Loved the Addendum - your videos are already full of interesting facts/findings, but it was nice to have an additional discussion- love the screengrabs of the recipes from your collection of books too.
Great respect for this simple cocktail recipe. Too many times have I had an old fashioned ruined by crushed bar ice, squeezed OJ, and Curacao... Whiskey, sugar (simple syrup), bitters, and an orange peel garnish is all you need for a great old fashioned. A good Luxardo cherry dropped in, on occasion. Cheers!
I just bought Elijah Craig and it had a ‘Old Fashioned syrup’ along with it. So I left off the sugar cube and bitters, went just with the bourbon, a dash of their syrup along with ice (drinking it right now), it is FABULOUS!
I wholeheartedly agree, except that I tend to substitute the simple syrup for the cherry syrup :D unconventional, for sure, but I really like how the cherry plays off of the citrus. (I also will happily use lemon or orange peel, or both.)
We have watched you both for years and I have failed to comment much unfortunately. We both are 65 and retired for years but very much enjoy the Sunday morning old cookbook shows and cocktails after dark videos. You both seem to be such great interesting people that would be great to know as neighbors or in our case, friends by RUclips. Just wanted to express our overdue thanks for all you do and look forward to many more videos.
In Wisconsin USA an Old Fashioned is a brandy-based drink with additions including, but not limited to, muddled orange and cherry, floater of lime-lime soda, and a sour option of undisclosed nature. It’s a regionally specific variation and a very different beverage. If you served a ‘Old Fashioned’ as described here in a Wisconsin bar you may be laughed at and then told to go back to Illinois.
*Brandy based?* Not exclusively. Here, an old fashioned can be made with either whiskey or brandy, or a liquor like Southern Comfort. You also have the option between sweet or sour, and to elaborate, sour is usually grapefruit soda like Squirt, for the splash of soda in your glass.
" I don't want theatre, I want great taste in my glass" Couldn't have said it better myself. I love Old Fashioned with different types of whisky, but I always make it with simple syrup because I want the sweetness throughout the drink
It takes more work, but I think using a raw sugar cube soaked in bitters than crushed until completely dissolved in a tiny splash of seltzer works best for me personally I do get it fully dissolved and adds to the experience... Also I'm used to using the sugar cube to measure the sugar and bitters 🤣😂🤣 I use seltzer because forever ago I watched a video where the bartender did it and it worked for me. Tried water and was much harder to fully dissolve.
Here’s my preferred old fashioned (because why not. Also, I am a mix in the glass heathen): 2 barspoons Demerara sugar syrup 3 dashes each angostura and orange bitters 2 oz Canadian Whisky (current fave Bearface) Ice, stir to the cooling you like. Orange peel strip spritzed overtop and put peel in drink Cherry (maraschino or amarena)
I always assumed salt is the primary reason for pickled olives, gherkins, and pearl onions popularity as a cocktail garnish. Salt is also becoming a common addition in coffee as it cuts the bitterness of an overextracted brew.
That's true - but it's taken a while for bartenders to embrace the idea of straight up adding salt, and being able to control the amount added as an actual ingredient.
James Hoffmann in his 'Magic of Salt in Coffee' video uses 1:4 saline solution (20% salt, 80% water) but I imagine dilution in a 200 ml cup of bad coffee is much less of an issue than in a 45-60 ml cocktail.
I would have suggested a name like "The Salty Glen"... but seriously, my friends and I have used salt as a flavor enhancer in our cocktails which have citrus components, like a mojito, old fashioned, cosmopolitan, and of course margaritas. Salt in proper usage has always been a magnifying glass for flavor, especially sweets. (Salted caramel White Russians, anyone?)
A few years ago we accidentally stumbled onto Dillon and got that rye, and not only is it great rye it's all Canadian ingredients and products including the oak in the barrels!
I've started using a dash of Dillons orange bitters to my old fashioned lately and I think it adds a really lovely citrus note. I had no idea it originally called for a bitter that contained orange, really cool!
My "old fashioned".... Redbreast Irish Whiskey, Angostura bitters muddled into a sugar cube, branch water, stirred and poured into an old fashioned glass with a sour orange peel and a maraschino cherry. I used to use a lemon peel and an orange peel but now having access to oranges that have a more tart flavor but without the lemon aroma I prefer those. I'll add a little of the cherry "juice" too which I suppose somewhat makes up for using the sugar cube but I like having a little of the sugar left at the end.
My never married Great Aunt would make me an old fashioned when I was in college and would visit. She showed me how: whiskey pretty sure Seagram’s in the glass, sugar muddled with bitters, served with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. Fond memories.
