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Sour family1930

Brown Derby（ブラウン・ダービー）

Brown Derby served in a coupe glass
ブラウン・ダービー · 1930sCoupe · Shaken

Bourbon, grapefruit, honey — the three-ingredient sour Hollywood drank at the hat-shaped restaurant.

Recipe →

01Recipe

Recommended recipe

House spec — an editorial spec drawing on the sourced versions below.

Ingredients and measures
IngredientMeasure
Bourbon60 ml
Fresh grapefruit juice45 ml
Honey syrup15 ml

Total volume (pre-dilution)

  1. 01

    Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.

  2. 02

    Shake until well chilled.

  3. 03

    Strain into a chilled coupe. Express grapefruit twist.

Garnish — Grapefruit twist

02Taste profile

Sweetness
60Strong
Sourness*
90Intense
Bitterness
35Light
Fruitiness
60Strong
Herbal*
0Faint
Alcohol
45Moderate
Crisp
58Moderate

Independent editorial scores, 0–100. *Estimated from the ingredient list — a profile sketch, not a verdict.

03History

Named for the hat-shaped Wilshire Boulevard restaurant where it was poured in the 1930s — printed in Harry Craddock's Savoy book and in Boothby's earlier guide, attribution fuzzy either way.

Structurally it's the Bees Knees' West Coast cousin: honey syrup instead of sugar, grapefruit instead of lemon, bourbon instead of gin.

The same three-chord pattern later produced the Gold Rush — the Brown Derby is the missing link.

Origin contested — the entry keeps verified record and received legend distinct.

Sources — Craddock, Savoy (1930) · Difford's Guide

04Recipe versions

Each version is shown exactly as recorded in its source — unverified claims are flagged.

Total volume (pre-dilution)
  • The Savoy Cocktail Book

    The Savoy Cocktail Book

    Harry Craddock · 1930 · Book · unverified

    • ⅓ honey syrup
    • ⅓ grapefruit juice
    • ⅓ bourbon

    Shake, strain.

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05Variations

06The map

Spirits

SpiritBourbonBrandBuffalo TraceBrandMaker's Mark
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