Busted Pipe (Bourbon Amaro Cocktail)

Love amaro and bourbon? This Amaro Cocktail, which we lovingly call the Busted Pipe, is similar to an Old Fashioned and a Paper Plane. It’s a warming, sweet and bitter drink that’s perfect for sipping. Makes 1, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

My sister-in-law, her roommate and their friends developed this cocktail recipe back in the Deep Freeze of 2021, and they’ve graciously agreed to share their creation with the world today here on TSP.

In February 2021, the entire state of Texas experienced a Snowpocalypse, and many of us, my family here in Dallas and my sister-in-law, Julia, and her roommate, Haley, in Austin, lost power.

Julia and Haley ended up staying with their friend Sarah and Neil during that time. Inspired by recipes from the Food Network and the New York Times, they decided to make an Amaro Nonino cocktail because they wanted something to “warm our bellies and drown our sorrows.”

Haley nicknamed the cocktail “The Busted Pipe” in reference to what the deep freeze was doing to a lot of homes and businesses at the time.

And they’ve been making this cocktail ever since.

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Why I love this recipe:

I’m new to the scene with amaro, but I had a bottle of it in my office that we put to good use. (Hi, hello. I’m a food blogger… No side eye, please and thank you.)

This drink is strong, but it’s easy to sip. It’s got a warming sweetness that goes down easy, and I can definitely see how this drink provided some warmth and comfort during the deep freeze.

If you’re someone who loves amaro, this is probably going to be a new favorite of yours.

If you love bourbon, this is a fun twist on a few classic bourbon cocktails, too. (Think of a combination of an Old Fashioned, Black Manhattan and a Paper Plane.)

And if you’re just looking for something new to try, I suggest giving this a shot!

Other winter cocktails to make at home: Pomegranate Margarita | Blizzard Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail | Toasted Pecan Old Fashioned | Cranberry Mule | Pomegranate Hot Buttered Rum

Need bartending inspiration? Head on over to my Cocktail Recipe Index for more ideas.

What you need to make this recipe

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• Old fashioned glasses (or another cocktail glass)
• Channel knife (or a vegetable peeler) to create the lemon twist
• Large square ice cube molds

Here’s what you will need:

• Amaro — this is an Italian herbal liqueur that means “bitter.” It typically has bitterness paired with a little sweet, and it’s oftentimes served as an after-dinner digestif. Our favorite brand is Amaro Nonino.
• Bourbon — whatever bourbon you’ve got on hand will work here, so long as it’s something that’s drinkable and enjoyable for you! We used Four Roses bourbon because that’s what we had on hand.
• Luxardo cherries — while you could use a traditional maraschino cherry, these Luxardo cherries are a step above and incredibly delicious! Maraschino cherries are traditionally really sweet, and Luxardo cherries taste better balanced to me. They really add a little something extra to this amaro cocktail.
• Lemon peel — for a little citrus brightness, acid and pop

How to make a Busted Pipe Amaro Cocktail

Mise en place. Make sure you’ve got your ingredients, as well as a large ice cube. This takes this cocktail to another level.

Make the drink. Place the ice cube in your glass. Pour equal parts amaro and bourbon into the glass. Add the cherry and lemon peel, then stir until combined.

Enjoy immediately!

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips and Tricks

This amaro cocktail is great for sipping and would be an excellent recipe to serve at a low-key dinner party after dinner is over. (It also works well if you’ve had to abandon your house and stay with a friend because you’ve lost power during a winter storm…)

If you want to share this cocktail with friends, here are a few ideas of how to make it easy as pie on yourself:

• Let guests mix their own. Print out this recipe and place it in a frame so guests can see the measurements. Set out amaro, bourbon, a jar of Luxardo cherries and several lemon twists on a flat surface along with a jigger and let guests make their own.
• Make it a pitcher. If you’re serving a crowd, this would be an incredibly easy cocktail to make that way. Equal parts amaro and bourbon go into the pitcher, then simply pour into your guests’ glasses with ice. Garnish with the cherry and lemon twist to make the drink.

Frequently Asked Questions