This is the history of the old fashioned cocktail. Explaining how it is a STYLE of drink, rather than a drink in itself. The old fashioned is one of my favorites to talk about because it really allows a great perspective to be had when it comes to understanding how drinks are built and enjoyed.
HISTORY
The old fashioned was first seen in print in Jerry Thomas’ book How to Mix Drinks in 1862, and became a mainstay in the culture of mixing drinks. The old fashioned, as stated earlier, is NOT just a whiskey drink. It is a style of drink, that defines the construction and guideline much like the golden ratio we talked about in previous post.
Now, the term “cocktail” originally intended for spirit, water, bitters, and sugar. This is why the Old fashioned came to be called the “old fashioned”, because this was the way of enjoying drinks for centuries before our time. This was a standard of drinks, and even a hundred years ago, the people STILL called it an “old fashioned”!
With that being said, the old fashioned you may see behind bars or others drinking do not ALWAYS contain whiskey, nor is it required to be made with whiskey. So much so, in fact, that an old fashioned (back a few hundred years ago) could be seen to be made with brandy or even genever (Jerry Thomas published the recipe in his book using Holland Gin). Although using whiskey is the most popular kind of old fashioned that is enjoyed today at the our bars around the globe.
The other way of seeing an old fashioned includes some fruit. This was seen around, particularly with Dale Degroff, legendary bartender. This was done to add some “fruitiness” to the cocktail and allowed some different flavors to come together. This of course, was a bit different than the original and some even added soda water to top it off. while this might not be the way I would enjoy my old fashioned, it certainly makes some people feel good and happy so why judge it?
RECIPE
With all of the history aside, and different styles, here is my favorite recipe for a classic whiskey old fashioned:
2 oz (60mL) whiskey (bourbon or rye)
0.25 oz (7mL) raw sugar syrup (Demerara syrup, rich 2:1) — this is also equivalent to a standard bar spoon
3 dashes Angostura bitter
2 dashes orange bitters
Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice filled about three quarters. Stir for about 30 seconds to dilute and emulsify. Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel.
At the end of the day, nobody can tell you the way you HAVE to drink your old fashioned cocktail. Because drinking anything requires one simple ingredient: RELAXATION
Drinking anything was to find the way to wind down with people close to us, and find peace at the end of a long day at work or otherwise.
Enjoy your drinks however you like! No one is ever “right” or “wrong” when making drinks. As long as you like what you drink, that is all that matters.
Jonathan Echavarria 