In our opinion, The Old Fashioned is the best dang cocktail out there. It's classic, timeless, boozy, and delicious. Most Old Fashioned recipes combine whiskey, sugar, and bitters. A lot of recipes will include muddled fruit (oranges or cherries), and some Old Fashioneds are garnished with a citrus peel or a high-quality cherry.
Recipes for The Old Fashioned are as countless as the whiskeys that go in them. It seems like everyone you meet has their version of The Old Fashioned. Some folks like them sweeter, others like them more spirit forward. Some people swear by fruit, and other people wouldn't let an orange near their drink!
If you're like a lot of people, you enjoy drinking Old Fashioneds, but you don't want to figure out how to make them from scratch. You may be asking yourself questions like "Which bitters should I use? And how much?" or "How much sugar? Regular white sugar? Or should I use simple syrup?"
Making a delicious Old Fashioned at home does not have to be intimidating or hard. Here are the only five things you MUST have to enjoy a high-quality, easy-to-make Old Fashioned at home
1) A GLASS
Seems pretty simple, right? You'd be surprised how many folks have an opinion about what kind of glass you should drink your Old Fashioned out of. We say drink your Old Fashioned out of whatever you're most comfortable with. If that's a rocks glass, awesome! A mason jar? Cool! A red plastic cup? Go for it! Do you need a fancy mixing glass? Absolutely not. You can mix your Old Fashioned in the glass you're going to drink it out of.
2) ICE
Well, I guess you don't HAVE to have ice, but we've never met anyone who enjoys drinking Old Fashioneds at room temperature. Most people like them super cold, and super cold requires ice. Do you need fancy ice spheres that are crystal clear and made with natural spring water? Nope. If you prefer using a larger ice cube, awesome. Larger ice cubes can definitely make an Old Fashioned look super cool. There are some great, inexpensive ice molds out there that make ice look really good in a cocktail. But if all you have is ice from the refrigerator, then I promise, you can make a delicious Old Fashioned at home.
3) A SPOON
Technically you don't even need a spoon, just as long as you have something to stir with. I own some fancy bar spoons, and they're great. I feel like a real pro when I stir a cocktail with one of those things. But I've also used a regular cereal spoon, a tiny kids fork, and even a butter knife to stir my Old Fashioned. If it's something you can stir with, it will work!
4) WHISKEY
Raise your hand if you've ever met a whiskey snob. Good gracious it seems like they're everywhere these days. In their opinion, good whiskey needs to be a certain age, a certain proof, and have a certain price tag. The truth is, the whiskey that will make the best Old Fashioned for YOU is the whiskey YOU enjoy. I tend to gravitate towards a 90-100 proof bourbon, but a solid rye whiskey makes a fantastic Old Fashioned too. If you like the flavor of the whiskey, then that's all that matters!
5) ELI MASON OLD FASHIONED COCKTAIL MIXER
We take all the guesswork out of making a delicious Old Fashioned at home. Our Classic Old Fashioned Mixer is made with real cane sugar, a special blend of premium bitters, and zero artificial ingredients. Just add your favorite whiskey, stir over ice, and enjoy. Pick up a bottle and see if you like it. If you already know you're going to love it (trust us, you are), then snag a 3-Pack and save some dollars.
That's it! That's all you need to create a delicious Old Fashioned at home. If you want to garnish your Old Fashioned with an orange wedge, a cocktail cherry, or a lemon peel, go for it! Dress it up with a cool ice cube. Or don't. Sip it from a rocks glass, or your favorite coffee mug. At the end of the day, as long as you're sharing with friends and family, and drinking responsibly, then there is no wrong way to enjoy an Old Fashioned at home.
Cheers y'all!