Although Tujague’s Bar Manager Ariana Blakely is a local, she’d never heard of its signature drink, the Grasshopper. “Now I know everything about the Grasshopper,” she laughed. “People come in who haven’t tried the Grasshopper since the 1960s…and they expect it to be the same.” She reports, “It’s crazy, but they know if it’s different.” Ariana respects the expectations tied up in the restaurant’s history. “This place has been around since 1856, and people expect you to know everything.” On her off days, you can find her there, sipping a cocktail. “If you wouldn’t drink in the bar that you work at,” she asked, “why would you serve at it?” Her dedication to Tujague’s is evident. “I take pride in the bar. I get on my hands and knees and scrub this thing every Monday,” she said. “I am a 22-year-old female Mexican, running one of the oldest bars in the world, and I feel like I do a pretty good job.”
Decatur Sour
2 ounces Buffalo Trace bourbon
1 ½ ounces cranberry juice
1 ounce simple syrup
½ ounce lemon juice
Garnish: Lemon twist
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over ice.
NOTES:
- Make sure to use fresh lemon juice. Freshly squeezed lemon juice can last up to five days in the refrigerator. To keep it longer, pour into ice cube trays and freeze for up to six months.
- This drink is a crowd pleaser and batches easily for a party. Because of its ratio of juice to liquor, this drink can freeze into a slush.
- The cranberry/lemon mixture plays well with other spirits like rum or vodka.
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