Less than a month from now, on July 29th, 8 bartenders from across the country will be going head-to-head in Austin, Texas in the 2021 Bourbon Brawl Presented By Garrison Brothers And Texas Monthly. 

However, with so many amazing cocktails presented in the semi-finals, we didn’t want y’all to miss out on tasting some of the best cocktails around. So, we’ve included the cocktails from our Honorable Mentions and semi-finalists below for y’all to sip and sample. And with dozens of great choices below, there isn’t really a better way to get ready for the Bourbon Brawl than to try out some of the mixology masterpieces that almost made it to the finals. 

Once you’ve savored your way through these incredible cocktails, head on over to cocktailcourier.com/cocktail/bourbon-brawl-kit/ and pre-order your Bourbon Brawl Mystery Cocktail Kit! These kits will be sent out after the winner is decided, so use the link to get yours now!

Oakland 

Semi-Finalist Katherine Parson’s “Texas Porch Light”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch bourbon
• .50 ounce Raspberry Syrup
• .25 ounce Liquid Alchemist Passionfruit
• .50 ounce lemon juice
• .50 ounce lime juice
• .25 ounce lime cordial

Combine all ingredients with crushed ice, shake heavily. Serve and enjoy!

 

Brenden Garcia’s “Breakfast Ball”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch bourbon
• .5 Ounce Whistle Pig Maple Syrup
• .5 Ounce Fernet Branca
• 3 dash Coffee Bitters
• 1 peel Orange Peel
• 3 Coffee Beans

Pour bourbon, maple syrup, fernet branca and coffee bitters into a viski and stir well. Strain into bucket glass over a large ice cube. Take an orange peel, squeeze and twist over cocktail and place inside. Carefully place 3 coffee beans on top of a large ice cube. Serve and Enjoy!

 

Todd Gore’s “Mission Statement”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• 1.5 Ounce Fino Sherry
• .5 Ounce Pedro Ximenez Sherry
• 3 Dash Vanilla Bitters
• 1 Tablespoon Mission Fig Jam
• 7 Slice Thin Lemon Slices
• 1 Piece Cinnamon Stick

Add the bourbon, both sherrys, bitters, and jam to shaker and lightly dry shake. Add 3 lemon slices and lce. Vigorously shake. Then double strain into 11 ounce goblet. Fill with crushed or pebbled ice. Garnish with 4 offset, thinly lemon slices  and stick of cinnamon. 

 

Michael Nathan’s “Cowboy Collins”

• 1.75 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• 1.5 Ounce Strawberry Cowboy Candy Syrup
• 3 Ounce Topo Chico
• 1 Piece Candied Jalapeño/Strawberry Garnish

Build in Collins glass with bourbon, strawberry cowboy candy syrup. Lightly stir to integrate. Add ice. Add 1 Topo Chico. Lightly stir. Garnish with strawberry and jalapeño.

To make Cowboy Candy Syrup, combine jalapeño, ground turmeric, ground ginger, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. Gently simmer. Strain out jalapenos. Blend syrup with fresh strawberry. Strain.

 

Gian Giglio’s “Bourbon Peel”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• .75 Ounce Lemon
• .4 Ounce Dry Curacao
• .5 Ounce Orgeat
• Orange Peel

Dry shake with orange peel to extract peel oils. Remove peel. add ice. Shake. Dirty dump. 

 

Orange Country 

2021 Bourbon Brawl Winner Josh Davey’s Texas Rose

• 1.5 ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch
• .5 ounce Amaro Montenegro
• .75 ounce Lemon Juice
• .75 ounce Blackberry Lemon Cordial
• 2 dash Miracle Mile Bergamont Bitters
• 1 leaf Sage

Hard shake. Double strain into cocktail coupe. Garnished with one sage leaf.

