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An Old Fashioned

Macanudo

By Macanudo
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Bone3421

Bone3421 716

Posted
Posted

Just piggy backing after catching up a bit


Yes i agree artificial sweetners in a OF are ridiculous

And if you read OP and my response on "page1" on tapa but think its page one
With a highend luxardo cherry you dont need to add in sugar if you muddle

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Okie State

Okie State 3,816

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I don't mind them with Bourbon, but they can get too sweet. I haven't even been adding sugar to mine. Just a little of the Luxardo syrup is enough for me.

One of the better Old Fashioneds I've had at a restaurant was at Bludorn. I had a few though and can't even remember what they used in it.

I bought my Dad all the supplies including a bottle of Templeton last year for Christmas and he hasn't even cracked it yet. Thinking about swiping it next time I'm over there.

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utee94

utee94 15,810

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17 minutes ago, Okie State said:

I don't mind them with Bourbon, but they can get too sweet. I haven't even been adding sugar to mine. Just a little of the Luxardo syrup is enough for me.

One of the better Old Fashioneds I've had at a restaurant was at Bludorn. I had a few though and can't even remember what they used in it.

I bought my Dad all the supplies including a bottle of Templeton last year for Christmas and he hasn't even cracked it yet. Thinking about swiping it next time I'm over there.

Or just make and drink some old fashioneds with him...

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Austinvines

Austinvines 317

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Have a generous friend who brought over a Weller 12. We had a night of fantastic drinks but the OF was the best.

1 oz Rittenhouse
1 oz Weller 12
1/4 oz Rich Demerara syrup
1/4 of a thick orange wheel
Dashes of angostura

Stirred with ice to chill

Julep strainer into a highball over a big rock.
Garnish with a cocktail cherry and orange zest.

Given the cost of the Weller, I think this would be a $40 cocktail at a bar and I probably pay it happily. Damn good booze.

3a71e33dffa9bcbc1d223edfc1282e07.jpg

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irishtexan

irishtexan 11,515

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I use Wild Turkey 101 for my old fashioneds. The high rye content of Wild Turkey holds up well, and the high proof holds up against dilution. I keep it simple. 2.25 oz of WT101, 1/4 oz simple, three or four healthy dashes of angostura over a large ice cube. Stir for a good minute. Really gotta stir an old fashioned. Rub rim of glass with orange peel and drop orange peel in drink. Enjoy. 

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billfromlaketravis

billfromlaketravis 11,448

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I paid $18 for a Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned at Pappas Bros. It's probably the shittiest drink I've had at a bar in recent memory. 

They made it with a ton of ice, that they later strained and put in a big ice cube. It was super watery. 

I guess its business decision, but why are so many bars using bourbons in their Old Fashioneds instead of rye? 

Edited by billfromlaketravis
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huge

huge 3,793

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Weller 12 is one of my favorites, be hard for me to make it into an OF. That being said, I bet it was a fantastic drink.

I once made an OF with Thomas Handy.

I think I just wanted to see if I could tell the difference. Of course I could. Sacrificed 2oz to the taste gods. It was a one time thing.
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Hermanator

Hermanator 7,032

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37 minutes ago, huge said:


I once made an OF with Thomas Handy.

I think I just wanted to see if I could tell the difference. Of course I could. Sacrificed 2oz to the taste gods. It was a one time thing.

Can't tell what you're saying here. Are you saying it does make a big difference using a premium spirit over a mediocre one?

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huge

huge 3,793

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13 hours ago, RichUT said:

The OF is a spirit forward/dominant cocktail, so an elevated spirit will elevate the cocktail. I support that kind of thing in general, though I’m not sure if I could personally give up 2 oz of Handy for that.

I was into my cups when it happened.  Mistakes were made.

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Austinvines

Austinvines 317

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Posted
Weller 12 is one of my favorites, be hard for me to make it into an OF. That being said, I bet it was a fantastic drink.

