My favorite summer cocktail: The Kentucky Mule

I don’t know about where you live, but folks, it is warm here in Kentucky. That’s great for the bourbon resting in our warehouses; the summer heat is causing it to expand into the walls of the barrels, where it’s picking up color and flavor. But it’s not so great for those of us who tend to wilt when the thermometer goes above 90 degrees.

When you are sweltering, bourbon might be the last drink that comes to mind. That’s a warming spirit for sipping next to the fire in the dead of winter, you might say. And you’d be right about that. But the wonderful thing about bourbon is that it’s in season in every season. In the summer heat, it goes down nicely in a cocktail over ice. And my current favorite bourbon cocktail is the Kentucky Mule. A play on the Moscow Mule, it combines bourbon and ginger beer into a lovely refreshment, particularly when it’s served in the classic copper mug.

Ready to cool off? Click here for the recipe.