The Old Fashioned

[wildturkey8]

My favorite cocktail is an Old Fashion. Anyone care to share their favorite Old Fashion recipes? I love the old retro cocktails, not many bartenders know how to them mix today. The emphasis is on rooti-tooti fresh and fruity.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I've not experimented with these as much as I would like, hmm the weekend is fast-approaching. However, I have enjoyed what I have had. From the look of your name I would wager that you've already got good taste in whisky.

What's your recipe?

 

[wildturkey8]

Ethan

I don't know the precise recipe but they a mean old fashion at the Steak Inn restaurant at Shell Knob, Missouri deep in the Ozarks. I would venture to say that it go something like this: simple syrup, aromatic bitters, some orange squeezings and at least 2 oz. fine whiskey. I prefer bourbon but rye or scotch will do. Yes Ethan we do pride ourselves on appreciation of fine whiskey down in this neck of the woods. We consider it the Lords drink, and making it the Lords work.

 

[KittyT]

Note: The correct term is Old Fashioned. I love them, but will only order them from about 2 bartenders in town, and only when it's not busy. Want to really piss off a bartender? Order one of these on a busy night.

In my mind, there's no tried and true recipe, and just like the martini, everyone has their special way that they like them. I make them the way my favorite bartenders do: muddle orange and cherry, add about 2 shots of whiskey, bitters to taste, top with soda, garnish with orange or cherry. A lot of bartenders use Maker's Mark, I prefer Jim Beam Rye. I've never seen a bartender add simple syrup to one of these, and I would never do it at home, but that's just my taste. I will occasionally add a dash of maraschino cherry juice if I'm craving a little extra sweetness. I also like these heavy on the cherries!

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Note: The correct term is Old Fashioned. I love them, but will only order them from about 2 bartenders in town, and only when it's not busy. Want to really piss off a bartender? Order one of these on a busy night.

In my mind, there's no tried and true recipe, and just like the martini, everyone has their special way that they like them. I make them the way my favorite bartenders do: muddle orange and cherry, add about 2 shots of whiskey, bitters to taste, top with soda, garnish with orange or cherry. A lot of bartenders use Maker's Mark, I prefer Jim Beam Rye. I've never seen a bartender add simple syrup to one of these, and I would never do it at home, but that's just my taste. I will occasionally add a dash of maraschino cherry juice if I'm craving a little extra sweetness. I also like these heavy on the cherries!

Jim Beam Rye = lovely

I'm currently enjoying one made with Benchmark made to the Old Mr Boston recipe, not bad. I think I need to experiment more and also get some better garnish.

 

[Lady Day]

The Old Fashioned is one of my faves, but I like the original recipe(s) better than the newer 'fruity' versions.

Dissolve a small lump of sugar with a little water in a whiskey glass
Add two dashes Angostura bitters
A small piece of ice
A piece lemon peel
Add one jigger (1.5 ounces or 44 mL) whiskey

Although, I do admit, I do need a spritz of seltzer water, as this mix is too strong for me

LD

 

[wildturkey8]

KittyT: You are right. In fact, the correct term is Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail. Rye whiskey was used in the original formulation. It is correct that few bartenders know how to mix it, which makes it even better.

 

[KittyT]

Here are some Old Fashioned recipes from "The Barman's Mentor: For Professionals, Private Bars and Home Use" (1936)

Creole Old Fashioned

Muddle in Old Fashioned glass
1 lump sugar
3 dashes of Bitters (Abbotts or Angostura)
1 thin piece of lemon rind
1 slice of orange
1 slice of pineapple

Place into glass two or three cubes of ice and pour in one jigger of Rye Whiskey. Stir a little, add one squirt of seltzer water.

Old Fashioned (Pre-Prohibition)

Muddle in Old Fashioned glass half a teaspoon of granulated, or one small lump of sugar with half a jigger of water and one or two dashes of abbott's or Angostura Bitters. Place into glass one cube size piece of ice. Then twist one thin piece of lemon rind over glass to express the oil and insert. allow customer to pour the liquor desired, handing him the bottle and a Whiskey Measuring glass. On the side, serve a small glass of plain or seltzer water. During Prohibition on account of the poor quality of liquor served by speakeasies, this famous drink was camouflaged so as to help smooth the spirits and make the concotion taste better. The cocktail was made as follows and has become the standard today:

