Beets and berries, with bourbon? You read that correctly, and if you’ve never paired the three, make it a resolution to try this zesty blend of flavors. This festive cocktail might take a little extra prep, but the dramatic presentation is well worth the effort.

If you’re new to the world of amaro, the bitter liqueur that got its start in Italy, this cocktail makes for a fun introduction. An amaro lends complex, savory, bitter, herbaceous notes to cocktails. Llingering over a pour of amaro after a meal always stimulates conversation and is even said to aid digestion.

I suggest making a round of these cocktails for your next dinner party’s first course. The recipe is easily multiplied for a small group, and it also works perfectly served on the rocks with a splash of soda or tonic for a lighter, more effervescent delivery.

BEET, BERRY, AND BOURBON COCKTAIL

Yield: 2 cocktails

4 medium strawberries

4 ounces beets, coarsely chopped

3 ounces bourbon, like Breckenridge Distillery’s Straight Bourbon Blend

½ ounce blackberry liqueur, like Leopold Bros.

1 ounce amaro, like Peach Street Distillers’ Amaro Liqueur

1½ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice

Dehydrated beet chips or fresh strawberry slices, for garnish

1. Juice* the strawberries and beets together.

2. In a mixing tin, add the juice, bourbon, blackberry liqueur, amaro, and lime juice.

3. Add a handful of ice, shake well, and double-strain into a cocktail glass, filtering through a Hawthorne strainer into a fine-mesh strainer.

4. Garnish with dehydrated beet chips or fresh strawberry slices.

*No juicer? No worries. Simply toss the strawberries and beet pieces
in a blender and blend until smooth, adding a little water if you need
to get the juice moving. Strain the mixture by pressing the solids with a spatula through a fine-mesh strainer.

Print the Recipe Here

Beet, Berry + Bourbon Cocktail

BEET, BERRY, AND BOURBON COCKTAIL