A Tip of The Hat Derby to Bourbon!
I think it’s fairly clear that I’m a cocktail kinda gal. But, more precisely, I really do stick to the classics and if there’s bourbon, all the better! There are so many old classic bourbon cocktails to choose from! This one goes out to my sister Laura. Whenever I find a bourbon cocktail that’s not too sweet and a wee bit tart, I think she’ll like it. The Brown Derby Cocktail is one of those. A combination of bourbon, grapefruit and honey.
History has it that this particular cocktail was invented at the Vendome Club in Hollywood in the early 1930’s and was named after the famous hat-shaped restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard. The Brown Derby was actually a chain of restaurants, and I am sure there’s another around still, I just can’t remember where, but I’ve seen it. It’s not the kind of thing you forget!
Interestingly, I worked right near here in the early 80’s. The restaurant had already closed down. Not too far from the old Ambassador Hotel which was demolished in 2005.
What I most remember about the Brown Derby? The episode in I Love Lucy where they went to “Hollywood” for vacation. Lucy, Fred and Ethel went star hunting at the Brown Derby. It was “theee” place to spot the stars in its day. She was (as usual) completely star struck 🤩 watching all the “movie stars” dine at the restaurant. This is the scene where William Holden turned the tables on Lucy and made her so uncomfortable, she couldn’t eat her spaghetti.
I bet she also had a Brown Derby Cocktail!
The Brown Derby Cocktail
*For the honey simple syrup
Into a small sauce pan add 1 cup honey to 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer and stir. Cool. This will stay, covered in the refrigerator for a month.
Chill a coup glass. Into a cocktail shaker add 1 1/2 ounces bourbon, 3/4 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and 3/4 ounces honey simple syrup.
Shake vigorously, about 30 seconds, then strain into the chilled coup glass.
Garnish with a twist of grapefruit!
Cheers!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
- 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- 3/4 ounce honey simple syrup*
garnish: twist of grapefruit
- *For the honey simple syrup
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Chill a coup glass.
- Into a cocktail shaker add 1 1/2 ounces bourbon, 3/4 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and 3/4 ounces honey simple syrup.
- Shake vigorously, about 30 seconds, then strain into the chilled coup.
Garnish with a twist of grapefruit
*For the honey simple syrup
- Into a small sauce pan add 1 cup honey to 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer and stir. Cool. This will stay, covered in the refrigerator for a month.
- Cheers!
Brown Derby Cocktail