Hi Glen! I watched this while drinking an Old Fashioned (unplanned). I also dislike undissolved sugar in the drink, so I like to use superfine/bakers sugar. My house bitters is 2 parts ango, 1 part Regan's orange, and 1 part Door County Cherry Bluff Infusion. I've been tweaking my recipe for years, and really like this combination. Cherry and Orange just go so well together and with bourbon or rye. Cheers and thanks for all the great videos!
I have been making an old fashioned twice a week for five years give or take a week. I have tried all the variations. The original, simple recipe is what I love the most. However, I completely leave out angostura and replace with all orange bitters. Great video Glen!!
@@codyhamilton7682 I use both. But right now I am on a bottle of old forester rye. My go to bourbon is Evan williams bottled in bond. Both have been great!
5:43 Glen, I love how you just effortlessly maintain your thought-line while stirring both cocktails at the same time. Caught me off-guard for a sec and had to double-take lol Multitasking at its finest!
that immediately reminded me of the mother sauces and how the other sauces are derivates of it. I think Alton Brown proposed (and this may or may not be his own idea, idk) that the margarita is a derivate of the sidecar.
I watch your channel not for recipes but for the how to when it comes to cooking...sometimes things don't come out as planned...that is what a good cooks know...don't listen to the haters...just sayin
I have been a country club bartender for many years and have made dozens and dozens upon thousands of old fashions . Also is my drink of choice, my favorite old fashion is still the one that uses a sugar cube bitters, orange slice, Marchino cherry, muddled with a splash of club soda fill the glass with ice , top with a delicious bourbon and drop lemon peel into the glass.
Glen, thank you for being you, and for your amazing content. You make cooking, baking, etc., so approachable. You've given me kitchen-confidence!! Also, love cocktails after dark!! Was a bartender for 10+ years!!
Ah, I just had an Old-Fashioned last night. Love it because it's a good baseline after I try a whisk(e)y "neat" to see how a particular bourbon or rye interacts with different cocktails. I typically just build mine in the glass. No fanfare to speak of, three ingredients, doesn't dirty anything extra, but also I have pretty wide glasses that I use to give the cocktail plenty of stirring room. It's a great "heck with it, I don't feel like fancy tonight" kind of drink, but still feels and tastes fancy.
History in a glass, love how we get to learn a bit of what our ancestors were doing and what and how it is different now or just swinging back to what was working.
Wow, fascinating addendum. Really reminds me of the old "If it's in print, it must be true" adage, which is NOT true, lol. Really, we should be careful about simply accepting information at face value. It always depends on who does the vetting, who does the printing (old school or digitally) and how much research goes into a story in the first place. For any topic, context is everything. Thanks so much for all you do!
But wait...there's more.....your book collection is impressive. Every cocktail has stories and controversy around them. It makes it fun. Also....agreed...the lemon / orange "bunny ears" is a nice touch
My favorite cocktail along with the Sazerac, would love to see a video on that. Found a even better variation on Anders Erickson channel, the Wisconsin Old Fashioned sub in Brandy/Cognac muddle orange wedge and cherry and top it with a splash of either sprite, seltzer, grapefruit soda like Pellegrino.
Yeah, im also not interested in theater HOWEVER... there are drinks I will NEVER make with SS and it's an Old Fashioned. I even purchase maple and honey cubes to avoid using any type of syrup 😅 I Didn’t have any sugar cubes when I made my first OF, so I used granulated turbinado sugar. Makes a fine cocktail, and I feel like muddling the sugar and bitters is part of the experience... and taste, especially when tasting the sugar particles towards the end. But I’m old (fashioned) and contrarian so take my advice with a grain of salt. Or a dash of bitters 😉
My favorite cocktail by a wide margin. Since it's winter; Walnut bitters. Maple syrup, blood orange peel (wedge if you like), Luxardo cherries. I like a rye bourbon, but use whatever, Makers is good too.
Loved the video Glen! The quick 5 minute or less videos are great as well, but appreciate the time and research that went into this. A great companion to this video would be David Wondrich’s Imbibe pg 229-236. I think you hit it dead on. Thanks again for the constant videos and sources of learning!
Had a Rye Whiskey old fashioned at the Berkley hotel in Knightsbridge London, was very very nice, had quite a strong citrus note to it but without it wiping out the Whiskey.
If you watch a Cantarito being made on the streets of Mexico, and I urge you to do this, it contains fresh squozen :) grapefruit, orange, lime juices, tequilla and a splash of grapefruit soda, you will see that they add a few grains of salt.
Oh my gosh that is so genius adding salt!! I didn't taste it so I trust your judgement when you say too salty, but really, salt enhances and improves food, so why not beverages - namely cocktails? That is genius right there, and something I'd love to try.
