Old fashioneds are probably my favorite cocktail. Here is my basic recipe:
1/2 tsp sugar;
3 dashes bitters;
splash soda water;
half orange slice;
2oz (ish) of rye whiskey
Muddle all the ingredients except whiskey, add whiskey and ice then start your own advertising agency.
For variations, I like to replace the soda water with ginger ale. This is a good version for people who don’t drink real cocktails that much. I usually use a little more ginger ale in this variation than I would soda water.
Tonight I’m going to use a clementine orange slice to see what that yields. I also might use bourbon instead of rye.
Anyone else have some variations? (Yes I know this can be a can of works among the drinking set, but it’s the holidays).
No cherries? No muddling? I can go either way on the booze (brandy or whiskey), but you have to have cherries, and you have to muddle them with the orange.
We had tangerine Old Fashioneds last week, they were very good, although I think they were a bit too sweet. I like the acidity that real orange brings.
Wisconsin’s Old Fashioneds seem to be regional interpretations on the drink. It’s properly made with rye and a muddled sugar cube. (and bitters and soda water.)
I mention muddling in the OP. I don’t include the cherry because I don’t really notice a difference in flavor when it is left out. I’ve heard of the brandy version, I think it’s a midwest thing, but I’ll give it a shot.
Oh, hells no. I grew up in Wisconsin too, but it’s not the Old Fashioned’s fault that Wisconsinites consume the most brandy in the US. It’s properly made with rye or bourbon, not brandy. You’ve no idea how much I hate having to specify that I want it with bourbon instead of just getting it that way. Don’t you go messing up my drink too!
I love Old Fashioneds. Imma little peeved by Mad Men too - I’ve been drinking them long before that show was on the air. However, if some show on AMC gets the drink made properly now (no brandy!), then I’m all for it.
Both an orange slice and a cherry please, properly muddled. Bitters are key.
So in Wisconsin, brandy is the default liquour in an old fashioned? Yikes. A friend of mine is from WI and that’s how she drinks them, but I thought you would still have to specify at the bar.
This week, I made one with clementine orange and orange bitters and I cut back on the sugar. It was pretty tasty, but a little too sweet. Next, I want to make one with a fresh cherry to see if it adds more flavor than a maraschino cherry does, but I probably won’t get around to it until next year.