Posted on July 21, 2020 by New Jersey Bride
For a bourbon-loving couple, sharing a favorite spirit with your guests or wedding party is a creative way to add a personal touch to the festivities. And now with so many couples hosting backyard, outdoor and/or micro weddings, the bourbon bar may be just the special touch that your wedding needed (For more on backyard wedding ideas, click here.) Since interactive, hands-on experiences are especially memorable, a DIY Bourbon Bar will encourage everyone to mix up their own creative concoctions—and remain socially distanced! This can be a fun conversation-starter to bring guests together, and is equally at home at a welcome dinner or for the Groom’s Suite—a massive upgrade from a cooler of beer while the gents are getting ready for the ceremony.
Here, Four Roses Bourbon worked with New Jersey Bride to show us how it’s done. Their smooth, mellow bourbon, aged a minimum of five years, is the perfect crowd-pleasing base spirit for your cocktail station. Once you have the bourbon taken care of, display a recipe card to give your guests inspiration. Bourbon beginners can choose to keep it simple with a Julep or Kentucky Lemonade, and budding mixologists can experiment with more complex drinks like Manhattans or Boulevardiers.
Make sure to provide plenty of glasses and ice, then add mixers like club soda, lemonade and ginger beer. Next, add some classic cocktail components like simple syrup, aromatic bitters and sweet vermouth. Finally, set out mini mason jars of garnishes: slices of lemon, lime and orange, dark cherries, citrus twists and even sprigs of fresh mint or lavender (bonus points if you create hand-lettered labels for your components). Paper straws are eye-catching and eco-friendly for a finishing touch.