My father was a bartender from prohibition times until about 1960. Although he hated the showmanship aspect of his job, he readily admitted that it increased his tips (his tokes as he called them). But he was really all about the taste. He (and my mother) only drank Bourbon and water. BTW, the only way to crush a sugar cube is with a muddle.
I went on a Disney Cruise a couple of years ago (Disney Wonder). They did an old fashion made with Rum. Seriously one of the best old fashions I ever had. It’s one of my go to cocktails now.
Good stuff, Glen! I've had the ingredients sitting around for a long time... bitters, whisky, oranges, etc... but never actually got around to making the cocktail! I keep thinking, "Oh, I'll make an 'Old Fashioned' tonight!" but end up sipping my whisky neat. Someday, for sure. Speaking of whisky, have you tried Canadian Centennial? After almost 50 years of indulgence, and trying almost every one on the market, it has become my "go to." Nice flavour. Thanks, Glen!
Very Informative video. Like you I prefer the nuances to make it your own. I think in one of those books you should have the Rock and Rye. Recipe "Put a spoonful of sugar in a glass, hand the patron the whisky bottle and the glass". Much easier drink ;)
As a bourbon and Old Fashioned drinker, I was interested to see what twist you could teach me. I just mixed up a whiskey cocktail with Eagle Rare Bourbon and Regan's No. 6 Orange Bitters. After a taste (yummy as usual) I added a couple drops of salt water. Yes...it was definitely creamy! This will be added to every variation I try! You also hit the nail on the head with the "keep trying different variations" comment. I have been experimenting with different bitters and different combinations of bitters...Regan's No 6., Fee Brothers Chocolate, Cranberry, Cherry. I have also played with different bourbons. Each combination I try has been excellent, but my favorite is Eagle Rare and a combination of orange and chocolate bitters. Thanks again for a new trick! Cheers!
Loved the historical perspective on this! I have indeed tried many variations with many whiskies :) I actually prefer it best with a fruity Speyside Scotch, which is blasphemy for those married to bourbon… but hey! Like you said, this is all about the whisky and everything else is purely a supporting flavour. I like to add a cocktail cherry or two, and sometimes I substitute the sugar/syrup with the cherry syrup :D but otherwise my method is quite similar. That said, I do build it in the glass. But I definitely prefer one big ice cube/ball like you rather than lots of small ice filling the glass like I’ve seen others do it. And I agree about the consistency of flavour and texture - all that “it gets more diluted and sweeter, it’s an EXPERIENCE, don’t drink it too slowly or too quickly” stuff is fine for those who like it but I just can’t get along with that way of living!
As you apparently found out, it's pretty tricky to dial in the salt using a 2:1 solution. You'd probably have a much easier time with a ~10% saline solution.
I'm with you on rye being the better choice overall for this cocktail. 1792 Small Batch could have been replaced with a lithe more stout of an American bourbon, even 1792 Full Proof. I think higher proof bourbon makes a fantastic old fashioned. Love your channel, keep it up.
1792 small batch is my favorite bourbon, but I’ve never heard of it as a whiskey you would use in a mixed drink. But I’m not a whiskey connoisseur. However I’ve only ever had it neat or on the rocks.
The newest Old Fashioned (that really has been around for a long time) but is now in the modern bartender's guide is the Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet. Consists of Brandy, Bitters, Simply Syrup, & 7 Up. We drink a lot of Brandy in Wisconsin.
I agree that there are a few base cocktails that most of the others emerged from. If you just add sweet red vermouth to your Old Fashioned, you pretty much have a Manhattan.
Recently purchased a Wild Turkey Rye to make a old fashioned with rye (usually a bourbon drinker) and I added a pinch of salt to my old fashioned tonigh. You really don't need a lot do you? It brings out so much flavour but it is incredibly easy to over-do. Love the show Glen ✌
Oh my goodness that was interesting! We are from Wisconsin....actually mid to northern Wisconsin. An Old Fashion is similar though very different. It is an extremely popular drink! In bars and supper clubs. Usually made with with brandy, simple sugar syrup, bitters, and either something like 7-up, or a sour...like 50/50....and ice cubes! I hear it's not as popular to the south.
I tried a simple "old fashioned" for the 1st time last year, and it was quite unusual. Simple Syrup, orange bitters, orange peel and a huge ice cube. It really works with a good Bourbon.
When I look at an old recipe "whiskey", I presume they were referring to something like Seagram's Seven or Canadian Club, not some modern era top-shelf bourbon or rye; although I'm sure they make for a better cocktail ✌️
If you go back far enough - a lot of whisk(e)y was unbranded and sold by the barrel. I have a few books from the mid-late 1800s and earlier that are aimed at saloon keepers; all about how to adulterate cheap / bad whiskey and make it palatable. In most cases these recipes were a 'cocktail' of sorts with sugar, fruit juices, and colour added - then it was sold as whiskey.
