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With fresh peaches, honey, mint, bourbon topped with some ginger beer, this bourbon peach smash is super refreshing on a hot summer day, or any day for that matter.
When it comes to summer cocktails, you have to use fresh fruit - from a mango mojito to blueberry smash to a watermelon crush.
But there really is nothing like some fresh peaches in the late summer. Here in Maryland, prime peach season is in July and August.
To me, bourbon and peaches just go together. The slight vanilla, oak and caramel notes from the bourbon complement the tangy, floral notes of the peach. And then you add some freshness in the mint and carbonation with the ginger beer. Not much is better!
So if you have some fresh peaches lying around, I'd give this peach cocktail a try.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Peaches – the fresher the better, but frozen works too.
- Honey – adds some sweetness to the drink.
- Mint– only fresh mint works here.
- Bourbon – use your favorite bourbon.
- Ginger beer – adds some carbonation to the peach cocktail.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place peaches, honey and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Use a muddler to gently muddle the mint leaves.
- Add bourbon, stirring to combine.
- Fill one glass ⅔ of the way full with the peach mixture and ice. Top with some ginger beer. Add extra mint leaves and peaches for garnish.
Types of Bourbon
There are 3 main types of bourbon, and they all vary slightly in their flavor.
- Traditional Bourbon – made with over 70% corn, giving it a balanced blend of sweet and spice. Examples include Jim Beam, Knob Creek and Wild Turkey.
- Wheat Bourbon – made very similarly to traditional bourbon but replaces the rye with wheat, giving it a sweeter flavor. Examples include Maker's Mark and Old Fitzgerald.
- Rye Bourbon – has less corn, basically no barley and double the rye, which gives the bourbon some bite. Examples include Bulleit and Woodford Reserve.
FAQs
In general smash cocktails include a spirit, fruit, sweetener, herbs and ice. They got the name smash, because you smash or muddle the ingredients together to release the fruit juices. Because you are using fruit, it is typically a summer drink.
There are a few ways to tell that a peach is ripe. The best way is if you see shriveled skin around the stem, that means it is ripe. The next best way is by giving a peach a gentle, yet firm squeeze with your fingers. If there’s some give, it means the fruit is almost ripe. Be careful not to bruise though.
If you don't have fresh peaches, frozen peaches will work just fine.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Do not over muddle the mint or you will turn the taste bitter.
- You can replace the honey with granulated sugar.
- Used crushed ice which will make the peach cocktail colder quicker.
Other Cocktail Recipes
If you’ve tried this bourbon peach smash or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Bourbon Peach Smash
Ingredients
- ½ cup peach, diced (½ large peach)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 4-5 mint leaves
- 2 oz bourbon
- 2 oz ginger beer
Instructions
- Place peaches, honey and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Use a muddler to gently muddle the mint leaves, but don't muddle too much or you'll break up the leaves.
- Add bourbon and stir to combine.
- Fill one glass ⅔ of the way full with the peach mixture and ice. (You can also strain the mixture)
- Top with ginger beer. Add extra mint leaves and peaches for garnish.
Notes
- If you don’t have fresh peaches, frozen peaches will work fine.
- Do not over muddle the mint or you will turn the taste bitter.
- You can replace the honey with granulated sugar.
- Used crushed ice which will make the peach cocktail colder quicker.
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