The Gold Rush Cocktail: A Silky Whiskey Sour Without the Protein Foam
If you’ve ever sat at a bar and ordered a Whiskey Sour, congratulations—you’re a maniac. Just kidding (sort of). But you can count us among the ever-growing population that wants nothing to do with foamy raw egg whites floating on top of a perfectly good glass of whiskey. And that, my friends, is how we discovered the Gold Rush, a modern classic that takes whiskey to the next level. This perfectly balanced drink is smoother than silk panties covered in locally grown raw honey. Science. Best of all, it excludes the poultry! Born from the genius minds behind New York’s iconic Milk & Honey, the Gold Rush is as close to liquid gold as a cocktail can get.
What’s in a Gold Rush?
The Gold Rush Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz Bourbon Elijah Craig 12-year-old, if you want to be historically accurate; but it all started with Knob Creek
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- ¾ oz honey syrup more on this golden elixir below
Instructions
- Add the bourbon, honey syrup, and lemon juice into a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake it like you’re massaging a cranky donkey.
- Strain it into a glass with ice.
- Sip, savor, and try not to call it the best drink you’ve ever had (tonight).
Notes
Nutrition
The Milk & Honey Bar: These Heroes were Next Level
The more we learn about this place, the sadder we are that we never visited before it closed during the pandemic (ruined everything). Created by Sasha Petraske in 1999, Milk & Honey was one of the first speakeasies, which was groundbreaking in those days. Legendary bartenders like Sam Ross created the absolute classic, The Penicillin, and patrons packed the place seeking some of the best cocktails in the world. Today, the spiritual home of the bar continues at Attaboy, owned and operated by Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy (another Milk & Honey alum). Word is that Sasha Petraske is a silent partner. We were lucky enough to stroll into this place one day and were blown away.
Who Created The Gold Rush?
Word is, the Gold Rush was created by T.J. Siegal, who didn’t even work at Milk & Honey at the time. He stopped by the bar after his normal bartending shift and ordered his traditional bourbon sour—without the egg white, because he’s not a savage. That night, his childhood friend and bar founder, Sasha Petraske, had whipped up some honey syrup for a Honeysuckle Cocktail (think honey Daiquiri). They used the honey syrup to create something new, keeping the familiar Whiskey Sour formula but swapping the simple syrup for honey syrup, and the Gold Rush was born. It was a game-changer. “It was right the first time,” Siegal said. If that’s not a testament to how perfect this drink is, we don’t know what is.
The Rise of a Modern Classic
Though the Gold Rush didn’t have a fancy backstory involving ancient medicinal remedies or hidden speakeasies—oh wait, it did—it became an instant hit at Milk & Honey. Without a menu, Milk & Honey bartenders relied on conversation to figure out what their customers wanted, and the Gold Rush became the go-to recommendation for whiskey lovers. The drink quickly became Milk & Honey’s preeminent cocktail until it was later eclipsed by Sam Ross’s Penicillin. No, not the Penicillin you needed on your last Cobra Gold Exercise, dummy, the drink.
By 2002, the Gold Rush was cemented as one of the bar’s signature drinks. It found its way onto menus across the globe, thanks to bartenders like Jim Meehan, who couldn’t get enough of it. In fact, Meehan included it in the Mr. Boston cocktail guide and The PDT Cocktail Book, giving the drink even more exposure. As Milk & Honey expanded, opening new locations in New York, London, and beyond, the Gold Rush went with it. The cocktail may have been simple, but it hit hard—and in the best way possible.
Gold Rush vs. Penicillin: The Whiskey Sour Showdown
Speaking of hits, let’s not forget about Sam Ross and his world-famous Penicillin. Created in 2005 at Milk & Honey, the Penicillin is another Whiskey Sour variation—this time swapping bourbon for Scotch and adding honey-ginger syrup with a smoky Islay float on top.
Here’s where things get interesting: Ross himself admitted that the Penicillin was partly inspired by the Gold Rush. He took the base idea, added a bit of flair, and created his own twist that went on to become a global favorite. So, if you’ve ever sipped on a Penicillin and thought, “Damn, that’s good,” you’ve got the Gold Rush to thank for that. And fun fact: Siegal didn’t stop there. After Ross created the Penicillin, Siegal came up with the Ginger Gold Rush, a spiced-up version of his original drink that’s become popular in its own right.
Ever try one of Milk & Honey’s creations? If you haven’t you may want to…
+ The Paper Plane
Gold Rush—The Ultimate Whiskey Sour
If you’re in the mood for a cocktail that’s easy to make, hard to forget, and really hard not to love, the Gold Rush is your drink. It’s no wonder it quickly became a Milk & Honey staple and remains a modern classic today. With just three ingredients, this silky, sweet take on a Whiskey Sour is the kind of cocktail that turns a good night into a great one. Best of all, it leaves the frothy animal protein out of the mix. So, if you’re feeling like a little liquid gold, grab some bourbon, whip up some honey syrup, and drown your sorrows in a Gold Rush.
Seriously
What’s your favorite Milk & Honey cocktail—Gold Rush, Penicillin, or Paper Plane? Or are you one of those crazy b@stardds that loves a good whiskey sour? Share your thoughts in the comments, and if you’ve got a great story about these classics, we want to hear it! @BarWarriors
Had a few by the fire this weekend. Solid drink. But I’m not sure if this is a summer drink or fall cocktail. Could go eitherway.
prefer the penicillin, but this was dam good