Great idea with adding salt!! Thanks so much for all the great content, this is definitely one of the best channels on the youtube! Keep up the great work, and let us know if there's anything we can do to support! Donations / etc.
@@GlenAndFriendsCooking I definitely share this channel with family and friends. Your channel was running during Christmas at my place & my whole family loved the content. Thanks again for all your hard work!!
Great stuff as always! In the mr. Boston recipe at the end. Do you know what a "lump" or "1/2 lump" of sugar would equate to in modern measurements? Thanks for another intriguing video!
Simple syrup with gum arabic added...what does that bring to the flavor profile? Is it basically the same flavor as simple syrup? Now I'm also going to add saline to my bourbon cocktails. I always add extra bitters (Typically Fee's orange or Peychaud's) but NOW, Salt may be the answer! Thanks Glen!
There's a restaurant here in New Orleans that my wife and I frequent and they serve a "smoked" Old Fashion. They infuse the glass and the ice with hickory smoke for about 5-6 minutes before actually mixing the drink. It's absolutely AMAZING! One of my favorite drinks - hands down! Great work Glen!
Maybe adding soda to many cocktails adds some hint of saltiness that enhances the flavors of other components as well as adding bubbles. Might be interesting to compare carbonted water with soda.
I forgot which RUclips bartender said it, but I like his method of using a orange garnish for bourbon, and lemon for rye Otherwise I usually follow the angostura bitters recipe on the bottle haha, but like to play around
Thanks for watching Everyone!
Loved the Addendum - your videos are already full of interesting facts/findings, but it was nice to have an additional discussion- love the screengrabs of the recipes from your collection of books too.
Great respect for this simple cocktail recipe. Too many times have I had an old fashioned ruined by crushed bar ice, squeezed OJ, and Curacao... Whiskey, sugar (simple syrup), bitters, and an orange peel garnish is all you need for a great old fashioned. A good Luxardo cherry dropped in, on occasion. Cheers!
I just bought Elijah Craig and it had a ‘Old Fashioned syrup’ along with it. So I left off the sugar cube and bitters, went just with the bourbon, a dash of their syrup along with ice (drinking it right now), it is FABULOUS!
I wholeheartedly agree, except that I tend to substitute the simple syrup for the cherry syrup :D unconventional, for sure, but I really like how the cherry plays off of the citrus. (I also will happily use lemon or orange peel, or both.)
Try honey
We have watched you both for years and I have failed to comment much unfortunately. We both are 65 and retired for years but very much enjoy the Sunday morning old cookbook shows and cocktails after dark videos. You both seem to be such great interesting people that would be great to know as neighbors or in our case, friends by RUclips. Just wanted to express our overdue thanks for all you do and look forward to many more videos.
This is a PARTICULARLY FASCINATING episode of COCKTAILS AFTER DARK. Thanks for the research and the new twist with a bit of saline solution.
In Wisconsin USA an Old Fashioned is a brandy-based drink with additions including, but not limited to, muddled orange and cherry, floater of lime-lime soda, and a sour option of undisclosed nature. It’s a regionally specific variation and a very different beverage. If you served a ‘Old Fashioned’ as described here in a Wisconsin bar you may be laughed at and then told to go back to Illinois.
Yup; Wisconsin here saying, "Where's the maraschino cherry, and when will the fish fry be ready?"
Muddle the sugar with a cherry, orange, bitters and splash of soda to rinse the glass. Sugar dissolved.
Refer to Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet in the new bartender guides.
*Brandy based?* Not exclusively. Here, an old fashioned can be made with either whiskey or brandy, or a liquor like Southern Comfort. You also have the option between sweet or sour, and to elaborate, sour is usually grapefruit soda like Squirt, for the splash of soda in your glass.
Do you remember Jeros Foaming Bar Sugar?
In the truest sense of the word, Jules is a genius.
" I don't want theatre, I want great taste in my glass" Couldn't have said it better myself. I love Old Fashioned with different types of whisky, but I always make it with simple syrup because I want the sweetness throughout the drink
It takes more work, but I think using a raw sugar cube soaked in bitters than crushed until completely dissolved in a tiny splash of seltzer works best for me personally
I do get it fully dissolved and adds to the experience... Also I'm used to using the sugar cube to measure the sugar and bitters 🤣😂🤣
I use seltzer because forever ago I watched a video where the bartender did it and it worked for me. Tried water and was much harder to fully dissolve.
@@codyhamilton7682 I did notice in Mad Men they use seltzer. But there’s also a lot more ice, and an entire orange slice rather than just the peel.
