A couple months ago, we launched a line of cocktail napkins made with our 100% organic cotton jersey and printed with the Alabama Chanin logo. We also shared a new favorite cocktail: our version of a Maiden’s Blush. Friend Brooks Reitz of the Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. sent us some of his small batch grenadine, which set off a quiet frenzy of cocktail experiments and creations around the studio. We work hard, and we like our rewards.

Our latest grenadine-inspired libation is the Alabama Sour (with a Sunrise flare). It’s a twist on the classic New York Sour Bon Appetít shared in April 2013. The classic recipe calls for an ounce of red wine floated atop the whiskey sour. We opted for Brooks’ sweet, yet tart, pomegranate-based grenadine instead of wine. Grenadine is denser than whiskey, causing it to settle on the bottom of the glass, hence the vibrant red, sunrise effect. Over ice, it’s a perfect early-summer evening quaff. We love it.

ALABAMA SOUR

2 oz. Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon (or your rye or bourbon preference)
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. Jack Rudy Small Batch Grenadine

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the bourbon or rye whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake vigorously until the shaker beads with condensation. Strain over ice into a highball or wine glass. Gently pour the grenadine over the drink. It will quickly sink to the bottom. Serve with a cocktail stirrer, admire the color, pretend you’re on the beach, and slowly stir the grenadine into the whiskey sour.

Get a bottle of Jack Rudy Small Batch Grenadine and share a range of summer cocktails with friends. Consider a set of four Alabama Chanin Cocktail Napkins to serve with your Alabama Sours, or a Jack Rudy Bar Towel to keep the bar clean and dry, and share your recipes with us.