3/4 ounces Aperitivo Nonino 3/4 ounces falernum 1/2 ounce Lillet Rose 1/4 ounce Campari 1/2 ounce lemon juice 1 dash cardamom bitters 1 egg white Plant-based orange dye I like the reverse dry shake for this application. Stir with ice until chilled, remove ice and shake with egg whites until foamy. I dipped a pick in and all natural plant-based orange dye for the garnish. • #spirits #booze #homebar #cocktailhour #nowdrinking

Summer Feeling 📸: @ogderr • Excited to create something with @basilhayden Dark Rye for @homebarawards Bourbon Sessions this month! This one was super fun for me to create since it combines my love for the dark rye with my love for fortified wines. It's a combination of a classic Crescent City and Thomas Waugh's Golden Beautiful with a fresh strawberry twist. - Summer Feeling 1.25 oz Basil Hayden Dark Rye 1.25 oz strawberry infused pineau des charentes 0.5 oz lime juice 0.25 oz 2:1 simple syrup 1 dash msg 1 dash Fee Brothers rhubarb bitters 1 oz soda water Shake everything but soda. Add soda to tin. Fine strain in chilled glass. - strawberry infused pineau des charentes: medium dice 180g fresh strawberries, combine with 6 oz pineau des charentes, and place in an iSi. Charge twice and let infuse 15 minutes. Vent, strain, and lightly press strawberries to extract pineau. msg: 20% by weight msg solution • #drinks #cocktailhour #spirits #greatdrink #cocktailgram

B, B & B 📸: @laws.and.liquids • The May @homebarawards competition calls for a sessionable bourbon cocktail. I mixed one in the vein of a michelada. Serrano-infused Basil Hayden gives an upfront tingle of spiciness, and brings flavors of caramel and dried stone fruit that are complemented by earthy beet juice. Honey syrup gently enhances the sweetness of the beets, and lime juice is there for balance. A crisp beer adds bubbles and a hoppy finish that works nicely with the bourbon. Smoked salt on the rim gives you the option to push each sip in a more savory direction. The result is a summery, refreshing drink that comes in around 6% ABV. 1 oz serrano pepper-infused bourbon* (@basilhayden Kentucky straight) 1 oz beet juice (@lanisfarm) 1/2 oz 1:1 honey syrup 1/2 oz lime juice 6 oz pilsner (@drinkebbs No. 2) Build over ice. Stir gently after adding half the beer, then top with the rest. Serve with smoked salt rim and lime wheel. *Slice open a medium-to-large serrano pepper, infuse in 6 oz bourbon for two days, remove pepper and add more bourbon if needed to achieve your desired level of spice. The heat should be prominent but not overpowering when you drink the infused bourbon straight. • #cocktails #craftcocktail #bartenderlife #cocteles #cocktailtime

That Time of Year 📸: @tiptoeingthrujuleps . 1.5oz @basilhayden Bourbon 0.25oz Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur 1 full bar spoon of Creme de Banana (Tempus Fugit) 1oz Pineapple Juice 0.5oz Lemon Juice 0.5oz Simple Syrup 1 dash @crudebitters “Tropi-500” bitters 4 mint leaves, plus a couple mint sprigs for garnish . In the base of a shaker, muddle mint leaves and simple syrup. Add remaining ingredients (except mint sprigs) to shaker. Shake with ice. Strain into a rocks glass filled with nugget or crushed ice. Add garnish and straw, and Enjoy! . ‘Tis the season! Spring has sprung, summer’s almost here, and it’s the perfect time of year for lazy-afternoon porch-sipper cocktails. It’s only fitting that this month’s challenge from @homebarawards was to make a session-able bourbon cocktail that can be enjoyed in multiple rounds. As a lover of day drinking and mint juleps, I happily accepted this challenge, scaling back the ABV, adding the sweetness and citrus that I love in a “crushable” drink, and topping it all off with a little bitter and a little funk. The end result was so good it had me going back for more, so I can verify that it meets the approachability criteria! . Also, if anyone was wondering: Yes, the name of this one was inspired by a song in Olaf’s Frozen Adventure -- a cute made-for-TV mini movie that follows everyone’s favorite snowman, Olaf, in his search for a holiday tradition with which he can imbue Anna and Elsa during the Yuletide season. It may not seem fitting for a spring/summer tiki-ish drink, but I’m a beach bum who’s currently on vacation in the snow-capped Rocky Mountains, so I’m currently feeling the snowman vibes! • #imbibe #drinkporn #alcohol #cocteles #homebar