 

Brian Kies’ “Southbound”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Whiskey
• .5 Ounce Giffard’s Pomplemousse
• .5 Ounce Cinnamon Lemon Honey Syrup
• Club Soda
• Dehydrated Ruby Red Grapefruit

Pour all ingredients into tin. Shake and pour into double Old Fashioned glass Add ice and top with soda water. Garnish with dehydrated grapefruit.

 

Romin Rajan’s “Tex Mex Sour” 

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• .5 Ounce Lemon Juice
• .5 Ounce Orange Juice
• .5 Ounce Simple Syrup
• 1 Barspoon Cumin Tincture
• Cheese Foam

Prepare inside tin. Shake vigorously. Strained into coupe glass. Top with cheese foam.

 

Jordan Fernandez’s Crucial Taunt

• 1.5oz Black Tea Infused Garrison Brothers Small Batch
• .75oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
• .50oz Charred Lemon Oleo
• .50oz Lemon Juice

Whip shake all ingredients. Pour in Collins glass. Add soda. Garnish with mint sprig and channeled lemon.

 

Jon McConnell’s “My, Oh Texas”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• .75 Ounce Lemon Juice
• .5 Ounce Pistachio Orgeat
• .75 Ounce Dry Curacao 
• .25 Ounce Blood Orange Sherbet
• 1 Dehydrated Blood Orange
• 1 Grate Of Fresh Nutmeg

Add all ingredients except dehydrated blood orange and nutmeg to shaker. Whip shake with pellet ice. Strain into double Old Fashioned glass with pellet ice. Garnish with blood orange and grated fresh nutmeg. 

 

Chicago 

David Leon Jr’s “Dulce De Barbacoa”

• 1.5 ounce Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Bourbon
• .75 ounce Mesquite Bonito (Sweet Potato) Demerara
• 1 ounce Lemon Juice
• 1 ounce Aquafaba

Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker with 2-3 ice cubes. Close shaker, shake for 10 seconds, fine strain into a Nick & Nora glass. Garnish & Enjoy. 

 

Nikolas Kokonas’ “Texas Hye Ball”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers bourbon
• .75 Ounce Jack Rudy Tonic Syrup
• .5 Ounce Cherry simple syrup
• 2 Ounce Ommegang Rosetta Beer

Add all ingredients into Old Fashioned glass. Fill with ice. Use bar spoon to lift ice from the bottom of the glass to incorporate beer into other ingredients. Garnish with lemon expression and cherry. 

Cherry Syrup 

• 1.5 lbs Halved Fresh Or Frozen Cherries 
• 1 Cup White Sugar 
• 1 Cup Water 

Combine all ingredients into small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour mixture into blender or food processor. Blend on high until smooth. Strain syrup through fine mesh strainer.

 

Marco Montaguano’s “BBQ Highball”

• 1.75 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon 
• 1 Ounce Cherry Tomato Cordial
• 1 ounce apple cider Rosé

Build bourbon and tomato in Highball glass with clear ice spear. Stir and top with apple cider Rosé. Garnish with cherry tomatoes. 

Cherry tomato cordial: 

• 250gr. Grilled Unseeded Cherry Tomato
• 250ml Apple Juice  
• 200ml Sugar 
• 5gr. Citric Acid 

 

Graham Essex’s “Hye-Way 290”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers bourbon
• 0.5 Ounce Dry Curaçao (preferably Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)
• 0.75 Ounce fresh lemon juice
• 0.5 Ounce honey syrup (3 parts honey : 1 part water)
• 3 Ounce Lone Star Lager

Add 150g honey and 50g of water to pot. Heat and whisk to integrate. Pull off heat when fully integrated. Add all ingredients except for Lone Star to mixing tins and shake with ice until chilled. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with Lone star, no garnish.

 

Marie Yoshimizu’s “Ace Hye”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• 1 Ounce Red Grapefruit Juice, .5 Ounce Orange Curaçao
• .5 Ounce Honey syrup
• Habanero Bitters
• Lime Hard Seltzer
• 1 Slice Red Grapefruit

Shake everything expect for lime flavored hard seltzer in Boston shaker. Fill highball glass with ice. Pour the mix over the ice. Top it off with lime flavored hard seltzer. Garnish with slice of red grapefruit.