Here’s my preferred old fashioned (because why not. Also, I am a mix in the glass heathen):
2 barspoons Demerara sugar syrup
3 dashes each angostura and orange bitters
2 oz Canadian Whisky (current fave Bearface)
Ice, stir to the cooling you like.
Orange peel strip spritzed overtop and put peel in drink
Cherry (maraschino or amarena)
I always assumed salt is the primary reason for pickled olives, gherkins, and pearl onions popularity as a cocktail garnish. Salt is also becoming a common addition in coffee as it cuts the bitterness of an overextracted brew.
That's true - but it's taken a while for bartenders to embrace the idea of straight up adding salt, and being able to control the amount added as an actual ingredient.
@@GlenAndFriendsCooking Bartenders tend to use a 10:1 saline solution (water:salt).
James Hoffmann in his 'Magic of Salt in Coffee' video uses 1:4 saline solution (20% salt, 80% water) but I imagine dilution in a 200 ml cup of bad coffee is much less of an issue than in a 45-60 ml cocktail.
It's an old Navy tradition to add a pinch of salt to coffee brewed aboard ship.
Old fashioned was my mother's jam when she drank... RIP She is missed :(
I would have suggested a name like "The Salty Glen"... but seriously, my friends and I have used salt as a flavor enhancer in our cocktails which have citrus components, like a mojito, old fashioned, cosmopolitan, and of course margaritas. Salt in proper usage has always been a magnifying glass for flavor, especially sweets. (Salted caramel White Russians, anyone?)
The salty glen great name!
Salty Glen! I love it
Too bad the Salty Dog name is already taken.
Had a White Russian once that had a roasted marshmallow in it, perhaps the best I’ve had.
@@c1ph3rpunk duuuuude
A few years ago we accidentally stumbled onto Dillon and got that rye, and not only is it great rye it's all Canadian ingredients and products including the oak in the barrels!
One of my favorite drinks, Some may call me old fashion
I use simple syrup, Angostura bitters and Angostura orange bitters with stirring.
One of my favorite cocktails.
After watching @howtodrink I can say with certainty that you didn't make it right, you didn't pour nearly enough of it on the counter 🤣
I've started using a dash of Dillons orange bitters to my old fashioned lately and I think it adds a really lovely citrus note. I had no idea it originally called for a bitter that contained orange, really cool!
So interesting about the salt. I always want to salt grapefruit juice & do occasionally. Big added taste
Check out steve the bartenders video on the paloma. He adds salt to it and says its quite good
Thank you for all the thought and research you do on your recipes. I love to hear the research you do
My "old fashioned".... Redbreast Irish Whiskey, Angostura bitters muddled into a sugar cube, branch water, stirred and poured into an old fashioned glass with a sour orange peel and a maraschino cherry. I used to use a lemon peel and an orange peel but now having access to oranges that have a more tart flavor but without the lemon aroma I prefer those. I'll add a little of the cherry "juice" too which I suppose somewhat makes up for using the sugar cube but I like having a little of the sugar left at the end.
Love old fashioneds and Manhattans. Simple cocktail that works well for sipping and conversing
My never married Great Aunt would make me an old fashioned when I was in college and would visit. She showed me how: whiskey pretty sure Seagram’s in the glass, sugar muddled with bitters, served with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. Fond memories.
So simple. So perfect. I love the old fashioned. Different whiskeys, sweeteners and bitters offers so many variations. Thanks so much.
Hi Glen! I watched this while drinking an Old Fashioned (unplanned). I also dislike undissolved sugar in the drink, so I like to use superfine/bakers sugar. My house bitters is 2 parts ango, 1 part Regan's orange, and 1 part Door County Cherry Bluff Infusion. I've been tweaking my recipe for years, and really like this combination. Cherry and Orange just go so well together and with bourbon or rye.
Cheers and thanks for all the great videos!
Living in bourbon country, I know a few things about cocktails. This is an excellent video. IMHO, I like a good drink with smooth cocktail music!
I have been making an old fashioned twice a week for five years give or take a week. I have tried all the variations. The original, simple recipe is what I love the most. However, I completely leave out angostura and replace with all orange bitters. Great video Glen!!
Do you have a favorite whiskey you prefer to use? Or do you change that up when you use up a bottle?
Do you use bourbon? Or rye?
@@codyhamilton7682 I use both. But right now I am on a bottle of old forester rye. My go to bourbon is Evan williams bottled in bond. Both have been great!
