#CocktailswithLisa @winewithlisa
As part of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance, I received samples from Devils River Whiskey for a virtual happy hour.
cocktail photos by www.LaylaMays.com
Several years ago, when I decided to make the move back to Texas (long story), I had no idea that I would discover the wonderful world of Texas-made small-batch bourbon|whiskey. In general, due to the extreme Texas heat, it doesn’t take years to create a finished product and the flavors are rich, bold and spicy artisan-crafted liquors. Lucky! We get to enjoy these wonderfully deep caramel-hued bourbon and whiskeys sooner!
whiskey bottle photo courtesy of Devils River Whiskey
About Devils River Whiskey
Devils River Whiskey is an award-winning Texas-based small-batch whiskey company soon to be opening their distillery in San Antonio. They are in the process of renovating parts of the Burns building located at 401 E Houston Street which is on the National Register of Historic Places in the heart of downtown San Antonio just a few blocks from the Alamo. With all of the revitalization going on, this should be an even bigger draw to the downtown area continuing the revitalization.
(note: Opening has been delayed due to the global pandemic, but hopefully, this too shall pass and we can head to San Antonio soon!)
Devils River Pure Spring Water
They believe what sets their whiskey and bourbon apart from other whiskeys and bourbons are the smooth flavors and finish that is the result from blending with the pure limestone-filtered water from the Devils River. The Devils River is part of the Rio Grande drainage basin and is considered to be is considered the most unspoiled river in Texas due to its remote location. As it passes underground, the gravel, sand and limestone scrub the river water clean before it re-emerges some 20 miles downstream creating the unique water that is blended with the whiskey.
Because of its use of the purest water in Texas at the heart of the production process this award-winning small-batch bourbon was born.
Tasting Notes
Devils River Bourbon Whiskey is 75% Corn, 21% Rye, and 4% Barley.
Detected on the palate and nose are peppery notes on the first sip then warm vanilla, caramel and honey swirl around your mouth. Sweet oaky flavors and aromas are detected but not overpowering with a pleasant smooth long-lasting finish.
The Texas Mule
Although I enjoy whiskey and bourbon straight up, creating cocktails with my favorite bourbons and whiskeys is something I look forward to. In order for a cocktail to finish well and enjoyable, you must start with a great bourbon whiskey. The smooth yet bold flavors of Devils River Whiskey pair very well with this refreshing cocktail. I look forward to creating more!
During the virtual happy hour, I enjoyed my newest cocktail creation: The Texas Mule.
The Texas Mule is my riff on the traditional Moscow Mule which is made with vodka and I took it a step further. I opted to make my Ginger Lime Syrup instead of Ginger Beer which is SOOOO worth it. Yeah, it’s a few extra steps rather than opening a bottle of ginger beer but I like my syrup better. Once it’s made, it stores well in the refrigerator for weeks so you can have a home-made cocktail in seconds.
Any good home bartender keeps simple syrup on hand because it’s so easy to make. When you infuse it with fresh ginger and fresh lime zest it brings it to a whole new level of deliciousness. The Texas Mule is served in the traditional copper mugs and I use nugget ice from my in-home ice maker. If you don’t have an Opal Ice maker, this cocktail tastes best with crushed ice, not ice cubes.
When making the Ginger Lime Syrup, use lots of ginger, not just one or two slices. I used a medium-sized hand of ginger (about 20 slices) and zest from 2 large limes. This creates a very intensely flavored syrup that can stand up to the ice and splash of mineral water at the end.
The recipe is included below. The amounts of lime juice, syrup and sparkling mineral water will most likely need to be adjusted depending on how much ice you use and how quickly it melts. Not sweet enough? Not enough lime or whiskey? Just add a splash more to your taste.
CHEERS!
- Ginger Lime Simple Syrup:
- 1 medium-sized hand of fresh ginger, sliced into coin-sized slices, no need to remove skin
- Zest from 2 limes
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 oz Devils River Bourbon Whiskey
- 1-1/2 to 2 oz lime juice
- 2 oz Ginger Lime Syrup
- Crushed Ice
- Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water
- Copper Mugs
- Lime wheels
- Stir sugar and water into a small saucepan and bring to boil and remove from heat.
- Make sure all the sugar is dissolved.
- Add fresh ginger slices and lime zest to syrup, stir and let cool.
- Pour into a mason jar and refrigerate for a few hours up to a week.
- In each copper mug add:
- Enough ice to fill the mug half way
- oz Devils River Bourbon Whiskey
- oz Ginger Lime Syrup (cooled)
- /2 to 2 oz Lime Juice
- Stir
- Top with Topo Chico and stir again
- Taste to adjust for all ingredients.
- You may need to add more of everything to accommodate the amount of ice you’ve added
- Garnish with lime wheel
- Cheers!
- NOTE: The amounts of lime juice, syrup and sparkling mineral water will most likely need to be adjusted depending on how much ice you use and how quickly it melts. Not sweet enough? Not enough lime or whiskey? Just add a splash more to your taste.