We had a blind tasting of bourbons provided by my same friend who has a nutty collection. It was two tastes and while I guessed they were the same (they were W12 - I did not guess the booze) one of them had been opened for a year while one was cracked that night. They were similar yet substantially different. The most recently opened was more to my liking and he agreed so maybe the old saw that booze doesn’t change once opened isn’t accurate?

That said, he’s got some great opened bottles that we can make insane cocktails with. I do like a dram with a little water or a small cube depending on the proof and time of year, but great booze does make a great cocktail, especially in an OF which doesn’t have any extra alcohols or citrus juice.
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HookEm

HookEm 2,463

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I like an OF with rye, simple syrup, bitters and an expressed lemon peel. NOT stirred with ice or on a big ice cube. Keep your ice away from my OF.

My wife likes it the same way, but with bourbon and an orange peel.

I find it perfect in cooler months. This time of year though, I’ll make something else.

I hate a watered down OF.

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HouTex

HouTex 1,866

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On 7/12/2022 at 7:40 PM, Austinvines said:


We had a blind tasting of bourbons provided by my same friend who has a nutty collection. It was two tastes and while I guessed they were the same (they were W12 - I did not guess the booze) one of them had been opened for a year while one was cracked that night. They were similar yet substantially different. The most recently opened was more to my liking and he agreed so maybe the old saw that booze doesn’t change once opened isn’t accurate?

That said, he’s got some great opened bottles that we can make insane cocktails with. I do like a dram with a little water or a small cube depending on the proof and time of year, but great booze does make a great cocktail, especially in an OF which doesn’t have any extra alcohols or citrus juice.

I love to do blind tastings.  The last time I blind tasted Weller SR, W12 and Weller Antique it was clear which was the Antique because of the alcohol content.  But I could not tell the SR and the W12 apart.  So I no longer seek out W12 and I wouldn’t pay a premium for it.  Hell, SR is often hard to find.

On the issue of a high quality whisky for an OF, I just use a good quality rye or bourbon I like.  So long as it’s not shitty whisky, the bitters and sugar defeat the nuances I might notice in a high priced whisky.  Same concept for a margarita.  Top shelf tequila margaritas are crazy, but restaurants love to serve them.  

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HookEm

HookEm 2,463

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Once we blind tasted Blantons, Eagle Rare, Weller SR and Buffalo Trace.  All are about the same ABV and all are in the same family of bourbon.

The Buffalo trace was the winner.  Blantons was the consensus loser.  We were all shocked. 

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SurlyGator

SurlyGator 865

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OK, I'm resurrecting this thread, because it deserves it.  After years of drinking bourbon neat or on the rocks, I have transitioned almost exclusively to OF's with the occasional Manhattan thrown in for variety.  Consistently better with rye over bourbon, and I don't see the need to pay a premium for the brown water when mixing it up.  I have been gravitating to Wild Turkey 101 Rye and Rittenhouse mostly, but Bulleit is no slouch either.

I'm lazy (and probably heading towards scurvy), so instead of the orange peel I will do a couple of dashes of regular bitters (normally Angostura, but the last time I went to buy some they were out and I bought a cheaper "Old Fashioned" bitters and it does the trick - I'll track down the brand later if anyone cares) and two dashes of orange bitters.  Make my own simple syrup out of turbinado sugar.  Generous pours of rye.  Never disappoints.

I'm sure I could have something that was a twinge tastier with rye at double the price and the actually expressed orange peel, but these are quick, easy and help me forget about my day.  Mission accomplished.

I'm open to suggestions, but the quick and easy portions of the equation will likely not go away.  Fire away, Surly!

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billfromlaketravis

billfromlaketravis 11,448

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39 minutes ago, CycleTex87 said:

SIAP. Any fans here of the smoked OF?  I’ve had a few with different woods, prefer cherry. 