Thanks, Glenn! My favorite cocktail is a glass of Laphroaig 15 with a dram of water
5:43 Glen, I love how you just effortlessly maintain your thought-line while stirring both cocktails at the same time. Caught me off-guard for a sec and had to double-take lol Multitasking at its finest!
that immediately reminded me of the mother sauces and how the other sauces are derivates of it. I think Alton Brown proposed (and this may or may not be his own idea, idk) that the margarita is a derivate of the sidecar.
Wooo - cocktails after dark is back!
Great watch, thanks Glen
Very interesting!
I watch your channel not for recipes but for the how to when it comes to cooking...sometimes things don't come out as planned...that is what a good cooks know...don't listen to the haters...just sayin
I love your videos Glen! You’re very knowledgeable without coming off pretentious. Always happy to watch these and learn.
Best and most memorable Old Fashioned I had was at the Paris Ritz Hotel, prior the renovation. Next to the Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour.
I have been a country club bartender for many years and have made dozens and dozens upon thousands of old fashions . Also is my drink of choice, my favorite old fashion is still the one that uses a sugar cube bitters, orange slice, Marchino cherry, muddled with a splash of club soda fill the glass with ice , top with a delicious bourbon and drop lemon peel into the glass.
Nice and simple. My go to for an old fashioned is 3oz bourbon, peychauds bitters, agave syrup, orange peel expressed and dropped in.
Excited that Cocktails After Dark is back!
Glen, thank you for being you, and for your amazing content. You make cooking, baking, etc., so approachable. You've given me kitchen-confidence!!
Also, love cocktails after dark!! Was a bartender for 10+ years!!
Ah, I just had an Old-Fashioned last night. Love it because it's a good baseline after I try a whisk(e)y "neat" to see how a particular bourbon or rye interacts with different cocktails.
I typically just build mine in the glass. No fanfare to speak of, three ingredients, doesn't dirty anything extra, but also I have pretty wide glasses that I use to give the cocktail plenty of stirring room. It's a great "heck with it, I don't feel like fancy tonight" kind of drink, but still feels and tastes fancy.
History in a glass, love how we get to learn a bit of what our ancestors were doing and what and how it is different now or just swinging back to what was working.
Two really good Spirits.
The right dilution is important and i think orange complements whiskey well so sometimes i put half a slice in.
Dave Arnold talks about saline/salt additions in Liquid Intelligence, FWIW.
Wow, fascinating addendum. Really reminds me of the old "If it's in print, it must be true" adage, which is NOT true, lol. Really, we should be careful about simply accepting information at face value. It always depends on who does the vetting, who does the printing (old school or digitally) and how much research goes into a story in the first place. For any topic, context is everything. Thanks so much for all you do!
But wait...there's more.....your book collection is impressive. Every cocktail has stories and controversy around them. It makes it fun. Also....agreed...the lemon / orange "bunny ears" is a nice touch
I always add 2-3 dashes of Ango and a dash or two of Orange bitters too! Usually I don't have oranges...
My favorite cocktail along with the Sazerac, would love to see a video on that. Found a even better variation on Anders Erickson channel, the Wisconsin Old Fashioned sub in Brandy/Cognac muddle orange wedge and cherry and top it with a splash of either sprite, seltzer, grapefruit soda like Pellegrino.
Usually we use 7 up or Sprite;. Nobody in this part of Wisconsin uses seltzer or grapefruit soda
@@kathyhester3066 Nobody?
Yeah, im also not interested in theater HOWEVER... there are drinks I will NEVER make with SS and it's an Old Fashioned. I even purchase maple and honey cubes to avoid using any type of syrup 😅
I Didn’t have any sugar cubes when I made my first OF, so I used granulated turbinado sugar. Makes a fine cocktail, and I feel like muddling the sugar and bitters is part of the experience... and taste, especially when tasting the sugar particles towards the end.
But I’m old (fashioned) and contrarian so take my advice with a grain of salt. Or a dash of bitters 😉
As a Wisconsinite born and bred, this was my first drink and my favorite. Brandy sour is my preference, but I loved the history you provide!
My favorite cocktail by a wide margin.
Since it's winter;
Walnut bitters. Maple syrup, blood orange peel (wedge if you like), Luxardo cherries. I like a rye bourbon, but use whatever, Makers is good too.
LOVE the history lessons along with the recipes! Love it.
So interesting.
Loved the video Glen! The quick 5 minute or less videos are great as well, but appreciate the time and research that went into this. A great companion to this video would be David Wondrich’s Imbibe pg 229-236. I think you hit it dead on. Thanks again for the constant videos and sources of learning!
I have adapted mine now to use maple syrup with a rye. The maple syrup gives it something that normal sugar doesn't.
A Video on how to make Bitters would be amazing!
Had a Rye Whiskey old fashioned at the Berkley hotel in Knightsbridge London, was very very nice, had quite a strong citrus note to it but without it wiping out the Whiskey.
