The Bootleg Drink – Minnesota’s signature cocktail

The Bootleg Drink is Minnesota’s signature cocktail. This delicious, summery citrus drink is the perfect beverage to enjoy on a hot summer day!

We seem to get stuck in drink ruts in our house. We tend to make my husband’s delicious Lemon Drop cocktail too often because it’s just so perfect to enjoy on a hot summer day. We are always on the hunt for other beverages that are light, fresh and easy to sip on.

Thankfully the Bootleg Cocktail recently fell into our laps. I mean, we are Minnesotans so we were bound to discover it eventually, right?

This drink is DELICIOUS. The lemon-lime combo, along with mint? Freshness overload. Be warned, though, it is hard to taste the alcohol.

HISTORY OF THE BOOTLEGGER DRINK

The Bootleg Cocktail originates in Minnesota’s Twin Cities from the prohibition period when alcohol was off limits. The ingredients in this cocktail were meant to mask the booze! Proceed with caution!

There isn’t any hard documentation, but the word on the street is that Minneapolis area country clubs are specifically where this drink originated.

MAKE YOURSELF A DELICIOUS BOOTLEG COCKTAIL!

STEP 1

Combine 1 can of frozen limeade, 1 can of frozen lemonade and 2 to 3 bunches of fresh mint leaves in a blender and puree. Add 1/4 cup of simple syrup to the lemon lime mint mixture in the blender and puree until just mixed in. Fill the blender with water so it is three quarters of the way full.

STEP 2

Fill a tall glass with ice and add 2 parts booze (vodka or gin), 3 parts Bootleg Mix, and 2 parts club soda. Garnish with mint and serve!

RECIPE NOTES

• Slice up some limes and add squeeze them into your drink just before consuming. Fresh squeezed lime juice adds a nice citrus flavor and also act as a beautiful garnish!
• Gin, vodka or Rum have been historically used in this beverage. Whatever your taste preference might be, you’re still going to love the end result of this drink.
• If serving this beverage to guests, be sure to add a mint sprig or even chopped mint to each glass to impress.
• The lemonade limeade combo is such a delicious one. To change things up slightly, use a different variety such as raspberry or pink lemonade.
• Use a 1-oz. shot glass to measure the parts for this drink, or a liquid measuring cup works, too.
• To most efficiently serve this drink to guests, pour the ingredients one at a time (ice, booze, Bootleg mix, club soda and garnishes) over each glass filled with ice.

ENJOY A COCKTAIL WITH ONE OF THESE DRINK RECIPES!

The Bootlegger drink is delicious, but don’t limit yourself! Try a handful of these drink recipes on your deck the next time you are craving a fresh alcoholic beverage.

• The Best Margaritas
• Blueberry Mojitos
• Mint Juleps
• Watermelon Raspberry Sangria
• The Best Mai Tai
• Gin and Tonic