 

New York

Semi-Finalist Nicole Salicetti’s “Circle And The Square” 

• 1.75 ounce Garrison brothers small batch bourbon
• 1 Dash Cardamom bitters
• .25 ounce Salted Pecan Syrup
• 1 Barspoon Peach Schnapps
• 1 Piece Honey Salted Peach Ring Garnish

Stir all ingredients, less garnish, in a mixing glass with lots of ice. Strain over one large rock. Garnish with skewered sliced peach ring.

 

Nayanci Lopez’s “The Southern Hispter” 

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Boot Flash Bourbon Whiskey
• 1 Ounce Lemonade
• 1 Teaspoon Maple Syrup, 
• 5-10 Fresh Rosemary Leaves
• 1 Pinch Cinnamon

Fill shaker 2/3rds with ice. Add bourbon, maple syrup, spices, and lemonade. Shake Well. Pour. Garnish with rosemary stalk and/or cinnamon to taste.

 

Thomas Markham’s “Texas Tropical Storm”

• 3 Ounce Garrison Brothers Bourbon
• 3 Ounce Pineapple Juice
• 1 Ounce Orgeat Syrup
• 6 Dash Ginger Bitters
• 2 Leaf Pineapple Leaves
• 1 Piece Luxardo Cherry

In shaker, pour bourbon, pineapple juice, orgeat, and ginger bitters. Shake with ice. Pour in Hurricane glass over crushed ice. Garnish with pineapple leaves and a luxardo cherry.

 

Richard Kahn’s “Lone Star Sour”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• 1 Ounce Peach Tea Simple
• .5 Ounce Lemon Juice
• .5 Ounce Water
• 2 Dash Angostura Bitters

Take all ingredients and shake. Pour over new ice in reusable jelly/jam container with a hole for a straw in the top.

 

Steven Ferreira’s “Peachy Longstocking”

• 2 Garrison Brothers Bourbon
• .75 Ounce Roasted Peach Shrub
• .25 Ounce Monin Peach Syrup
• 1 Dash Angostura Bitters
• 3 Ounce London Essence Indian Tonic
• 3 Piece Rosemary

Prepare and chill serving vessel with ice. Be sure to have garnish ready. Add all ingredients to shaker. Shake in rotund motion, making sure to aerate while diluting with ice. Clear ice out of serving vessel. Add tonic to bottom and add ice. Strain into vessel and garnish.

 

Tampa

Semi-Finalist Madeline Kaye’s “Hye Tea”

• 2.5 ounce Garrison Brothers Single Barrel
• 1.5 per cu ounce earl grey tea 
• .5 per cub ounce lemon juice
• 1 dash pink peppercorn cordial
• 1 barspoon honey

Prepare large craft cube. Add 1.5 oz of cordial per ice cube with .5 oz lemon juice. Fill remainder with water, optional to add whole pink peppercorns to cube. Freeze. To prepare add craft cube to rocks glass and stir with 2.5 oz Garrison Brothers single barrel, 1 dash of peppercorn tincture and 1 bar spoon of honey. Serve with a lemon twist.

 

Aaron Mateo’s “Everything’s Bigger In…”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Whiskey
• .5 Ounce Blackberry Murê
• .5 Ounce Berry Shrub
• .5 Ounce lemon juice

Shake and double strain into coupe glass. Garnish with blackberry skewer.

 

Tim Calhoon’s “Texas Sunshine”

• 2 Ounce Blood Orange Infused Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Bourbon
• .5 Ounce Vanilla
• Orange
• Cinnamon Simple Syrup
• .25 ounce Lemon Juice
• .25 ounce Ginger Syrup
• 2 dash Bitterman’s Orange Cream Bitters

Combine all in bar glass with ice. Shake and Strain into ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a dried blood orange wheel.

