Directions
Shake it Up
In a shaker with ice, combine bourbon, sweet tea, lemon juice, and syrup. Shake until cold.
Pour with Ease
Strain into a tall glass over ice.
Garnish with Fire
Add a charred lemon wedge right on the rim. If you want it greener, tuck in a sprig of mint.
Recipe Note
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Hosting Notes
✦ For flair: Serve in mason jars for backyard charm.
✦ For garnish: Clap a mint sprig between your hands to release oils before adding.
✦ For elevation: Brew a batch of strong tea with smoked ice cubes for a slow-release effect.
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Pitmaster’s Pour
Want a Smash that tastes like it came straight from the pit? Fat-wash your bourbon with Boston butt drippings. The pork fat carries spice and smoke from the rub, adding depth that sweet tea alone can’t bring. One sip and you’ll swear the drink was poured right beside the pulled pork platter.
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From the Porch
The Smash belongs to those wide-open afternoons when the grill’s loaded with chicken, potato salad’s waiting on the table, and everyone’s grabbing mason jars from the counter. The tea is sweet, the bourbon steady, and the charred lemon ties it back to the coals. It’s a drink for the middle of the cook — plates full, conversations overlapping, and music floating across the yard.
These recipes are intended for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the United States; please follow the laws in your region). Fire up the grill, not the driver’s seat. Stoking the Coals encourages moderation, community, and safe enjoyment of food and drink. Please never drink and drive, and always respect your health, your guests, and the law.
