Derby Cocktails Stirred Up by The Horses

The city of Louisville has kicked off Derby season with its traditional display of fireworks and aerial acrobatics, and equine enthusiasts are locked in for the 150th annual Kentucky Derby. Regarded as the most exciting 2 minutes in sports, the event is also a celebration of culture, fashion, and most importantly, in our humble opinion …drinks! As Beverage Architects, we adore the Kentucky-classic cocktails that are whipped up for this momentous occasion, which calls us to throw our flavors into the mix! This year, we ‘reigned in’ the most anticipated horses set to race this year and used their namesake to reinspire the classic Derby Cocktails (and one mocktail)! 

Track Phantom

To kick off our beverage race, Track Phantom is expected to place in the middle of the 2024 race. Having finished fourth in the Louisiana Derby, this horse has accumulated $300,000 in earnings so far. Playing on the name “Phantom”, we began craving a classic Oaks Day cocktail that contains “Phantom” liquor. We present – The Phantom Oaks Lily, a non-alcoholic take on the classic fruity cocktail served on the day for the Fillies.

Recipe:

• -1 ½ oz Non-Alcoholic Liquor (we used Ritual’s Zero Proof Gin)
• -3 oz cranberry juice
• - ½ oz lemon juice
• - ½ oz simple syrup
• - Shake well, pour over ice, and garnish with blackberries and a slice of lemon

Domestic Product

Domestic Product is the next racer we’re featuring, a three-year-old Colt owned by Klaravich Stables, Inc. He recently came in first at the 2024 Tampa Bay Derby, and anticipation is high with $260,000 in earnings. Not only this, but his name stuck out to us as reminiscent of a “Domestic Product” that is particularly enjoyed at The Beverage Campus – a classic Domestic Beer.

Recipe:

• Your favorite domestic beer (We used the trusted Pabst Blue Ribbon)
• Garnish with a ping pong ball

Fierceness

Fierceness, a three-year-old colt, is a fan favorite this year with a whopping $1,646,100 in earnings so far. This Bay Beauty currently ranks second on the points leaderboard. With this horse, we wanted to associate a cocktail that screams “Fierceness”, so we opted for the Kentucky Mule. This classic cocktail bursts with fierce flavors, from the sour zest of the lime to the spice kick from the ginger beer. All of it is fused together by the oaky creaminess of Kentucky’s greatest asset, bourbon.

Recipe:

• 1 ½ oz Bourbon in a copper mug with ice
• ½ oz lime juice
• Top with 3 oz ginger beer
• Garnish with lime wheel and mint

Forever Young

The last, but certainly not least, horse we are featuring is another colt by the name of “Forever Young”. This Japanese colt was ranked 6th on the 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard and has the most earnings on our list with an impressive $1,769,919 in bets so far. With this name, we wanted to nod to the Old Fashioned, because despite its aged bourbon, this cocktail is a timeless classic that keeps you Forever Young as you sip.

Recipe:

• 2 oz bourbon in glass of ice
• 3 dashes of aromatic bitters
• ¼ oz simple syrup
• Stir then strain over ice in rocks glass
• Garnish with orange twist and black cherry (optional)