I had one at the Federal American Grill on Shepherd in Houston. Very cool set up, the smoke box, the whole thing. But then the bartender starts dumping  ReddyIce in the glass. I didn’t pay $25 for cheap ice. It was fine after I strained it. 

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Okie State

Okie State 3,816

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Saw this thread bumped. Made an Old Fashioned.

OK, I'm resurrecting this thread, because it deserves it.  After years of drinking bourbon neat or on the rocks, I have transitioned almost exclusively to OF's with the occasional Manhattan thrown in for variety.  Consistently better with rye over bourbon, and I don't see the need to pay a premium for the brown water when mixing it up.  I have been gravitating to Wild Turkey 101 Rye and Rittenhouse mostly, but Bulleit is no slouch either.
I'm lazy (and probably heading towards scurvy), so instead of the orange peel I will do a couple of dashes of regular bitters (normally Angostura, but the last time I went to buy some they were out and I bought a cheaper "Old Fashioned" bitters and it does the trick - I'll track down the brand later if anyone cares) and two dashes of orange bitters.  Make my own simple syrup out of turbinado sugar.  Generous pours of rye.  Never disappoints.
I'm sure I could have something that was a twinge tastier with rye at double the price and the actually expressed orange peel, but these are quick, easy and help me forget about my day.  Mission accomplished.
I'm open to suggestions, but the quick and easy portions of the equation will likely not go away.  Fire away, Surly!
I also use the orange bitters when I have no oranges. Not the same, but better than nothing.
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thrillhammer

thrillhammer 683

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On 10/1/2023 at 1:07 PM, CycleTex87 said:

SIAP. Any fans here of the smoked OF?  I’ve had a few with different woods, prefer cherry. 

i believe whiskeycake has one on their menu.  best one i ever had was at a restaurant in houston called poutine that since closed.  went there several times - great food, great cocktails, great view of the skyline from their patio.  

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thrillhammer

thrillhammer 683

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i've started making my old fashioneds with armagnac.  they are much better, imo, than bourbon or rye ones.  brandy old fashioneds are a thing, but all i had at home was armagnac so thats what i'm doing.  elijah craig makes an old fashioned syrup, i use about a teaspoon of that.  i buy the copper king cherries, and use about a teaspoon of that juice (along with a couple of cherries), 3-4 dashes of orange bitters, and most of the time i like to add about a teaspoon of a liqueur called clement creole shrub.  it's got an orange flavor to it. 

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irishtexan

irishtexan 11,515

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Posted (edited)

An Old Fashioned is really more of a ratio/style of cocktail rather than a recipe for a specific spirit. You can make a rye old fashioned, a bourbon OF, a rum OF, brandy OF, etc. It's the 2 oz spirit to 1/2 oz simple + bitters ratio. Tweak to your preference. I prefer closer to 1/3 oz simple rather than a full 1/2 oz.

But rye is probably the most common, classic spirit used, and what a bartender SHOULD use if you walk up to a bar and order an old fashioned. 

It's kind of like how a "sour" is a ratio rather than a recipe for a specific spirit - 2oz spirit, 3/4 to 1oz citrus, 1/2 to 3/4oz simple. Most sour recipes now include shaken egg white. But at its core, a margarita is a tequila sour, for instance. 

Edited by irishtexan
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HouTex

HouTex 1,866

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On 9/21/2023 at 9:33 PM, SurlyGator said:

OK, I'm resurrecting this thread, because it deserves it.  After years of drinking bourbon neat or on the rocks, I have transitioned almost exclusively to OF's with the occasional Manhattan thrown in for variety.  Consistently better with rye over bourbon, and I don't see the need to pay a premium for the brown water when mixing it up.  I have been gravitating to Wild Turkey 101 Rye and Rittenhouse mostly, but Bulleit is no slouch either.