Jamboree 📸: @amymakescocktails • -30ml bourbon -30ml Riesling -30ml cherry cordial* -7.5ml 2:1 vanilla syrup -2 dashes Angostura bitters -120ml soda water to top -Lime twist to garnish ~Stir all but the soda briefly with ice, strain into a Collins glass with ice, top with soda and stir gently to combine, express lime oils, and garnish . *Cherry cordial: in a pan, heat 200g fresh pitted cherries, 200g caster sugar, and 100g water, stirring to dissolve sugar, and simmer for 3 mins. Add 3/4tsp citric acid powder. Steep overnight, then strain bottle, fridge. . 6.8% ABV | 15.894ml pure alcohol | 1.5 UK units | 1 USA standard drink . I was excited to develop a ‘sessionable’ bourbon cocktail for this month’s @homebarawards with @basilhayden , and actually ended up with three different delicious drinks that I’m really proud of. I deliberated, but I’ve decided to just enter all three! Here is the first one :) . This is a perfect patio sipper, with lovable cherry cola energy. The hit of oaky vanilla and sweet grains from the bourbon combines beautifully with zingy cherry and Angostura spices, and everything is brought together by the juicy quality of Riesling. The wine’s acidity, relative sweetness, and notes of stone and tropical fruits make it a really fun partner for bourbon and key to making this cocktail bright, refreshing, and crushable. . I couldn’t get hold of any in the UK, but I’d say the Dark Rye expression from Basil Hayden would be a good choice here, tying in with the spice and fruit notes and lending extra caramelised elements to boost the cola-like feel. • #cocktailtime #homebartender #cocktailhour #cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram

Noe Waste Watermelon Smash 📸: @schotts4everyone • 1 ½ oz Basil Hayden Toast ¾ oz Mint + Watermelon Rind Oleo* ½ oz Lemon Super Juice 3 oz Watermelon Juice 4 Dashes Scrappy’s Creole Bitters Combine all ingredients in a Boston Shaker with a large 2”x2” Ice cube and shake for 8-10 seconds to aerate Strain over crushed ice in a large collins glass or lemonade glass Top with crushed ice, garnish with mint sprigs and dehydrated lemon Fred Noe is a legend (among other things) for being a “pour me another and tell me a story” kind of guy, and I dig that. I love telling stories and I love pouring drinks, but sometimes the drinks go down too easily, especially in the heat of Summer, and the stories might get a little fuzzy… The “Noe Waste Watermelon Smash” is a perfect, low abv option for drinkers and storytellers alike to enjoy on patios, porches, backyards, and even the bartop if it’s too hot outside. The name is of course in reference to Fred Noe, along with the sustainable methods used to make the cocktail. The nose is a welcoming blend of citrus and herb from the garnish and subtle cinnamon from the whiskey. On the palate, the brown rice in the mashbill pairs perfectly with the fresh watermelon juice, hints of almond and caramel stand out, with the mint and watermelon rind oleo providing the right amount of herbaceous for layers while the bitters give spice and depth to this well balanced, long sipper. Watermelon Rind Oleo: 200 g Diced Watermelon Rind 15 g Mint Leaves 300 G Sugar Add ingredients 1-3 into a glass, sealable container and lightly shake to mix Allow to sit out at room temperature for 24 hours Add ½ cup boiling water and stir to fully dissolve sugar and wash off remaining oils Strain through a fine mesh strainer, bottle label and store refrigerated. • #liquor #booze #cocktailculture #craftcocktails #nowdrinking

Old Ashen 📸: @blake.albright • - 1oz / 30mL Bourbon - 1.25oz / 37.5 mL Lapsang Souchong tea - 0.25oz / 7.5mL rich (2:1) demerara gum syrup - 1 dash angostura bitters - 1 dash Boker’s bitters (or cardamom bitters) - Garnish with a fresh Lapsang Souchong tea bag. Optional lemon twist. Brew Tea: Steep 2 tea bags (or 4 tsp loose leaf) Lapsang Souchong tea per 8 oz boiling water. Preparation: Pre-chill the bourbon, tea, and glassware in freezer. Stir all ingredients in a pre-chilled mixing glass without ice. Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass over a large block of ice and stir briefly to chill. Garnish with fresh Lapsang Souchong tea bag. Optional lemon twist (discard), for a brighter drink. The “Bourbon sessions” challenge issued this month by HBA (sponsored by Basil Hayden), was to create a sessionable (aka lower abv) bourbon cocktail. For my entry, I attempted to bring the spirit-forward old fashioned cocktail into the sessionable realm. To lower the ABV while maintaining complexity & keeping it bourbon-forward, I opted to split the base with Lapsang Souchong tea (black tea from China, with a unique smoke flavor from being dried over a pinewood fire). Rich demerara gum syrup sweetens and helps fortify the body, while the clove and cardamom notes pair well with the honey and vanilla notes in the bourbon as well as the earthy and smoky notes from the tea. The tea bag provides extra aromatics and extends the life of the cocktail. Dilution is critical here and tricky with the lower abv. If allowed to further dilute, then the continual steeping maintains and strengthens the concentration of the tea, slowly transforming it into a sweetened tea enhanced with bourbon instead of simply a watered down mess. The cocktail reads like a bourbon old fashioned, with notes of oak, caramel, vanilla, honey and apple from the bourbon at the forefront, giving way to an earthy and smoky finish, provided by the tea. I'm very happy to be able to have my cake and eat it too, and enjoy a session of old fashioneds. *Photography directed by @kenozunadp.* Thank you! 🙏 • #cheers #cocktails #drinks #mixologist #homebar

