This gold rush cocktail is made with bourbon, fresh lemon juice, and honey syrup. The honey adds a richness and floral sweetness and it works beautifully with the warmth of bourbon.
About this recipe
The Gold Rush is a modern classic – a bourbon sour sweetened with honey syrup instead of simple syrup. It was created by T.J. Siegel at Milk & Honey in New York in the early 2000s and has become one of the most well-known cocktails of that era. The concept is simple but the honey syrup is what makes it. It adds a depth and floral sweetness that changes the character of the drink completely compared to a standard whiskey sour.
The honey syrup is a 2:1 ratio which is two parts honey to one part water. This gives you a richer, more concentrated syrup where the honey flavor comes through clearly in the finished drink. It’s the same syrup I use in my Bee’s Knees cocktail and the Air Mail. If you make a batch it keeps for two weeks!
Shaken hard with ice and strained over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. For more cocktail ideas browse my vodka cocktail recipes.
Key ingredients and why
- Bourbon: A mid-shelf bourbon works perfectly here. The vanilla and caramel notes in bourbon complement the honey really well. Rye works too for a spicier, drier result.
- Fresh lemon juice: The sour element. Always use fresh !
- Honey syrup: Made at a 2:1 ratio of honey to water. Richer and more concentrated than a 1:1 syrup – the honey flavor comes through much more clearly.
How to make honey syrup
Combine 2 parts honey with 1 part warm water and stir until fully dissolved. No heating needed. Let it cool completely before using. It keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Method
- Add the bourbon, lemon juice, and honey syrup to a cocktail shaker with a generous handful of ice.
- Shake hard for about 15 seconds until well chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon twist or lemon wheel.
Tips
- Make the honey syrup ahead. It needs to be completely cool before using.
- Shake hard. A good hard shake chills the drink and dilutes it slightly, which softens the honey and brings everything together.
- Large ice cube. Melts more slowly than regular ice and keeps the drink colder for longer without diluting it too fast.
- Bourbon vs rye. Bourbon gives a sweeter, rounder result. Rye adds spice and a drier finish.
Related recipes
- Bee’s Knees Cocktail – the gin version with the same honey syrup
- Air Mail Cocktail – rum, honey syrup, and Prosecco
- Blackberry Whiskey Sour – a fruity whiskey sour with egg white
- Rum Sour – another great sour worth trying
- Whiskey Sour – the classic version
Gold Rush Cocktail
Ingredients
For the honey syrup
- 2 parts honey
- 1 part warm water
For the drink
- 2 oz bourbon
- 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
- 0.75 oz honey syrup 2:1 honey to water
- ice
- lemon twist or lemon wheel to garnish
Instructions
- Make the honey syrup: stir 2 parts honey into 1 part warm water until fully dissolved. Cool completely before using.
- Add the bourbon, lemon juice, and honey syrup to a cocktail shaker with a generous handful of ice.
- Shake hard for about 15 seconds until well chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with a lemon twist or lemon wheel.
