Bar Kiley Bonus Drink #1 - The Old Fashioned

While I only started this blog a little over a month ago, I've been operating Bar Kiley for a little over four years and I've been using the "Drink of the Month" system for at least the last two and a half years. This means that there are at least 30 drinks I've made as my drink of the month in the past that have not been chronicled on this blog (its called math, son). With that in mind, I've decided to include a few of my favorite former "Drinks of the Month" form time to time to round out the collection here on Bar Kiley. The first of the Bar Kiley Bonus Drinks is a true classic: The Old Fashioned.

I will readily admit that I had never heard of the Old Fashioned before Don Draper and his Mad Men friends began slinging them back at the end of the day. I began experimenting with the Old Fashioned soon after I read an article about the Mad Men property department and their commitment to authenticity, including their authentic cocktail. My first few efforts were admittedly mediocre - this was still early in my development as a bar tender - but they were passable. It wasn't until Matt Haggerty's wedding, when my friends Ryan, Kyle and I all decided that would be our drink for the evening from the reception bar, that I had a truly bad Old Fashioned (sorry Matt - the wedding was great!). No one should be forced to drink watery bourbon mixed with table sugar packets, but that didn't stop us from trying that evening. When I got home, I resolved to learn how to mix a quality Old Fashioned so that I would never be disappointed by the classic cocktail again.

The one tool every bar tender needs to craft an excellent Old Fashioned is a wooden muddler (none of this metal or plastic stuff). The muddler is used for crushing ingredients, such as crushing mint for use in a Mojito. While some people insist that using Simple Syrup is sufficient for a good Old Fashioned, I am convinced that muddled sugar makes a far better drink, as long as it is mixed well. Poorly muddled and mixed sugar can result in a cruddy final sip filled with undissolved sugar, but if it is done well, it is superb.

That being said, here is the recipe that I most often use for my Old Fashioned:

1) Muddle one or two sugar cubes with just enough soda water to allow for the sugar to completely dissolve. Amount of sugar depends on your taste, I would recommend only one cube.
2) Add 3 dashes of Angostura Bitters to the sugar/water mix
3) Add 1.5 ounces of bourbon. Whiskey or rye is also acceptable but bourbon is the best for a true Old Fashioned.
4) Top with ice. I also like to add a small amount of soda water on top. Garnish with a cherry and serve.

The fine folks at oldfashioned101.com disagree with my recipe slightly. In their august opinion: "There is no seltzer, soda water, ginger ale, or lemon soda in an Old Fashioned." While I strongly agree with many of their other precepts (such as no vermouth or mashed fruit of any kind in an Old Fashioned), I really believe the soda water adds something to the drink above and beyond what regular water would impart. I am also a total sucker for adding a cherry, so you have to include it.

You will note that there are many possible variations listed in the recipe I provided. This is a drink that you absolutely have to make to taste. The flavors are subtle and interact quite a bit, so try out different varieties of whiskey (bourbon, rye, scotch, Canadian or Irish whiskey, etc) and different amounts of sugar. One change that can make a big difference and can be fun to experiment with is using different types of bitters. While Angostura Bitters are always a winner, I've really enjoyed experimenting with other bitters. Fee Brothers has an excellent line to try out with many different flavors. Of late, I've been mixing my Old Fashioneds with 2 dashes of their Cherry Bitters and one dash of Angostura Bitters. Orange Bitters also work well here, although I would be hesitant to use "out there" flavors such as grapefruit or rhubarb in this drink.

 Agree or disagree? I'd be happy to discuss the merits of soda water or the necessity of muddling any day. Enjoy your Old Fashioned!