If you watch a Cantarito being made on the streets of Mexico, and I urge you to do this, it contains fresh squozen :) grapefruit, orange, lime juices, tequilla and a splash of grapefruit soda, you will see that they add a few grains of salt.
Similar to a Paloma, then. I'll have to try that.
Maybe with Glen and Friends Trip to Mexico (hopefully) we'll get to see this?!
Oh my gosh that is so genius adding salt!! I didn't taste it so I trust your judgement when you say too salty, but really, salt enhances and improves food, so why not beverages - namely cocktails? That is genius right there, and something I'd love to try.
Great video!
My father was a bartender from prohibition times until about 1960. Although he hated the showmanship aspect of his job, he readily admitted that it increased his tips (his tokes as he called them). But he was really all about the taste. He (and my mother) only drank Bourbon and water. BTW, the only way to crush a sugar cube is with a muddle.
I went on a Disney Cruise a couple of years ago (Disney Wonder). They did an old fashion made with Rum. Seriously one of the best old fashions I ever had. It’s one of my go to cocktails now.
Yes - we did the Trader Vic's Rum Old Fashioned a while back: ruclips.net/video/4oOJ8u_lbCE/видео.html
@@GlenAndFriendsCooking BTW you got me hooked on that Diplimatico Rum! Man, it is good!
Made a Clementine cake at Christmas that calledfor sugar infused clementine slices. The orsnge flavored orange syrup makes a great old fashioned.
Good stuff, Glen! I've had the ingredients sitting around for a long time... bitters, whisky, oranges, etc... but never actually got around to making the cocktail! I keep thinking, "Oh, I'll make an 'Old Fashioned' tonight!" but end up sipping my whisky neat.
Someday, for sure. Speaking of whisky, have you tried Canadian Centennial? After almost 50 years of indulgence, and trying almost every one on the market, it has become my "go to." Nice flavour. Thanks, Glen!
I think tonight should be the "tonight"!
Very Informative video. Like you I prefer the nuances to make it your own. I think in one of those books you should have the Rock and Rye. Recipe "Put a spoonful of sugar in a glass, hand the patron the whisky bottle and the glass". Much easier drink ;)
I like mine with 2oz Michter's Rye, a barspoon of simple, 3 dashes of Angostura bitters, and an orange peel expressed over the top.
As a bourbon and Old Fashioned drinker, I was interested to see what twist you could teach me.
I just mixed up a whiskey cocktail with Eagle Rare Bourbon and Regan's No. 6 Orange Bitters. After a taste (yummy as usual) I added a couple drops of salt water. Yes...it was definitely creamy! This will be added to every variation I try!
You also hit the nail on the head with the "keep trying different variations" comment. I have been experimenting with different bitters and different combinations of bitters...Regan's No 6., Fee Brothers Chocolate, Cranberry, Cherry. I have also played with different bourbons. Each combination I try has been excellent, but my favorite is Eagle Rare and a combination of orange and chocolate bitters.
Thanks again for a new trick! Cheers!
Loved the historical perspective on this!
I have indeed tried many variations with many whiskies :) I actually prefer it best with a fruity Speyside Scotch, which is blasphemy for those married to bourbon… but hey! Like you said, this is all about the whisky and everything else is purely a supporting flavour.
I like to add a cocktail cherry or two, and sometimes I substitute the sugar/syrup with the cherry syrup :D but otherwise my method is quite similar.
That said, I do build it in the glass. But I definitely prefer one big ice cube/ball like you rather than lots of small ice filling the glass like I’ve seen others do it.
And I agree about the consistency of flavour and texture - all that “it gets more diluted and sweeter, it’s an EXPERIENCE, don’t drink it too slowly or too quickly” stuff is fine for those who like it but I just can’t get along with that way of living!
As you apparently found out, it's pretty tricky to dial in the salt using a 2:1 solution. You'd probably have a much easier time with a ~10% saline solution.
I'm with you on rye being the better choice overall for this cocktail. 1792 Small Batch could have been replaced with a lithe more stout of an American bourbon, even 1792 Full Proof. I think higher proof bourbon makes a fantastic old fashioned.
Love your channel, keep it up.
Julie's hair looks super cool in this vid.
1792 small batch is my favorite bourbon, but I’ve never heard of it as a whiskey you would use in a mixed drink. But I’m not a whiskey connoisseur. However I’ve only ever had it neat or on the rocks.
A bit of salt?! Love it! I thought I was the only one adding just the smallest touch of salt to cocktails and beers! Cheers! 🥃
Thank you for sharing this information ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
The Ol Salt lick 😆
The newest Old Fashioned (that really has been around for a long time) but is now in the modern bartender's guide is the Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet. Consists of Brandy, Bitters, Simply Syrup, & 7 Up. We drink a lot of Brandy in Wisconsin.
