Strawberry Bourbon Lemonade for Your Labor Day Weekend Party

Lemonade is the drink of the summer. Well, negronis and margaritas are technically the drinks of the summer, but we’ve been enjoying those for three months now. As summer winds down and you open your backyard up for the last hoorah of the season, mix up a batch of boozy lemonade for your guests. This recipe for strawberry basil bourbon lemonade, resurfaced from our list of favorite summer cocktails, is a real crowd-pleaser. If you don’t plan on hosting a Labor Day shindig, then drink the pitcher yourself. Cheers to a much-needed long weekend.

  1. Add strawberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a blender. Pulse until pureed.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the puree and 1 3/4 cup water. Heat to boiling, then allow to cool and strain through a sieve.
  3. In a large pitcher, combine strawberry syrup, bourbon, 1 cup water, lemon juice, basil leaves, and a splash of bitters. Stir, then pour into eight glasses with ice. Garnish each with a basil sprig.