It’s the holidays, and berries are everywhere! Beautiful, delicious berries. Cherry is not a berry per se, but it’s definitely a similar aesthetic element thrown in with all that wonderful Americana décor. Inspired by the cherry, its flavor, and its beauty, we wanted to make a holiday beverage as festive as a happy Christmas wreath. And we think we did a pretty good job with the Cherry Berry Bourbon Fizz.
The flavor of the cherry is so distinct; we wanted to add a berry to the mix but weren’t sure which would be the winner. Because there were already blueberries in the fridge for morning oatmeal, we experimented and the result? Success! Turns out blueberries go very well with the cherry flavor. There’s an easy balance of sweet and tart that literally (we actually mean literally) makes our mouths water.
Bourbon was the easy choice because its flavors pair seamlessly with pretty much any berry. And again, cherry isn’t a berry, but it also pairs deliciously.
Plus, bourbon is such an old-school, consummately American spirit. In fact, anything labeled “bourbon” means it was made right here in the U.S. Other countries simply don’t produce it. And we simply can’t resist it this time of year. Theoretically, Bourbon can be made pretty much anywhere in the country, but the majority is produced in the South. The original Bourbon came out of Kentucky in the late 18th century, and it’s been a hit with Americans ever since. For all you Southerners out there, this one’s for y'all!
For starters, you need to get your hands on some fresh cherries, not the maraschino ones. You’ll be chopping most of these but set some aside for garnish. Grab fresh blueberries either from the grocery store or your local farmers market. The only other ingredients you need are quality cane sugar, your favorite bourbon, and Mountain Valley Sparkling Water.
To begin, pit and chop about 3 to 5 cherries. As you make each cocktail, you can experiment with the flavor. If you want to taste more cherry, go up to 6 or 7. We found the flavor combination nice at an even 4. Then, place the chopped cherries in the bottom of a glass along with sugar and around 5 to 10 blueberries. Muddle everything together until you can really see that beautiful juice being squeezed out.
Add to your cocktail shaker with the bourbon and sparkling water. Don’t overdo it on the sparkling water. Adding too much will make a mess. If anything, under ball it, and you can always add a splash on top at the end. Give it a nice shake and pour over ice-filled glasses. Garnish with a full cherry and a few floating blueberries.
**A note on larger batches: It’s a good idea to use a food processor or high-speed blender to have the cherry/blueberry/sugar mix ready to go. Also, when making multiple cocktails, do not put sparkling water into a cocktail shaker. Instead, add on top at the end.
Cherry Berry Bourbon Fizz
Ingredients (makes 1 serving)
- 3-5 cherries pitted and finely chopped
- 5-10 fresh blueberries
- 1-2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1-2 splashes Mountain Valley Sparkling Water
- 1 whole cherry plus a few blueberries for garnish
Instructions
1. Chop cherries finely and add to the bottom of a glass with blueberries and sugar. Muddle together until a good amount of juice extracted.
2. Pour into a shaker with bourbon and sparkling water. Shake well.
3. Pour over ice and garnish with a whole cherry and floating blueberries.
4. **See above notes for making larger batches.
