8 Kentucky Derby Cocktails That Pair Perfectly With the Big Race

Ingredients:

1.5 Parts Absolut Original

.25 Parts Maraschino Liquor

.75 East India Sherry

1-2 Drops Almond Extract

.75 Parts Lemon

Directions:

1. Dry shake and strain over crushed ice in a short rocks glass.
2. Garnish with a bouquet of edible flowers.

Courtesy of Absolut.

Ingredients:

Stella Artois Cidre

Orange juice

Directions:

1. Pre-chill a wine glass with ice cubes and discard the ice before pouring in the cocktail.
2. Pour the Stella Artois Cidre over the orange juice and serve (can be pre-mixed in a jug).

Courtesy of Stella Artois.

Ingredients:

2 oz. Woodford reserve bourbon
1 oz. Skinny mint syrup (combine 1 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup stevia and bring to boil, leave for one hour, add 1 cup mint leaves)
1 mint sprig
Crushed ice

Directions:

1. Fill a julep glass with crushed ice, add skinny mint syrup.
2. Top with Woodford reserve bourbon.
3. Garnish with fresh mint sprig.

Courtesy of David Danielson.

Ingredients:

1.5 Parts Absolut Citron

.75 Parts Lillet

.25 Parts Suze

2 1 Ginger slices

.75 Parts Lemon

2 Parts Hopped Soda

Angostura

Directions:

1. Muddle ginger slices in a mixing glass.
2. Combine remaining ingredients with an ice cube and shake to incorporate.
3. Strain over crushed ice in a pilsner glass and top with Hopped Soda.
4. Garnish with a sidecar of pilsner beer.

Courtesy of Absolut.

Ingredients:

1.7oz Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin

.3oz simple syrup

15 mint leaves

Directions:

1. Muddle all ingredients, shake it with ice cubes and double-strain into a silver mug filled with crushed ice.
2. Garnish it with a mint leave.

Courtesy of Monkey 47.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz bourbon

3 oz Ginger beer

Squeeze of 1 lime wedge

Lime wedge, for garnish

Directions:

1. Combine the bourbon, ginger beer, and a squeeze of lime in a rocks glass filled with ice.
2. Stir the mixture, garnish with a lime wedge, and serve.

Courtesy of David Danielson, executive chef of Churchill Downs.

Ingredients:

1 oz Don Papa Rum

1.5 oz fresh grapefruit juice

.25 oz St-Germain

1 dash rose water

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients with ice and shake vigorously.
2. Strain into a tall glass filled with rose petals and ice, then fill with tonic water.

Courtesy of NYC bartender Ben Rojo.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz bourbon

.25 oz peach schnapps

2 oz peach nectar

1 oz unsweetened iced tea

1 dash peach bitters (optional)

Peach slice, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a shaker filled with ice, combine the bourbon, schnapps, peach nectar, iced tea, and bitters.
2. Shake the mixture vigorously and strain it into a tall glass with ice.
3. Garnish with peach slice and serve.

Courtesy of David Danielson, executive chef of Churchill Downs.