The Black Eyed Susan co*cktail Recipe – A Nerd Cooks (2024)

Jul 16, 2015 · Modified: May 11, 2021 by Lauren Pacek · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Black Eyed Susan co*cktail combines fresh fruit juices and two kinds of booze to make one dangerously drinkable co*cktail.

This drink is perfect for sipping during warm weather. If you're in need of more Summery co*cktails, try my AMF Drink and Watermelon Crush!

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

It's delicious. It's sweet, fruity, and so boozy. It tastes fantastic.
It's so easy to make. If you can shake a co*cktail shaker, you can make this drink.
This is the official drink of the Preakness! What better way to celebrate while watching the race?

💭 What is a Black Eyed Susan?

It's the official drink of the Preakness Stakes!

Did you know that every race in the famed Triple Crown has its own co*cktail? The Kentucky Derby (race#1) has the Mint Julep, of course (see this Derby Cup co*cktail for a fun variation, too). The Belmont Stakes (race #3) has the Belmont Jewel--which to be honest, I didn't know was a thing until like, last week. The drink, that is. Not the race.

And then there's the Preakness Stakes (race #2). The Preakness has the Black Eyed Susan.

Once it's all shaken up and poured over ice, all you can really taste is the fruit juice. Which, I mean, is delicious. But I can totally see how folks could inadvertently get hammered on these things.

We never made it to the Preakness while we lived in Baltimore, but some friends have gone. From the sounds of it, the Preakness Infield was a hot mess (...sorry Preakness folks). And honestly, I can see how it would get that way if you've been out in the sun all day, pounding Black Eyed Susans.

📝 Ingredients

So what's all in a Black Eyed Susan? Fresh, delicious ingredients, plus a couple of kinds of booze. Let's talk about them below.

• Pineapple juice: You can use fresh or bottled/canned pineapple juice. I usually reach for canned juice out of convenience.
• Orange juice: I prefer freshly squeezed OJ, but you can use bottled juice if you have to.
• Sour mix: Leave the bottled stuff on the shelf and reach for some homemade sour mix. It's dead easy to make and tastes great.
• Bourbon: Grab your favorite bourbon! There's no need to reach for anything that's too too expensive, since there are lots of other ingredients and flavors in this drink. But use something that's at least decent.
• Vodka: The same thing that applies to bourbon also applies to vodka: no need to go super top shelf, but also please don't use bad quality vodka.
• Garnishes: As always, garnishes are optional, but this drink looks particularly pretty when garnished with a maraschino cherry and an orange wheel/slice.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to make a Black Eyed Susan

It's very easy to make this co*cktail.

Put the juices, sour mix, bourbon, and vodka in a co*cktail shaker with ice. I go for one big cube. This allows the drink to get properly chilled, but avoids unnecessary dilution.

Shake everything until it's very cold (about 10-15 seconds) and strain it into a tall glass with ice. After that, just garnish the drink with some fresh orange (a wheel or slice is nice) and a maraschino cherry.

You can also customize this drink a bit, too. Feel free to substitute rum for the bourbon, if that's your preference. I have made it with a vodka/rum combo, and it is also great. Follow your heart! Or let the contents of your liquor cabinet dictate the ingredients.

🔗 Other Summery co*cktails

Looking for more Summery, warm weather co*cktails? Click on any of the photos below to be taken straight to the recipe!

❓ FAQs

I'd love to know what you thought of this recipe! Don't forget to leave a comment and ⭐️ star rating below!

✨ Recipe