I'm lazy (and probably heading towards scurvy), so instead of the orange peel I will do a couple of dashes of regular bitters (normally Angostura, but the last time I went to buy some they were out and I bought a cheaper "Old Fashioned" bitters and it does the trick - I'll track down the brand later if anyone cares) and two dashes of orange bitters.  Make my own simple syrup out of turbinado sugar.  Generous pours of rye.  Never disappoints.

I'm sure I could have something that was a twinge tastier with rye at double the price and the actually expressed orange peel, but these are quick, easy and help me forget about my day.  Mission accomplished.

I'm open to suggestions, but the quick and easy portions of the equation will likely not go away.  Fire away, Surly!

I’m also mostly drinking OFs and Manhattans.  But I don’t use simple syrup.  I believe heating the sugar does something to the sweetness.  I use plain white cane sugar and about half of the amount usually called for.  I make sure it is mixed well with the bitters and a splash of water so there’s no unmixed sugar in the finished cocktail.  As for Manhattans, I found Vya sweet vermouth from Californiaand I believe it’s a game changer.  I also will make a Sazarac once in a while.  Done right, two of those will set you free.  

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thrillhammer

thrillhammer 683

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33 minutes ago, HouTex said:

On the smoked OFs, I’ve tried them a few times and I’m not a fan.  Maybe they weren’t done well, but they all tasted like my OF was poured into a half full ashtray and then served.  

i'm with you on that.  i find the smoke to be distracting, like it's become more about the smoke than what used to be a cocktail.  not to mention the fact it's probably carcinogenic.   i bought a bottle of balcones post oak once and it tasted like my shirt smells the next day after sitting around a campfire all night the night before.  nasty.   i had to give the bottle away.

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irishtexan

irishtexan 11,515

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41 minutes ago, HouTex said:

I’m also mostly drinking OFs and Manhattans.  But I don’t use simple syrup.  I believe heating the sugar does something to the sweetness.  I use plain white cane sugar and about half of the amount usually called for.  I make sure it is mixed well with the bitters and a splash of water so there’s no unmixed sugar in the finished cocktail.  As for Manhattans, I found Vya sweet vermouth from Californiaand I believe it’s a game changer.  I also will make a Sazarac once in a while.  Done right, two of those will set you free.  

You don't need to heat the sugar. Just put the sugar in water and agitate it until it's fully dissolved. It takes maybe 3 or 4 minutes for a half-cup of sugar and half-cup of water. Then I throw it in the fridge until I have to make more. Personally, I can't tell the difference between simple that has been warmed and simple that hasn't. 

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HouTex

HouTex 1,866

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7 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

You don't need to heat the sugar. Just put the sugar in water and agitate it until it's fully dissolved. It takes maybe 3 or 4 minutes for a half-cup of sugar and half-cup of water. Then I throw it in the fridge until I have to make more. Personally, I can't tell the difference between simple that has been warmed and simple that hasn't. 

Ok.  Still, for me, it’s just as easy to throw in a half teaspoon of sugar in an OF glass and mix it with the bitters and a splash of water until it’s well blended. I’d have to experiment with unheated SS to get the sweetness just right for my taste.  

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thrillhammer

thrillhammer 683

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18 hours ago, HouTex said:

Ok.  Still, for me, it’s just as easy to throw in a half teaspoon of sugar in an OF glass and mix it with the bitters and a splash of water until it’s well blended. I’d have to experiment with unheated SS to get the sweetness just right for my taste.  

i stand strongly against overly sweet also.   anytime a recipe calls for simple syrup i used hummingbird food.  its 1:4 sugar:water ratio as opposed to the 1:1 of simple syrup.  plus i already have a tupperware container constantly made up in my fridge anyway.

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Hermanator

Hermanator 7,032

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On 10/1/2023 at 1:07 PM, CycleTex87 said:

SIAP. Any fans here of the smoked OF?  I’ve had a few with different woods, prefer cherry. 

Bottled in Bond in Frisco makes a nice cherry smoked old fashioned. Was a lot nicer before the pandemic and price gouging when they were $9

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