By Molly Snyder Senior Writer Published Oct 22, 2010 at 10:33 AM

OnMilwaukee.com and Maker's Mark® have partnered for a special promotion all October called "Paint The Town Red." We selected 10 of Milwaukee's best mixologists, asked them to share their trademark bourbon recipes, and now, we're giving you a chance to vote for -- and win $50 from -- one of their respective bars. Our jobs during this month were fun, too: we sampled each of the cocktails and are happy to tell you all about them.

To enter to win, just click here and vote for your favorite recipe. And make sure to visit these 10 bars and try these most unique of Maker's Mark cocktails, too. You'll be glad you did!

Kentucky Ninja

Muddle these items and fill with ice:
2 Orange Slices
5 Mint Leaves
1/2 Measure Simple Syrup

Then add:
2 parts Maker's Mark® Bourbon
1/2 part Canton® Ginger Liqueur
1 egg white

Shake vigorously and strain into new glass with fresh ice.  Fill with Brut Champagne.

Maybe it's because my father is from Kentucky, or maybe it’s because I have an unquenchable thirst for both ginger ale and champagne, but Joel Harris’ "Kentucky Ninja" is my favorite Maker’s Mark drink in the promotion.

I could get myself in trouble with these.

Harris, who works at Whiskey Bar, 788 N. Jackson St., has a history of bartending on vacation-destination islands and wanted to bring that fun-in-the-sun flavor to his made-in-Milwaukee cocktail. It worked.

The drink is light in color and refreshing, but not too fruity. It's light but rich, thanks to egg white and the liqueur, and slightly frothy. (Too frothy is never good, but a slight froth is delicious.)

The "Kentucky Ninja" is one cocktail I could drink during any season. And at any time of day, from brunch to late night. Yeah, keep these away from me.


Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.

Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.