This refreshing lemonade cocktail is sweetened with a honey simple syrup and fresh mint, and is spiked with whiskey!
I left my heart in Utah. Which makes it convenient since that’s where I’ve returned to roost.
This great state had some pretty great visitors this past weekend thanks to the bloggers who visited Park City for the third annual Evo Conference aka The Evolution of Women in Social Media. Plenty of bloggers, lots of info and some great sponsor suites.
The ultimate attraction: it’s ingredients were all Utah locals. And I love local.
If you’ve never been to a conference before, most conferences feature sponsor suites where big name companies connect with the attendees to become familiar with their products. And there’s usually prizes and food. Could there be any more gravitational pull for a food blogger than that?
My suite-going partners thought I’d gone off the deep end when after traipsing the 7 floors of suites, we reached the eBay Green Team room which featured locally sourced Utah products including crave-worthy local popcorn from Pop Art and even my friend Brooke of Cosmo Hippie Chef as the hostess with the mostess.
There was some great eBay product and a fun Pinterest contest, but what really pulled me in were the folks from Slide Ridge Honey—a local honey producer from Mendon, Utah—and their recipe for Whiskey Lemonade, that night’s refreshing beverage being served to attendees.
As my friends swooped through the suite, I cornered Slide Ridge’s Martin James and his dashing cowboy hat. My intent: to search out exactly what the secret was for this delicious concoction of sweet whiskey love. I’m a curious sort. And I knew you’d want to know.
So what was the secret? A simple syrup made of honey and water that resulted in a much smoother, less sugary-induced-hang-over-in-2-sips, going against the Martha grain. I likey likey already.
And the whiskey component? None other than Park City’s locally brewed High West Whiskey.
They served it with lime on the side, I served it with lemon. They didn’t include herbs, I thought it would add a touch of complexity. Another switch-up: I added a splash of soda.
Looking for your own ideas for variety? Here’s some suggestions to build upon:
- This recipe could easily be adapted as a punch to serve a bunch of your friendlies
- Serve it as a mocktail refresher by omitting the booze.
- Take advantage of its versatility: make it your signature drink with your favorite steeped herb: basil, rosemary, lavendar, mint. Whatever complements honey.
Whiskey Lemonade Recipe with Honey Simple Syrup
A refreshing summer cocktail with a touch of sweet thanks to a twist on the traditional simple syrup: made with honey instead of sugar and your choice of steeped herbs.
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw honey
- ½ cup water
- 1-2 stems of your favorite herb basil, rosemary, lavendar or mint with a few leaves reserved for garnish
- ¼ cup lemonade
- 1 shot good whiskey
- ¼ cup soda
- fresh lemon slices to garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring water and honey to a boil. Reduce heat, add an herbal sprig and simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced by half. Let cool.
- Fill a short glass with ice and add one shot of whiskey. Add lemonade, soda and ½ to 1 teaspoon of honey simple syrup or to taste. Add reserved herb and lemon garnish and serve.