Gold Rush Cocktail

If you are looking for easy bourbon cocktails for the summer, you have to make this 3-ingredient Gold Rush cocktail recipe! It’s so refreshing, and so easy to make. 

You’ll love this gold rush cocktail

It’s easy to make. You only need 3 simple ingredients for this classic cocktail to come together! Even the most inexperienced home bartenders can make the perfect Gold Rush cocktail. 

It’s delicious. The combination of bourbon, honey, and lemon is so tasty. It’s so simple, but sometimes to create a delicious cocktail, you just have to keep things simple.

It’s perfect for summer. Honey and lemon always make me think of summer, and then adding bourbon to it creates the most perfect golden hour colored cocktail. 

Ingredients

Bourbon. I love using Rabbit Hole Cavehill Bourbon for this cocktail. It’s made with honey malted barley, so the honey flavor of the bourbon is amplified in this cocktail.

Honey Syrup. Honey syrup is so easy to make; all you need to do is combine equal parts honey and hot water! I don’t even keep a bottle of it in my fridge; I just make it whenever I need it. 

Lemon Juice.

How to make gold rush cocktail

1. In a mixing glass, add 2 oz of bourbon, ¾ oz honey syrup, and ¾ oz lemon juice.
2. Add ice and stir.
3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with one large ice cube.
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and enjoy.

Substitutions and variations

Bourbon. If you don’t have bourbon, you can use whatever whiskey you have on hand! Bourbon is typically a bit sweeter, so I prefer to use it for this cocktail. 

Lemon Juice. If you don’t have lemon juice, you can use orange juice or lemonade. If you use lemonade, note that the cocktail will be far sweeter, so you may want to use less honey syrup. 

Garnish ideas

• Lemon Wheel
• Lemon Twist
• Honey Comb

How to make a big batch of this gold rush cocktail

Since there are no carbonated ingredients, this gold rush drink recipe is super easy to make as a big batch cocktail for your next summer party! The instructions below make 10 cocktails.

1. In a large pitcher, combine 2.5 cups of bourbon, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup of honey syrup.
2. Stir well, cover, and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
3. Once ready to serve, pour 3.5 oz into a rocks glass filled with ice. 
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and enjoy!

FAQs

Is Gold Rush cocktail good?

Yes! I love the combination of bourbon, honey, and lemon. It’s crisp, warm, and refreshing.

Who made the Gold Rush cocktail?

T.J. Siegal created this cocktail in the early 2000s at the Milk & Honey bar in New York City. 

Pin it for later!

Want more summer bourbon cocktails?

• Bourbon Espresso Martini
• French 95
• Blackberry Bourbon Smash