 

Jeannie Weaver’s “Buffalo Bill”

• 1.5 ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• 1.5 ounce Giffard Pamplemousse Liqueur (Grapefruit)
• 1.25 ounce Peychauds Apertivo
• 1 ounce Lemon Juice
• 1 ounce Honey-Serrano Syrup (House Made)
• 1 peel Lemon Peel (Expressed)

Shake and double strain onto a large cube.

 

Joshua Guevara’s “Texas Berry Sour”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• 0.75 Ounce Lemon Juice
• 0.75 Ounce Honey Water
• 0.5 Ounce Fee Foam
• 0.3 Ounce Strawberry Purée
• 10 Dash Chocolate Bitters

Combine all ingredients into shaker tin except chocolate bitters. Reverse dry shake vigorously, and double strain into coupe glass. Place 10 drops of chocolate bitters on top and swirl into design. 

 

Dallas/Fort Worth

Semi-Finalist Chris Hazelwood’s “Lakeside Sunshine”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• .75 ounce Honey Lavender Simple
• .75 ounce Fresh Orange Juice
• 1 Barspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 ounce Fever Tree Ginger Beer

Combine bourbon, simple, orange juice, and lemon juice into shaker. Shake, add 1 ounce ginger beer, strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. Optional garnish with a lemon twist.

Honey Lavender Simple – Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup Honey, 2 tbsp dried lavender flowers in saucepan. Bring to boil, stir consistently, simmer for 5 mins. Strain out lavender flowers and let it cool.

 

Donald Brown’s “Jacobs Smash”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Whiskey
• 2 Dash Black Walnut Bitters
• .5 Ounce Fresh Orange Juice
• .5 Ounce Acidified Tarragon
• .5 Ounce Orange Oleo Saccharum

Shaken and served in a rocks glass with a big rock. Serve with toasted Orange Chip

 

Kalan Garza’s “Up & Coming”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
• .5 Ounce Prickly Pear
• 1 Tablespoon Red Plum Preservers
• .75 Ounce Sweet Sour Mix
• 1 Sprig Rosemary

Combine all ingredients and shake.

 

Jean Mitchell’s “Jean’s Old Fashioned”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• 3 Dash Cherry Bitters
• 1/4 Fresh Orange
• 4 Marinated cherries
• 1 Teaspoon Cherry Juice
• Splash Club Soda

Muddle orange slice in Old Fashioned Glass. Add the Cherries, cherry juice, bitters, and bourbon to glass. Add ice ball or cubed ice, top with splash of club soda. Stir with bar spoon.

 

Karla Norman’s “Summer Apple Bourbon”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• 3 Ounce Apple Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1 Teaspoon Orange Juice
• 1 Ounce Ginger Ale

Combine all ingredients except ginger ale into cocktail shaker with ice, shake until completely chilled. Pour over ice in glass and top with splash of ginger ale. Garnish with slice of apple and lemon peel.

 

Houston

Semi-Finalist Malachi Boykin’s “Sunny Sipper”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch
• .75 ounce Pineapple Juice
• .5 ounce Mango Nectar
• .5 ounce Lemon Juice
• .25 ounce Coconut Rum

Add all ingredients to shaker, add ice, shake. strain in to rocks glass over Crushed ice. Garnish, enjoy.

 

Samantha Allfrey’s “Be Pear To Me”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch
• .5 Ounce Lemon Juice
• .75 Ounce Grapefruit
• 1 Ounce Pear Simple
• 1.5 Ounce Soda Water

Shake ingredients all together. Top with soda.

 

Sean Stapleton’s “South Texas Sazerac”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch
• .5 Ounce Simple Syrup
• 4 Small Dash Chocolate bitters
• 1/4 Ounce Absinthe, One Peel Orange Zest

Add absinthe to chilled coupe glass, roll around, dump. Add Garrison Brothers, simple syrup, and chocolate bitters to beaker. Fill with ice, stir for 15 seconds. Strain in absinthe washed coupe, garnish with orange peel zest.

