Bourbon Party Ideas

A bourbon bar and tasting is one of the most fun and interactive ideas for entertaining at home. Men especially love it so it’s fantastic for guys night or a birthday party. It’s also an essential element to add to your Kentucky Derby viewing party!

Follow my suggestions for decorations and tips to create your own bourbon drink station at home. Keep in mind this activity is about fun. You don’t need to be an expert or follow any special rules in order to enjoy the experience!

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Bourbon Tasting Ideas

Being from the South, bourbon is the spirit of choice when it comes to mixing up drinks and highballs. And setting up a tasting station is an excellent way to discover your new favorite brand.

There are so many good brands to choose from in the mid- to high- price points. This is NOT a time when you want to go cheap unless you’re using it as a baseline to compare to the good stuff. You can find quality bourbon from about $40 for a 750ml bottle.

Taste and compare some favorite brands. Choose 4 or 5 different ones to sample. Some that we love are Knob Creek, Maker’s Mark, Long Branch, Woodford Reserve, Eagle Rare, Jefferson’s Reserve, Basil Hayden, Crown Royal, Bulleit, Lexington, and Four Roses. Within these brands you’ll find different varieties as well.

• Compare single barrel, small batch, or craft varieties. 
• Compare pricey vs. mid-level price range.
• Branch out and taste other varieties like maple bourbon or apple bourbon.

Compare each one based on appearance, aroma, taste, and finish.

If you feel like it will add to the experience, provide paper and pencils for tasting notes. That way guests can remember exactly what they liked about each bourbon.

I love these silver shot cups, but I found them years ago. You can incorporate these silver shot glasses into your bar and they will look fabulous on the table paired with silver trays. If not, you can just use traditional shot glasses or whiskey glasses for tasting.

Cocktail Mixing Station

The second area of the bourbon bar is set up for mixing cocktails, and more specifically, highballs. That’s just two ingredients: bourbon + a mixer.

If you want to you can use less expensive brands for this, like Bulleit, Larceny, or Jim Beam. For a real value option, Evan Williams works for highballs or punch recipes.

The area for mixed drinks has a variety of sodas and water to blend with the bourbon of choice. My personal favorite is ginger ale, but my husband likes to add a little sparkling water. Here’s what you’ll need for this station:

• Glasses – short rocks glasses or 8-ounce jars
• Ice and ice bucket with tongs
• Stir sticks
• Water – sparkling or still served from bottles or pitcher
• Soft drinks: Ginger Ale, Sprite, Coke or Pepsi, Cherry soda
• Juices: orange, cherry, lemonade
• Lemons, limes, and orange slices
• Dark cherries
• Mint leaves

PARTY TIP: To make things simple and less expensive, use 8-oz wide mouth canning jars for glasses. Traditional julep cups can be a little pricey for a crowd but if you have them, by all means use them.

Signature Drink – Mint Juleps

Since bourbon is a southern liquor, incorporate a southern signature cocktail. In this case it’s mint juleps.

This station is set up with mint simple syrup, ice and fresh mint for garnish. Use the mint julep recipe and let guests make their own, or stir up a prepared pitcher for them to pour.

While some guests may like their julep as is, it’s customary to add a splash of sparkling water to the drink, to help mellow it. I like to use Pellegrino, Perrier, or even Topo Chico. I’m also known to use a splash of ginger ale instead of water.

A potted mint plant doubles as table decor and a drink garnish. Guests can pinch off a mint sprig and add it to their glass.

Use a small galvanized bucket if you’re incorporating other silver pieces; that way it coordinates seamlessly. Just transfer the small potted plant from its nursery pot and insert it into your own container. Top the soil with moss for a finished look.

Add some DIY drink stirrers which double as glass markers. Tie different colors of thin ribbon, onto the end of a wooden skewer. It can be used to stir the cocktails and to identify each guests drink by the color of ribbon.

These also resemble a jockey’s whip so it’s perfect for a Derby party.

Food and Snacks

You’ve got to have some hearty party food and snacks to help soak up all that bourbon, but also a few bourbon infused foods help to encourage the theme.

These bourbon meatballs hit the spot and are a crowd pleaser! I never met a man who didn’t love to have cocktail meatballs at a party!

To stick with a southern theme you can make pimento cheese spread and serve with crackers, bread, or raw vegetables.

Other snacks include ham and sweet potato biscuits, which go great with bourbon. And bacon wrapped crackers – the saltiness of these appetizers pairs well with the sweetness of the bourbon.

For quick nibbles you can provide bowls of sweet & spicy pecans or nuts, cheese cubes, or savory snack mix.

For a sweet option add a dish of gourmet chocolates. Chocolate and bourbon is a delicious pairing. It’s almost like a theme within a theme!

Decor

Style the bourbon bar with southern themed decor, or take your cue from the Kentucky Derby and use a moss runner to mimic the infield and the tailgating areas where the real parties happen. Artificial turf grass also works for this.

Place some horseshoes and red felt roses on the table as a nod to the “run for the roses.”

Silver serving pieces give that classic Southern charm, and I love the juxtaposition between the elegant and the rustic. Use silver trays, silver cups or shot glasses, and silver buckets.

In lieu of printed signs use chalkboard signs. I used mini tags to highlight each drink station, and I made a DIY bar sign using a thrifted silver tray and chalkboard paint.

Want more beverage stations for your next party? Check out this lemonade bar for summer gatherings, or this iced tea bar for ladies luncheons and family get-togethers.

Bourbon Party Favors

A great way to send your guests on their way and remind them of what a great time they had, is to set out bourbon themed party favors. Mini bottles of bourbon are the perfect choice for the guys, while homemade bourbon balls are a sweet treat for the gals.

Set everything up on a tray and let guests choose. Wrap the bourbon balls in small bags, boxes, or in 4-ounce jars. 

More Bourbon Drinks

Other cocktails you may want to incorporate into a bourbon party are a bourbon iced tea or a bourbon and lemonade. And for a variation on the signature cocktail, make peach mint juleps. These are all very refreshing.

A bourbon Aperol cocktail is also delicious and well balanced in flavor. And if it’s fall or winter, go for a bourbon and cranberry cocktail.

Is this bourbon theme party your idea of fun?  I know my friends love it – especially the men.  This would be fantastic for any occasion, especially a gentleman’s birthday or a bachelor party.