Old Fashioned (Today*) *that is to say, 1936

1 lump of sugar muddled with 1/2 jigger water
2 dashes of Bitters (Abbott's or Angostura)
Add 1 jigger of liquor desired
1 or 2 cubes of ice
Stir these ingredients a little and add the following decorations:
1 slice of orange
1 small slice of pineapple
1 Maraschino cherry
1 thin piece of lemon rind twisted over glass to express the oil and inserted

During Prohibition, very often a teaspoonful of Italian Vermouth or the juice of Maraschino cherries of Curacao flavoring was added to help make the cocktail more pleasing. When genuine Curacao (orange) is added with good liquor it makes this drink more delicious.

One Of My Own (still from the book)

Muddle in Old Fashioned glass--
1 lump of sugar with 1/2 jigger of water
2 dashes of Bitters (Abbott's or Angostura)
2 dashes of Absinthe or substitutes
Add 1 jigger of Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
1 or 2 cubes ice

Twist one thin piece of lemon rind over glass to express the oil and insert. Stir a little and serve. NOTE: This was a popular drink at Louis Bustanoby's Cafe des Beaux Arts, 40th Street and Sixth Avenue, New York City, during the "Gay Nineties".

 

[lairddouglas]

Old Fashioned

Here in the land of Brandy - Wisconsin - the Old Fashioned is made with Brandy. Korbel seems to be the big one ... I prefer J.Bavet. I like mine sweet with two olives.

My recipe is :
shot J.Bavet(sometimes two)
shot Sweet Vermouth
shake of peychaud bitters
1/2 shot cane syrup
mix well
Top with white soda

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I had a little experiment yesterday and this was the best version I cam up with, I think:

Old Fashioned Glass
Add 1/2 teaspoon of white sugar (I didn't have any cubes)
Add enough water to cover and dissolve the sugar.
Add two splashes of Angostura bitters
Swirl/stir glass until the sugar has dissolved
Add measure of whisky (35ml Benchmark in this case)
Add cherry and slice of orange
Add two large chunks of ice

That's about it although I thought in future I may sub the sugar for some maraschino syrup (Thanks Kitty)

 

[Absinthe_1900]

The old drink recipes.

If only Abbotts bitters could be made today. commercially

 

[KittyT]

That's about it although I thought in future I may sub the sugar for some maraschino syrup (Thanks Kitty)

You can also use a bit of maraschino liqueur

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Kitty, an interesting idea.
A little Wild Turkey news: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7989185.stm

 

[FedoraGent]

Old Fashioned

I prefer my Old Fashioned with either Sazerac Rye or Rittenhouse Rye...

FG.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I like all of the Rye whiskey that Sazerac produces. and a couple of their other products too....

http://www.sazerac.com/aWhiskey.aspx

Some of the others made by Buffalo Trace. where the Sazerac Co. distillery is located

http://www.greatbourbon.com/

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I've just made an old fashioned with muscovado sugar which was quite nice, I think I'll try it with benchmark next time.

 

[ladybrettashley]

I make mine just like the recipe Mr. Bentley posted, but with no orange. I generally use Knob Creek, but i've been wanting to try a good rye, and generally do a broader quality whiskey taste-testing. =)

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I make mine just like the recipe Mr. Bentley posted, but with no orange. I generally use Knob Creek, but i've been wanting to try a good rye, and generally do a broader quality whiskey taste-testing. =)

That sounds like an excellent idea, truly, the only way to find the best is to have a taste test.

 

[Christy]

This was my Grammy's favorite cocktail. She would order one when we would go out to dinner for special occasions. I have yet to try one because I don't generally drink whiskey, one day I'll try it.

On a side note, I'm new, and I was wondering, is it okay to post on threads that haven't been active for awhile, like this one? I've seen a lot of threads I want to comment on but they haven't been active in a month or so.

 

[scotrace]

There's the story of President & Mrs. Truman's first night at the White House.
Mrs. truman sent down to the bartender their nightcap order: two Old Fashioned. The bartender mixed them and sent them upstairs. Back down they came with the note "too weak."
The White House bartender, of course, prided himself on his skills. So he mixed up two more, a little stronger, and sent them up. Back down they came "too weak."
So the fellow took the rather cheeky step of sending up two glasses of straight whiskey on ice. They were accepted, and the note sent down said "Now THAT'S the way we like our Old Fashioneds!"