How to Make a Bourbon Old Fashioned
So you want to know the best way to make a bourbon old fashioned?
The old-fashioned is a cocktail that has earned its name – It’s a recipe more than two hundred years old. The cocktail also has “secret” origins: it was reportedly first created for a private club before being brought to New York City. It’s a basic drink – just a seasoned and sweetened whiskey – however, it's highly praised for its simplicity and flavorful taste.
If you're wondering how to make Bourbon Old Fashioned, you've come to the right place. We'll share all you need to know about this legendary drink. So, let’s raise a glass and go deeper into how to make this classic drink.
Bourbon Old Fashioned Explained
The first recorded cocktail recipes involved a mixture of spirits, water, sugar, and bitters. The Bourbon Old Fashioned has all that. It was invented in Louisville, Kentucky in the 1880s, making it one of the oldest cocktails out there, next to the Sazerac.
To make the perfect Bourbon Old Fashioned you first obviously want to use a good bourbon. Don't use just any old bourbon; use something you’d drink even if it wasn’t in a cocktail.
Next, when it comes to sweetening up the drink, you can choose between simple syrup or muddled sugar. The perk of using the syrup is that it cuts down preparation time in half, but it steals the texture and weight that provide the true appeal of the drink. Back in the 1800s, they created the cocktail with sugar cubes or granulated sugar. If you're up for following the traditional recipe, stick with sugar.
Pro tip: If you opt for syrup, it will add extra water to the drink, so you may want to add less ice later on.
Let's move to the central part – how to make Bourbon Old Fashioned.
The Best Bourbon Old Fashioned Recipe
To make a bourbon old fashioned, all it takes is five simple ingredients. Finding a good bourbon is the first step.
- ½ teaspoon of sugar
- 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 2 ounces of bourbon
- One teaspoon of water
- Large ice cubes
- Orange peel for garnish
The preparation time for the cocktail is around five minutes.
Bourbon Old Fashioned Recipe Instructions
- Use a rocks glass to mix the sugar and bitters.
- Add water and stir to dissolve the sugar almost entirely.
- Add large ice cubes to fill the glass and add the bourbon.
- Stir gently to combine the bourbon with the rest of the ingredients.
- Express the orange peel oil over the glass and drop the peel in the glass.
That's it. It’s the perfect bourbon old fashioned recipe you can make in minutes.
Bourbon Old Fashioned Made Easy
The Bourbon Old Fashioned never ceases to deliver great taste even though it's more than two hundred years old. Hopefully, this article has made the preparation even more straightforward, if that’s even possible, given the recipe's simplicity.
Hopefully, the steps provided in this article will let you treat yourself and your friends to a delightful Bourbon Old Fashioned.
