old old fashioned

[pete k]

I had one made for me Friday night when I asked the bartender to suggest a cocktail with bourbon. It took him about 10 minutes to make the drink. He stirred each ice cube in individually until he was pleased with the final results. I don't recall that he used any fruit, but again I didn't pay full attention. I believe he used what appeared to be a Demerara sugar cube, but I could be wrong.

I've searched all over and can't seem to find a proper recipe. Help!

[tim irvine]

My recipe may be heretical, but I like a finger of water, a scant teaspoon of turbinado sugar, a couple of shakes of Angostura bitters, and a cherry, plenty of ice, and top up a double old fashioned glass with favorite bourbon or, if feeling penurious, Evan Williams. No soda, no fruit. In the summer for a lighter drink, same drll with Peychaud's.

[eatanddestroy]

I always like an old fashioned, but the last few that I got in Boston had way too much soda water for my liking (I'm talking about 2 to 5 ounces), even at a bar where the bartenders know how to make some good cocktails.

Nothing is sadder than getting an old fashioned that tastes like you are drinking rye flavored water with a bit of fruit.

Unless I can tell the bartender directly to use no more than a drop of water, I don't order them.

[scubadoo97]

For an old old fashioned use Ancient Ancient Age bourbon ;)

[Ditdah]

Sounds like you had a better experience that I did! This weekend I was out with friends (at a casual chain restaurant) and I ordered an Old Fashioned. The bartender asked me "an old fashioned what?" I said "never mind" and ordered a glass of wine, instead.

[Klunco]

At least you didn't order a "Martini" and get a glass of vodka shaken with ice.

While I love cocktails, I tend to stick to either making them at home or ordering them only at places that have serious cocktail programs. It's great that cocktails are making a resurgence, but without proper training or respect for good ingredients (ie. the stale vermouth that's been on the bar for a year), it's an expensive landmine for consumers. There is no bigger ripoff than ordering a poorly made $10 or $12 cocktail.

As far as a good old-fashioned: try using a lemon instead of an orange with Rye Whiskey. I find lemon and rye is a great combo, while bourbon and orange work best together.

[yarm]

Depends on what you're going after. Orange is softer and lemon is sharper, and your suggestion definitely complements the whiskey types. Some bars do a swath of each.

The Slate last week had an excellent article on the Old Fashioned that is worth a read given the historical changes in the recipe and perceptions of the drink:
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/dr...

[yarm]

Paul Clarke (writes for Imbibe and other publications) is as good of a source as any:

Old Fashioned

1 smallish sugar cube (or 1/2 to 1 tsp sugar, to taste) OR 1-2 tsp gomme syrup
2 dashes Angostura or Fee’s Old-Fashioned Aromatic Bitters
a few drops of water
2 ounces bourbon or rye (or 3–what the hell)
strip of orange or lemon peel

Place the sugar in an Old Fashioned glass, moisten with the water and bitters then muddle until dissolved (chuck the fruit peel in, if you like–I don’t). Add the whiskey, give it a quick stir, then add a big chunk of ice or two and stir again. Hit it.

http://www.cocktailchronicles.com/2005/10/18/no-time-to-mess-around/

Only thing I would change is increasing the water to dissolve the sugar cube. If you add a teaspoon of sugar, 1 tsp of water will work but 2 tsp of water will make it easier. Effort can be saved by making simple syrup out of demerara or other flavorful sugars (white sugar will work well too), but I have demerara sugar cubes mostly only for Old Fashioneds. Also, muddling with the peel in the drink is one option, the other is to twist over the top to express the oils on the drink's surface (dropping it in or not is your call).

http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/

[pete k]

Much appreciated, thank you.

I'll make an attempt at it tonight and post results if anyone's interested.