Tropical Drop 🎥: @mixinguptiki • I was invited to a cookout the other day and instead of drinking beer, I thought I would impress and bring a batched cocktail.       I wanted something light and bubbly, so a highball seemed fitting. I knew the hosts enjoyed bourbon, so I went with that as my base spirit.       I had recently had an IPA from @mightysqrl that tasted like passionfruit, peach, and apricot, so I went with those as the base flavors.        The beer was called Magic Rain, so I thought Tropical Drop was a fitting name for a cocktail inspired by it.                ————————            Tropical Drop    ————————            • 2oz (60ml) Bourbon     • 5oz (15ml) Peach Liqueur     • .5oz (15ml) Passionfruit Honey Syrup      • .75oz (22.5ml) Lemon Juice          • 3oz (90ml) Distilled Water     • 2 dash Aromatic Bitters    • 5 drops Salt Solution     ————————            Combine all ingredients into a SodaStream bottle. Carbonate. Quickly degas and carbonate again. Fill a chilled collins glass with cubed ice. Slowly pour the contents of the bottle down the side of the glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel. Serve with a straw.               Thanks to @thebittertruthcompany for the bitters and @carefree.spirits.distillery for the bourbon. • #cocktails #drinkstagram #liqpic #craftcocktails #homebartender

Alert the Audience 📸: @denisgor • Our theme for the Home Bar Awards this time was a low-abv bourbon cocktail. Being that I live in Louisville, it's a welcome relief since it seems like nobody here will drink bourbon unless it's at least 100 proof these days. ⠀ I decided to go for a Spritz-like build since that's one of the most appealing low-ABV drinks around. Pommeau de Normandie (34 proof) was used as the base, and only 3/4oz of bourbon (80 proof) was added as a bit of a fortifer to compliment the caramel + dark sugar notes of the Pommeau. ⠀ I used Babylonstoren Bitterlekker to top everything off. It's a non-alcoholic aperitif made in South Africa from honeybush tea and estate-grown botanicals like blood orange and rosemary. Flavor-wise, it's like a cross between an Aperol Spritz and cream soda. The champagne acid and bitters were used to further enhance the aperitif, and I used a borage flower as the garnish for a refreshing cucumber flavor and togarashi to rim the glass for spicy, savory, and citrusy notes. ⠀ It's a crazy build on paper, but it all works really well. Tastes like a bubbly whiskey sour with savory East Asian influence. ⠀ --------- ⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1.5oz Claque-Pepin Pommeau de Normandie 0.75oz Bourbon 0.5oz Lemon juice 2 dashes Scrappy's black lemon bitters 2 dashes Champagne acid Egg white 2oz Babylonstoren Bitterlekker, to top Shichimi togarashi, to rim the glass Borage flower, to garnish ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Dry shake first six ingredients, then add ice and shake again. Pour Bitterlekker into a coupe rimmed with togarashi, then strain the cocktail into the glass and garnish with a borage flower. • #cocktailporn #spirits #mixologist #craftcocktails #imbibegram

Beaurue 📸: @thedilettantemixologist • My second submission to Home Bar Awards May Bourbon challenge, partnering with Basil Hayden. I wanted to make a cocktail in the spirit of Mardi Gras, very loosely inspired by a classic Sazerac. For me the combination of bourbon, pomegranate, absinthe and grenadine feel like New Orleans. BEAURUE 1 1/2 ounces bourbon (Basil Hayden) 3/4 ounce pomegranate Liqueur 1/3 ounce lemon juice 1/4 ounce Aperol 1/4 ounce grenadine 4 dashes (1/2 tsp) absinthe 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters Stir all ingredients with ice until chilled, then give a couple shakes at the end. Double strain into a tumbler with whiskey ice. • #cocktailgram #imbibegram #cocktails #spirits #bartender