Ward Eight Cocktail

The Ward Eight cocktail is a drink built with rye whiskey, orange juice, lemon juice, and grenadine!

Ward Eight Cocktail Info

One of Boston's most significant contributions to craft cocktails is The Ward Eight. It is a 20th-century concoction. This cocktail was created to celebrate Martin M. Lomasney's election to the Massachusetts state legislature in 1898. Lomasney, a politician who held considerable power in Boston over 40 years, served as a senator and representative as the eighth ward's political boss.

The ward eight cocktail recipe was invented at Boston's Locke-Ober Cafe, according to all information available. The venerable French restaurant/bar survived to 2012. There are many ways to make it. However, the most popular one is a mixture of rye whiskey and lemon and orange juices. This is the recipe that David Wondrich, cocktail historian and author, created.

Many stories claim that the creation of Ward Eight happened before Lomasney won his election. This is because the bar staff was so certain that he would win. There are many stories about his win, including the tales that he gave out pre-filled ballots to voters who went to the polls. The man was popular despite his alleged shady dealings.

The Ward Eight is a variation of the Whiskey Sour. Some of the lemon juice is substituted with orange and simple syrup is replaced by grenadine. You can make homemade grenadine with freshly juiced pomegranates, or you can buy store-bought. The option is yours to make!

Two teaspoons of sweet-tart pomegranate sugar syrup are all that's required for the Ward Eight cocktail. If you make the grenadine, you can extend its shelf-life by adding vodka, but you can always use it fast by making a Tequila Sunrise. Some cocktails don't work well with the vodka-infused grenadine, so keep that in mind!