Skeleton Key
A bourbon and elderflower highball with spicy ginger beer and aromatic bitters. Created at the Bon Vivants bar in San Francisco, this cocktail bridges the gap between a Kentucky Mule and a refined craft cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Bourbon
- 0.8 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur
- 0.5 oz Fresh lemon juice
- 3 oz Ginger beer
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- lemon wheel (garnish) garnish
- candied ginger (garnish) garnish
Pairs With
Enjoy with spicy Asian cuisine such as Thai larb or Vietnamese spring rolls with sriracha. The ginger beer heat and bourbon warmth beautifully balance bright, complex spiced dishes.
Instructions
Combine bourbon, St-Germain, and fresh lemon juice in a cocktail shaker
Fill with ice and shake briefly for 8 seconds
Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice
Top with ginger beer
Float Angostura bitters on the surface by gently adding drops from the dasher top
Garnish with a lemon wheel and a piece of candied ginger
Tips
The bitters float creates a beautiful orange haze on top of the drink — do not stir them in Use a ginger beer with real ginger and assertive spice like Fever-Tree or Q Mixers to stand up to the bourbon A higher-proof bourbon like Wild Turkey 101 adds backbone and prevents the elderflower and ginger from overwhelming the spirit