How to Mix an Old Fashioned

Classic Drink Easier than it Looks

Feb 12, 2009

Brandy or Whiskey, sweet or sour, making an old fashioned is as simple as the ingredients that go into it. Read on and learn ways to make this barroom favorite.

Possibly the first drink to be called a cocktail, the old fashioned was most likely invented in the late 1880's by a bartender at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky. The drink was simple: combine some bourbon, bitters, sugar, water and ice and bang, you've got yourself a drink.

In an old fashioned glass, combine the cube of sugar, water and bitters (or simple syrup and bitters). If needed, crush the sugar mixture to coat the bottom of the glass. Add the cubes of ice and whiskey. Garnish with a twist.

Served in a glass named for itself, the old-fashioned has pretty much gone out of style in the United States, but remains popular in much of the Midwest. Options to making the drink are as long as its century existence, but debates on keeping the purity of the drink often negate the tasty variations.

For most purists, the drink remains what it has always been, a whiskey cocktail with the minimum additions made. For others who enjoy a new take on an old favorite, adding a wash of sweet or sour (or in many cases soda water), mixing brandy instead of whiskey, or an added slice of orange garnish or a maraschino cherry make the drink that much more interesting. The decision, however, is always up to the drinker, to play around with the recipes and find what truly works for you.

The following recipe has been popularized in the northcentral region of Wisconsin. Known as a whiskey (or brandy) old fashioned sweet (or sour), it is just one take on what has become known as Wisconsin's state drink.

In an old fashioned glass, combine the cube of sugar, water and bitters (or a splash of simple syrup and bitters). If needed, crush the sugar mixture to coat the bottom of the glass. Add the cubes of ice and your choice of whiskey or brandy. Top with sweet or sour wash and garnish with an orange slice or cherry. Sit back and enjoy!

The copyright of the article How to Mix an Old Fashioned in Beverage Recipes is owned by Jessica Spengler. Permission to republish How to Mix an Old Fashioned in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.