How to Make a Red Raider, the Juicy Whiskey Sour That’s Perfect for Summertime

The Red Raider is the perfect Father’s Day Cocktail, and we mean that almost entirely in a good way.

Every year, anyone with a father (or more acutely, a father-in-law) is bombarded with a legion of unbidden emails and targeted ads and all other sorts of commercial intrusions recommending gifts for Father’s Day. Despite their data-mining omniscience, these guides have the tendency to be unhelpful—they’re circumscribed by the simple fact that gifts are personal, and mass media is, by definition, not. At their best, they feature things that are good for the general idea of a dad—masculine but not aggressive, easy but not simple, and with broad enough appeal to please a crowd.

Meet the Red Raider. The Red Raider cocktail is bourbon, lemon, pomegranate, and orange liqueur, and comes to us from an old printing of the Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide, where it’s reportedly been since at least 1974. Where they got it, we can’t know—probably Lubbock, Texas, as the mind immediately goes to Texas Tech, whose famous football team has answered to the “Red Raiders” since 1937, though it’s worth noting that at the time there were several Red Raiders across the country, from Southern Oregon University to Colgate University in New York, so it’s really hard to say.

Regardless, the Mr. Boston is not exactly a hallowed text in the mixology community, and in this book the cocktail almost certainly would’ve stayed, were it not for famous bartender and owner Erick Castro, who dusted it off and featured it in a video in 2022. From there, it’s been seized upon by various cocktail bloggers and influencers, all of whom have been impressed by the ease, accessibility, and deliciousness of this overlooked little sour. The Red Raider “is a bourbon sour that can definitely use a bit of a spotlight,” said Castro, “which is wild because the drink is incredibly delicious, it goes back decades, but you never ever see it on any cocktail menus.”

This is why it’s perfect for Father’s Day—not just for the sports reference, but because, as is the requisite stereotype for such things, it features a strong backbone of American whiskey. Further, it’s also easy to make, calling for ingredients you may already have lying around, and as a topper, it’s resolutely delicious. 

It’s also perfect for Father’s Day (the aforementioned “almost entirely in a good way”) because it’s so broadly likeable, which is another way of saying it’s simple—if there were a criticism of the Red Raider, it would be that it’s a little too eager to please, and unless you’re precise with your measurements and/or intentional with your choice of bourbon, it can be a little juicy and a little uncomplex, and slide down a little too easily.

As far as issues go, that’s a pretty good one to have, and the Red Raider is perfectly at home on a Father’s Day gift guide because it’s precisely the type of unspecifically appealing thing you can broadly recommend to anyone who likes sour-style drinks and know that it’ll be enjoyed. And if we were to borrow some wisdom from fathers across the ages, we’d say that if being too likable is your biggest problem, you’re probably doing pretty alright.

Red Raider

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake good and hard for six to eight seconds. Strain over ice into a rocks glass and garnish with an orange peel if you’ve got one, a lemon peel or wheel if you don’t, or maybe just nothing at all. 

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

Bourbon: I want the bourbon to offer a little resistance, so I most enjoyed ones that were on the spicier side of the spectrum and 45 percent or higher, like Bulleit or the Elijah Craig Small Batch. It’s plenty good with every bourbon I tried it with, though the whiskey does tend to disappear if you use something sweeter and/or quieter.

 Most of the recipes you’ll find say to use 1.5 oz. of bourbon, but I think it needs that extra umph. And if the bourbon you’re using is less than 45 percent, I’d consider bumping the measure to 2 oz. 

Grenadine: Grenadine is equal parts pomegranate juice and sugar, sometimes with a little bit of floral notes blended in. Feel free to make it or buy it—no need to use a freshly squeezed pomegranate for this (though it is delicious), you can use POM Wonderful juice or otherwise buy your grenadine from a reputable company, like Liquid Alchemist, Small Hand Foods, Liber & Co, and others. Just make sure it says “pomegranate” somewhere on the bottle, ideally in the ingredients section. If it doesn’t (looking at you, Rose’s Grenadine), not only should you not use it for this drink, but you shouldn’t use it for any drink that isn’t for a child.

Cointreau: I tried this with Grand Marnier and Ferrand Dry Curacao and it’s just not as good. You need Cointreau. Yes, Cointreau is lightly expensive, but hey—this is your father we’re talking about here. He’s worth it.

Up vs. Rocks: Mr. Boston would have you serve this up, but I think it needs the extra dilution and chilling that comes from sitting on ice.