Sunday morning may seem like a strange time to suggest cocktail recipes, but chances are you had your fair share of average drinks last night. Just as every man should know how to tie a tie, how to shoot pool, and of course how to get a good shave, every man should also know how to make a good drink – the more the better. For classy gents, the Old Fashioned is a perfect drink, and Bullz-Eye’s got a perfect recipe:
2 ounces of whiskey (bourbon, rye or Canadian)
1 teaspoon of superfine sugar and 1/2 ounce water, or 1/2 ounce of simple syrup
Angostura or Regan’s orange bitters
Orange wedge and/or maraschino cheery (optional)
Dissolve superfine sugar — regular table sugar or cubes will also work but are harder to dissolve — in water or pour 1/2 ounce of simple syrup (i.e., sugar water) into a wide mouth Old Fashioned glass. If you like, muddle (smash) an orange slice in the bottom of the glass. Add ice cubes, whiskey and bitters — again, we personally prefer Angostura for bourbon or rye or Regan’s orange for Canadian, but it’s your call. Stir vigorously with a swizzle stick or club spoon. Sip away.
Variations: The Old Fashioned engenders as much controversy and variations as the martini. Sometimes, we like to prepare it in a shaker and serve either on the rocks or “up” into a chilled glass. The Brandy Old Fashioned is also an honorable drink, especially beloved in Wisconsin.
Don’t: Use powdered sugar, unless that’s all you’ve got. This is not the same as superfine sugar and contains cornstarch.
Don’t: Use soda water. Some recipes call for it and many bartenders will automatically make it this way. Every time we’ve tried it, it ruins the flavor of the slightly sweetened whiskey.
Do: Add the muddled orange slice and/or maraschino cherry. Many cocktail devotees get fussy over matters like orange pulp on the bottom of the glass. Oddly, this doesn’t bother us.
Man cannot sip on an Old Fashioned alone, which is why Bullz-Eye put together a list of classic drinks with great recipes for each. Head over to the Bullz-Eye Get Real Guide for Men for more recipes.
