Homemade Old Fashioned Mix Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you use simple syrup or sugar cube for Old Fashioned? ›

Use Rich Simple Syrup

The sugar cube is one Old Fashioned tradition that can definitely be skipped. While many recipes call for it, it offers no advantage over using a rich simple syrup and has several disadvantages. Most obviously, you have to find and buy sugar cubes and a muddler.

The most popular of the in-vogue "old-fashioned" co*cktails were made with whiskey, according to a Chicago barman, quoted in the Chicago Daily Tribune in 1882, with rye being more popular than Bourbon. The recipe he describes is a similar combination of spirits, bitters, water, and sugar of seventy-six years earlier.

If you're looking for a simple syrup substitute, there are three favorites you probably have right in your home: honey, maple syrup and agave. For honey or agave, add warm water to them, to help turn the mix to syrup. You can also use a sweet, juicy fruit, like an orange.

Mix the co*cktail: Place the bourbon, simple syrup, and Angostura bitters in a mixing glass. Add the ice and stir with a bar spoon for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain the co*cktail: Strain the co*cktail into a rocks glass over one large ice cube, or cubed ice.

The four components of a true Old Fashioned have remained the same: A base spirit, usually whiskey; water, in the form of ice melt; sugar, whether granulated or as simple syrup; and bitters. (Today, many bartenders would consider a citrus twist mandatory, as well.)

An Old Fashioned calls for two to three dashes of bitters—no more, no less—that are added to the glass once the sugar or simple syrup is in. While the amount seems small, having too many or too few dashes can dramatically change the taste makeup of the drink. The type and quality of bitters matters too.

The classic recipe, according to most mixologists, calls for Brown Demerara sugar cubes. Sugar cubes are previously measured, allowing for consistent whiskey to bitters ratios. The Angostura aromatic bitters have a rich scent of fruits and spices and are a necessary component of any classic Old Fashioned co*cktail.

Angostura makes perhaps the most ubiquitous bitters bottles out there, one that you'll see in nearly every bar - and one that you should have in your co*cktail arsenal at home. This reddish-brown bitters provides a fragrant bouquet of fruits and spices, and it's an essential ingredient for any classic Old Fashioned.

With that said, bourbon is often the go-to whiskey choice for an Old Fashioned. The relatively heavy body of the mostly corn-based spirit creates structure within the co*cktail, and its natural sweetness helps counterbalance the more astringent elements of bitters.

What was the first ever co*cktail? Accounts differ, but most experts agree that the first co*cktail was the Sazerac, a blend of whisky, absinthe, bitters and sugar. Created in New Orleans in the mid-1800s, this is one of the first co*cktails recognisable by name and remains a favourite to this day.

What does an Old Fashioned contain? ›

Made with just four ingredients—whiskey, sugar, Angostura bitters, and an optional (but recommended) orange peel or Luxardo cherry garnish—the Old Fashioned is up there with other co*cktail greats like the Manhattan, Negroni, and Sazerac.

For Old Fashioneds, a 2:1 simple syrup is recommended (meaning 2 parts sugar to 1 part water). Simply measure out the sugar and water, combine in a pan over heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. The type of sugar isn't a huge deal, but for best results use raw cane sugar or Demerara (my personal favorite).

Full list of ingredients for the classic Old Fashioned: Whiskey/bourbon. Orange, mandarin, clementine or orange juice (lemon can be substituted for oranges) Marashino cherries (if you don't have these, you can use blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.

A favorite among home bartenders and bar professionals alike, maple syrup is an easy way to twist a classic co*cktail, such as an Old Fashioned or a Margarita, into a completely different drink with its distinct flavor profile.

An Old Fashioned calls for two to three dashes of bitters—no more, no less—that are added to the glass once the sugar or simple syrup is in. While the amount seems small, having too many or too few dashes can dramatically change the taste makeup of the drink. The type and quality of bitters matters too.

DO NOT shake an Old Fashioned, always stir it. This has nothing to do with temperature but everything to do with texture. Shaking it will add air and water, diluting the co*cktail too quickly. Since the drink is primarily spirit, all you have to do is gently stir with ice, allowing for a smooth, velvety texture.