 

James McAuley’s “Storm Surge”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers’ Small Batch Bourbon
• 1 Ounce Orange Juice
• .75 Ounce Monin Golden Tumeric Syrup
• .75 Ounce Galliano L’Autentico
• 3 Dash Cranberry Bitters
• 1 Peel Orange Zest
• 2 Piece Brandied Cherry

Hard shake bourbon, orange juice, tumeric syrup, and Galliano with Kold Draft Ice. Pour over cracked ice into Hurricane Glass. Top with three dashes of cranberry bitters and garnish with orange rind-wrapped brandied cherries on cocktail pick.

 

Teddy Ferris’ “Chuckwagon Upside Down Cake”

• 2 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch
• .25 Ounce Smoked Pineapple Simple Syrup
• .25 Ounce Charred Cherry Simple Syrup
• 1 chunk Brown Sugar, Cherry, and Reduced Bourbon Ice Sphere
• 1 chunk Charred Cherry Garnish

Combine bourbon and both simple syrups in a cocktail shaker and shake to combine. Place Brown Sugar, Cherry, Reduced Bourbon Ice sphere in an old fashioned glass and pour contents of cocktail shaker onto it. Add a charred Cherry on top for garnish.

 

Austin/San Antonio

Semi-Finalist Kenny Daniels’ “Garrison R.E.D”

• 2 ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• 2 ounce Single Serving Hibiscus Bags
• 1 ounce Strawberry Preserve or Jam
• 0.5 ounce Brown Sugar
• 1 piece Star of Anise Pod
• 1 ounce Lime Juice
• 1 slice lime

Place 2 Hibiscus bags inside an 8oz mason jar with a lid. Ensure tags stay outside of the shaker. Place 1 ounce of brown sugar, 1 ounce of strawberry preserves, 1 ounce of Lime Juice, 1 ounce of water and 2 ounces of Garrison Bros Small Batch Bourbon into the mason jar. Fill Mason Jar with crushed ice and screw lid on tightly and shake for 2 minutes. Unscrew the lid and serve from mason Jar Garnish with 1 slice of lime and 1-star anise for a licorice aromatic.

 

Sean O’Neill’s “Immuni-Tea”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• .75 Ounce Lemon Juice
• .75 Ounce Mint simple syrup
• 3 Ounce Green Tea
• 1 Ounce Ginger beer
• Lemon wheel garnish

Add all ingredients except ginger beer. Shake. Pour over fresh ice. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with lemon wheel.

 

Chandler Tomayko’s “Slow Motion”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
• .75 Ounce Peach Puree
• 1 Ounce Coconut Water
• .5 Ounce Lemon Juice
• .5 Ounce Gunpowder Green Tea (Cold)
• .25 Ounce Pink Peppercorn Syrup
• 7 Piece Toasted Coconut

Combine Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey, peach puree, coconut water, lemon juice, tea and peppercorn syrup in cocktail shaker. Fill shaker halfway with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain the contents of shaker over fresh ice in a cocktail glass. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes.

 

Ohio Crawford’s “Bluebonnet Song”

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch
• .75 ounce Creme De Mure (Blackberry Liqueur)
• 1 dash Grapefruit Bitters
• 1 dash Plum Bitters
• .5 ounce Simple Syrup
• Top off Elderflower Tonic
• 1 Edible Flower

Assemble bourbon, bitters, simple, and creme de mure into cocktail shaker with ice, shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass filled halfway with ice. Top with chilled elderflower tonic. Garnish with an edible flower.

 

Oscar Martinez’s “Floral Fading” 

• 1.5 Ounce Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
• .5 Ounce Lemon Juice
• .5 Ounce Simple Syrup
• .5 Ounce Creme De Violette
• 1 Barspoon Absinthe

Shake bourbon, lemon, simple & Creme De Violette. Spray glass with a rinse of absinthe. Serve over large cube and garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.