The Shawangunks don’t exactly scrape the sky—let’s be real, they’re flat as a cowboy’s first pancake, but when that golden Hudson Valley sunset hits them just right, it’ll make you swear you’re looking at Olympus. That’s exactly where I was, up at the Shawangunk Mountains Cabin, when the evening light dared me to craft a drink that could live up to the view. And sugar, when a cowboy in leopard print takes a dare, he doesn’t just take it—he rides it all the way into legend.
Gay Bourbon Manhattan – Hudson Valley Mixology at the Shawangunk Mountains Cabin – Mixology with Maxwell Alexander – Luxury Travel – LGBTQ+ Travel – Presented by Alluvion Vacations
Now, let’s get something straight—well, nothing about me is straight, but you catch my drift—when I call myself the best mixologist in Hudson Valley, it ain’t because I can pour 69 Manhattans an hour while glaring at barbacks and polishing my suspenders… No, darlin’. That’s just bartending with extra attitude and an ironic mustache.
Real mixology is art. It’s storytelling in liquid form. It’s Hudson Valley Style Mixology, which means you take local flavor, wrap it in a little drama, add some sparkle, and then serve it up in a golden chalice while smirking like you’ve just been kissed.
And that’s exactly what my Gay Bourbon Manhattan is: a mood, a moment, and a middle finger to every self-important “mixologist” who thinks dropping an orange peel in a coupe makes them Hemingway. Honey, Hemingway never wore leopard-print muscle shirts designed by his hubby Dino, and that’s why he’ll never be me.
So here’s the recipe that turned a flat mountain sunset into a full-on Hudson Valley love story:
The Gay Bourbon Manhattan
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2 oz Black Dirt Bourbon (bold, local, and hotter than a cowboy at a line dance)
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1 oz Sweet Vermouth (because a little sweetness never killed nobody)
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½ oz Bourbon Black Walnut Sugar Syrup (made from the scandalously decadent sugar at The Spice & Tea Exchange)
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2 dashes Orange Bitters (just enough sass)
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Rim: Bourbon Black Walnut Sugar, sparkling like sequins at a drag show
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Garnish: Ember-diamond dried papaya cubes, skewered like jewelry
I start by chilling my golden chalice—because a cowboy doesn’t serve art in a Dixie cup. I run a slice of orange around the rim and press it into that walnut sugar until it glitters like a disco ball at Stonewall.
Then, bourbon, vermouth, syrup, bitters—stirred with the patience of a saint and the swagger of a sinner. Strain it silky into the chalice, crown it with papaya jewels, and there it is: the Gay Bourbon Manhattan, glowing brighter than a twink’s belt buckle at a rodeo.
Y’all, this ain’t just a cocktail, it’s a performance. It’s a reminder that while some poor soul in Brooklyn is counting how many dashes of Angostura he memorized in bartending school, I’m here in the Hudson Valley turning a flat mountain range into liquid poetry. That’s the difference between being a bartender and being a mixologist. A bartender hands you a drink. And the best mixologist in Hudson Valley like me? I hand you a story, a feeling, and maybe a hangover that’ll make you blush at a Hudson Valley drag brunch next day.
And here’s the gospel according to this cowboy: pack your bags, book the Shawangunk Mountains Cabin on Airbnb, and come experience pleasure on your own terms. The Shawangunks may not have peaks, but sugar, I sure as hell do—and this golden chalice I’ve stirred up tastes better than any guilty pleasure you’ve ever worshiped on a Sunday. This isn’t just a getaway, it’s a stage for your fantasies: hot tub steam, mountain sunsets, and the freedom to sip, strut, and sin exactly the way you want.
Because let’s face it: queer travel in Upstate New York is about more than rainbow flags in shop windows—it’s about experiences that feel both wild and intimate, rustic and luxurious. That’s why Hudson Valley Style Magazine created a whole guide to the best LGBTQ+ travel in Upstate New York. You deserve more than a standard-issue getaway; you deserve cabins with hot tubs, cocktails with sass, and stories that get retold in whispers long after you’ve gone home.
So raise your glass—or your chalice—to the Hudson Valley, where the sunsets are golden, the cocktails are gay, and the cowboys? Well, let’s just say we’ve redefined the word “peaks.”
The Best of LGBTQ+ Travel in the Hudson Valley and Catskills
The Hudson Valley and Catskills aren’t just destinations—they’re playgrounds of queer joy, rustic luxury, and unapologetic self-expression. From cabins with hot tubs steaming under starlit skies to boutique stays that feel like they were designed for your Instagram grid, this corner of Upstate New York has become the ultimate stage for LGBTQ+ travel. Whether you’re looking for a romantic escape with your man, a wild weekend with your crew, or a solo getaway to sip bourbon in peace, the region offers it all.
Think sultry sunsets at the Shawangunks, hikes that end in waterfalls more dramatic than a drag queen’s entrance, and farm-to-table feasts that taste even better when you know the farmers have been flirting with each other all afternoon. Add in vibrant queer-owned businesses, homoerotic art galleries that celebrate bodies and stories like ours, and nightlife that knows exactly when to get messy, and you’ve got a scene that rivals Fire Island—but with better mountains and fewer tan lines.
If you’re ready to keep your finger on the pulse of the best LGBTQ+ travel experiences in the Hudson Valley and Catskills, subscribe to the Hudson Valley Style Magazine newsletter. We’ll keep you updated on the hottest cabins, the sexiest cocktails, and the kind of adventures that make you want to pack your bags all over again.