I agree that there are a few base cocktails that most of the others emerged from. If you just add sweet red vermouth to your Old Fashioned, you pretty much have a Manhattan.
Recently purchased a Wild Turkey Rye to make a old fashioned with rye (usually a bourbon drinker) and I added a pinch of salt to my old fashioned tonigh. You really don't need a lot do you? It brings out so much flavour but it is incredibly easy to over-do. Love the show Glen ✌
Oh my goodness that was interesting! We are from Wisconsin....actually mid to northern Wisconsin. An Old Fashion is similar though very different. It is an extremely popular drink! In bars and supper clubs. Usually made with with brandy, simple sugar syrup, bitters, and either something like 7-up, or a sour...like 50/50....and ice cubes! I hear it's not as popular to the south.
I grew up with brandy old fashioned. Yep, I’m from Wisconsin.
Orange Crush and a good Rum(Diplomatico Mantuano for eg) makes an Old Fashion like drink.
Glen you should definitely check out Anders Erikson's RUclips channel if you haven't ever seen it. Lots of fun cocktails and their history over there!
I've watched @Anders Erickson - I especially like how he intro's his show. ;)
I tried a simple "old fashioned" for the 1st time last year, and it was quite unusual. Simple Syrup, orange bitters, orange peel and a huge ice cube. It really works with a good Bourbon.
When I look at an old recipe "whiskey", I presume they were referring to something like Seagram's Seven or Canadian Club, not some modern era top-shelf bourbon or rye; although I'm sure they make for a better cocktail ✌️
If you go back far enough - a lot of whisk(e)y was unbranded and sold by the barrel. I have a few books from the mid-late 1800s and earlier that are aimed at saloon keepers; all about how to adulterate cheap / bad whiskey and make it palatable. In most cases these recipes were a 'cocktail' of sorts with sugar, fruit juices, and colour added - then it was sold as whiskey.
@@GlenAndFriendsCooking Yikes! Thanks for that info Glen!
I luv a good bourbon or B&B in an Old Fashion 🥃 Cheers
I also like a rum old fashioned using a good dark rum. But this is pretty much how I make an old fashioned and it is the best coktail.
Jerry Thomas was from Sackets Harbor, across the lake from you.
Great idea with adding salt!! Thanks so much for all the great content, this is definitely one of the best channels on the youtube! Keep up the great work, and let us know if there's anything we can do to support! Donations / etc.
I appreciate that! The best help is watch, like, comment and maybe pass the channel along to others.
@@GlenAndFriendsCooking I definitely share this channel with family and friends. Your channel was running during Christmas at my place & my whole family loved the content. Thanks again for all your hard work!!
The mind said one but the hand said two! ;)
Great stuff as always! In the mr. Boston recipe at the end. Do you know what a "lump" or "1/2 lump" of sugar would equate to in modern measurements? Thanks for another intriguing video!
I’ve always assumed a lump is a teaspoon.
Simple syrup with gum arabic added...what does that bring to the flavor profile? Is it basically the same flavor as simple syrup? Now I'm also going to add saline to my bourbon cocktails. I always add extra bitters (Typically Fee's orange or Peychaud's) but NOW, Salt may be the answer! Thanks Glen!
Saw the title and said, “Old fashioned what?” 😆
Jeros foaming bar sugar splashed with 7up or seltzer made a very pretty looking old fashioned. But jeros stopped making foaming bar sugar.
The Old Salty!
I liked cherry juice in my old fashions when I used to drink.
I think the salt water needed to go in to the stir glass so as to be more diluted.
There's a restaurant here in New Orleans that my wife and I frequent and they serve a "smoked" Old Fashion.
They infuse the glass and the ice with hickory smoke for about 5-6 minutes before actually mixing the drink. It's absolutely AMAZING! One of my favorite drinks - hands down!
Great work Glen!
Maybe adding soda to many cocktails adds some hint of saltiness that enhances the flavors of other components as well as adding bubbles. Might be interesting to compare carbonted water with soda.
I forgot which RUclips bartender said it, but I like his method of using a orange garnish for bourbon, and lemon for rye
Otherwise I usually follow the angostura bitters recipe on the bottle haha, but like to play around
Glen make an Old Fashioned using Maple Syrup instead of Simple Syrup, Orange Bitters. Garnish with Luxardo Cherry, and Orange Peel.
My favorite drink once the temperature drops outside
I like Elijah Craig for my old fashioned. Woooooody!
You should play with your beer salts in a cocktail, lil gypsum, lil CaCl...