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If you’ve followed Joel Dahmen on the PGA Tour, you know the guy doesn’t take himself too seriously, and neither does his cocktail. “Joel’s Juicy Lie” is a playful nod to golf’s most familiar excuse (the ball was in a divot, I swear), turned into a bright, citrus-forward drink built for sitting in the gallery or watching from the couch. It leans on Bushmills Irish Whiskey for backbone, then softens things out with grapefruit soda, fresh lime, and a splash of pineapple juice.
The whiskey doesn’t try to dominate here. Bushmills has a smooth, slightly honeyed character that plays well against the bitterness of grapefruit soda instead of fighting it, and the pineapple juice rounds the whole thing out with just enough tropical sweetness to keep it from tasting sharp. Fresh lime juice is doing more work than people expect in a drink this simple, it’s what keeps the sweetness in check and stops the soda from taking over.
This isn’t a cocktail that asks for precision. It’s built directly in the glass, no shaker, no strainer, just pour, stir, and garnish. That makes it an easy one to keep making round after round if you’re hosting a watch party, and forgiving enough that swapping in a different citrus soda or grapefruit juice instead of soda won’t break it.
Glass: Highball glass | Strength: Medium | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 4 minutes
Bartender’s tip: Bushmills is the traditional call here, but any smooth, approachable Irish whiskey will work if that’s what you have on hand. Just don’t reach for anything too peaty, it’ll fight the grapefruit instead of complementing it.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Bushmills Irish Whiskey
- 3 oz grapefruit soda
- 0.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- Ice
- Lime wheel or wedge for garnish
- Optional: Bucket hat stir stick (for a fun, golf-themed touch)
Steps
- Prepare Your Glass: Start by filling a highball glass with ice cubes. This will ensure your drink stays cool and refreshing.
- Add the Whiskey: Pour 1.5 oz of Bushmills Irish Whiskey over the ice. This is the base of your cocktail, providing rich, smooth flavors.
- Mix in the Grapefruit Soda: Add 3 oz of grapefruit soda to the glass. The soda adds a citrusy effervescence that pairs beautifully with the whiskey.
- Freshen with Lime Juice: Squeeze 0.5 oz of fresh lime juice into the mix. This will give your cocktail a zesty kick and balance the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Top with Pineapple Juice: Pour in 1 oz of pineapple juice to introduce a tropical sweetness that complements the citrusy notes.
- Stir and Garnish: Give the cocktail a gentle stir to mix all the ingredients. Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge on the rim of the glass. For a fun twist, you can add a bucket hat stir stick if you have one handy.
- Serve and Enjoy: Your "Joel's Juicy Lie" is ready to be enjoyed! Sip it slowly and imagine you're on the golf course, recapping the day's best shots with friends.
