Ward Eight
The Ward Eight shakes rye, lemon juice, orange juice and grenadine into a fruitier whiskey sour with a bright red color and citrus finish.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a coupe while squeezing the citrus.
Measure the rye, grenadine, lemon juice and orange juice into a shaker.
Add ice and shake until thoroughly cold.
Strain into the coupe and serve without a garnish.
A thoughtful finish
- Strain large seeds out of the citrus before measuring.
- Keep the orange and lemon measures separate so the balance is repeatable.
- Start with the published grenadine measure; changing syrup brands can change perceived sweetness.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out lemon removes the sharper citrus component of this version.
- Using sweetened orange drink instead of orange juice adds sugar.
- Assuming every Ward Eight recipe has the same formula can lead to an unlabeled hybrid.
A few good questions.
What is in a Ward Eight?
This build contains rye, grenadine, lemon juice and orange juice.
Does Ward Eight use lime or lemon?
This J. Rieger build uses lemon; Liber & Co. publishes a different lime-based version.
Does it need a cherry?
No. J. Rieger specifies no garnish for this version.
Can I shake two servings at once?
Yes, if the shaker has space for the doubled liquids and enough ice; otherwise make them separately.
Variations
- Liber & Co. lime version — Liber & Co. lists 2 oz rye with ½ oz each grenadine, orange juice and lime juice, plus a brandied cherry.
- Rocks serve — serving adaptation — Strain the main recipe over fresh ice in a rocks glass instead of serving it up.
Where it comes from
by 1907 · Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
The Ward Eight is associated with Boston, but its familiar election-night origin story is contested. Lauren Clark’s entry in The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails describes the often-repeated claim that Tom Hussion made it at Locke-Ober in 1898 to mark Martin Lomasney’s expected election victory. The same entry notes that Hussion did not begin working there until 1900. Other accounts credit Billy Kane at Locke-Ober or Charlie Carter at the Puritan Club in 1903. These competing claims do not justify selecting one inventor. A 1907 Boston Herald column supplies an early published recipe, followed by a 1913 cocktail-book appearance. The recorded date here means documented by 1907, not invented that year. The main formula follows J. Rieger’s modern published version. Source: Lauren Clark, Ward Eight, The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails, reproduced by Spirits & Distilling.
Sources
- J. Rieger & Co. — Ward Eight (company source) link
- Liber & Co. — Ward 8 (company source) link
- Lauren Clark — Ward Eight, The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails (reference) link
Strength. About 1.5 US standard drinks at an estimated 19.2% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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