Top Chef Judge Gail Simmons Gives This Summer Cocktail a 10/10

When asked to picture the perfect summer cocktail, most people would probably come up with a drink along the lines of a mojito, negroni or paloma—something light, refreshing and a little fruity. But veteran Top Chef judge and cookbook author Gail Simmons doesn’t want you to sleep on brown liquor this summer.

Ahead of Top Chef season 23, which will be based in the Carolinas, Gail shared some of her cocktail insights in an interview with Taste of Home. It turns out that her go-to summer cocktail actually begins with bourbon. Thanks to the liquor’s sweetness and nuttiness, she said it pairs effortlessly with the true culinary stars of the summer season: fresh fruit.

“Fruit is best in summer, especially some of the fruit that goes best with bourbon like blackberries, peaches and lemon. They add acidity and tartness,” said Gail. “Bourbon brings out the best qualities in all of those flavors.”

What is Gail Simmons’s go-to summer cocktail?

Fresh fruit and bourbon both come into play with Gail’s current go-to summer cocktail, a honey bramble smash. The drink, which Gail developed as part of a new partnership with bourbon brand Old Fitzgerald, starts with muddled blackberries topped with bourbon, lemon juice, club soda, a touch of honey and lemon zest.

“To me, the blackberry just is summer,” Gail said. “It’s a multi-dimensional berry, my favorite of all the berries. The lemon and blackberry with bourbon all balance each other well, and the honey rounds everything out. This is the drink I want to sit on my porch and enjoy.”

What’s the difference between Canadian whisky and bourbon?

If you’re wondering if it’s OK to sub in Canadian whisky or any other kind of whiskey in place of bourbon in this or other bourbon cocktails, it will result in a different flavor because they’re made from different grains over different aging periods.

Canadian whisky, for example, must be barrel-aged for at least three years and can be made from corn, wheat, rye or barley. Bourbon is made from corn and has no minimum aging period.

But there will be flavor differences even among individual bourbons, of course, Gail notes. Some will be sweeter or smokier than others, so it might take some tasting to learn which bourbons you prefer over others.

What are Gail Simmons’s top tips for hosting?

Of course, I had to ask Gail if she has any hosting tips. After all, part of the fun of cocktail making is shaking or stirring a couple servings to share with friends or family.

First, she suggested that you batch cocktails ahead of time so you don’t spend the entire party mixing drinks for your guests. For drinks that include a fizzy component—like club soda or seltzer—she suggested leaving that out of the cocktail mix for guests. Instead, they can use cans or a bottle to top off their pre-batched drinks.

Gail is also an advocate for offering one signature cocktail. This removes the pressure to have a full bar on hand to cater to each guest’s individual preferences, though she’ll typically also offer a nonalcoholic version of the drink as well as wine and flavored sparkling waters.

“Come to my house, and I will make sure you have great food and drink, but this is the house cocktail today,” Gail said. “Keep it easy on yourself.”

Related:

• Bourbon vs. Whiskey: What’s the Difference?
• Seltzer Water vs. Club Soda vs. Tonic Water: What’s the Difference?
• I Made Ina Garten’s Limoncello Spritz, and It’s the Only Drink I Need This Summer