Happy Juneteenth! Today we are making a delicious Juneteenth Cocktail Recipe that is also perfect for the summer.
On June 19, 1865 the last slaves in America were freed by Union troops throughout Texas, even though President Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves 2 years prior.
Juneteenth is the national holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States of America, which essentially makes it the ultimate holiday of freedom.
Read more information about the history of Juneteenth here.
The best way to celebrate Juneteenth is with the color red because it signifies the the bloodshed and sacrifices of the enslaved Africans in the USA, so we often prepare red foods and drinks in remembrance. This cocktail recipe will surely be a great addition to your Juneteenth celebration!
The hibiscus flower has a lot of significance in West African Culture so that is why we are using Hibiscus syrup in this recipe. I just used the hibiscus syrup that comes in this container, however you can also make hibiscus syrup from scratch.
Along with hibiscus, we will be using Uncle Nearest Rye Whiskey. Uncle Nearest is named after Nathan Greene who was a slave and is responsible for teaching Jack Daniels the charcoal mellowing process for whiskey which is now know as the Lincoln County process still used in the making of authentic Tennessee whiskey.
Read more information about the history of Uncle Nearest here.
We are using the Rye expression form Uncle Nearest because I find the spice element works well with the other ingredients. I have linked a video of how to make this drink at the bottom of this post, however this recipe is slightly different from that video.
But anyway, let’s get into making this cocktail recipe!
Let’s make this Juneteenth Cocktail Recipe, the hibiscus sour
In a shaking tin
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz hibiscus syrup
1/2 oz cinnamon infused agave syrup
2 dashes orange bitters
1 egg white (Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of food-borne illness.)
2 oz Uncle Nearest Rye Whiskey
Dry shake (aka shake without ice) for 15-30 seconds to emulsify the egg white
Then shake with ice
Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice
Garnish the cocktail with a lemon or red edible flower
Cheers and Happy Juneteenth!