Copyright A Bar Above, generated with AI
The other day, I was chatting with a friend who mentioned that her dad’s go-to Thanksgiving cocktail is something called a Bourbon Bog. I had never heard of it—but with a name like that (and because I love bourbon), I had to check it out. After a little research and some light experimenting, I realized this is exactly the kind of easy, crowd-pleasing cocktail that deserves a place at your holiday table.
How to Make the Bourbon Bog: ModernMakes Edition
There are a few recipes floating around out there for this one, but our favorite comes from TikTok creator ModernMakes, who just so happens to feature our products in his videos. (No, he’s not a paid affiliate– just a content creator we respect, and while watching his videos, we realized he’s an A Bar Above user.) Thanks for the great recipe and for being an awesome customer! Here’s a quick visual of how to do it:
@modernmakes Bourbon Bog 🥃 #cocktail #bourbonbog #bourbon #bog #oldforester #mixeddrink #mixology #bartok #drink #homebar #bar #bartender #cocktails #homebartender #drinks #drinkrecipe #fyp
Why This Bourbon Cocktail is a Great Thanksgiving Drink
With its tart cranberry flavor, warming bourbon base, and a splash of citrus, the Bourbon Bog hits all the right seasonal notes. It pairs beautifully with traditional Thanksgiving dishes—think roast turkey, stuffing, and especially cranberry sauce—and it’s simple enough to batch or shake up quickly as guests arrive. Whether you’re serving Thanksgiving cocktails before dinner or want a nightcap with dessert, I think this one might just be what you’re looking for.
Bourbon Bog
Equipment
- 1 Muddler optional
- 1 Cocktail Picks optional
- 2 Pour Spouts optional
- 1 Cocktail Straws optional
- 1 Channel Knife optional, if creating an orange peel garnish
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounce Bourbon Old Forester
- 0.5 ounce Cointreau or triple sec
- 1.5 ounce Cranberry
- 0.5 ounce Lemon Juice
- 0.25 ounce Simple Syrup
- 3 dashes Orange Bitters
- 1-3 ounces Sprite to top
- 5-10 Fresh Cranberries optional, for garnish & muddling
Instructions
- (Optional) Lightly muddle 5-6 fresh cranberries in your shaker tin.
- Add all ingredients except Sprite to your cocktail shaker.
- Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds to chill and dilute.
- Double strain into a rocks glass with ice/1 large ice cube.
- (Optional) Garnish with fresh cranberries, a rosemary sprig, or orange twist.
Hi,
Does this recipe use unsweetened or sweetened cranberry juice?
Thank you!
Great question! It’s actually personal preference, but for this recipe, I choose unsweetened since there is a little simple syrup and Sprite already. But I’m not a fan of very sweet drinks, so if you or your guests like yours on the sweeter side, then I suggest using sweetened juice. You can also play with the ratios and leave out the simple syrup and add Sprite to taste if you do use sweetened juice.