The Old Fashioned is one of the best cold-weather cocktails. In fact, every November, December, and January, the recipe for this timeless libation becomes a breakout search on Google.
With its warm caramel subtleness, oaky notes, and citrus aromatics, it remains a classic for a reason. At Before The Barrel Distillery, we use our Aged Corn Moonshine to reminisce back to the earliest days of the Old Fashioned. Let’s take a moment to honor this cocktail with a quick history lesson, and then we’ll jump right into this old-fashioned recipe.
A Brief History of The Old-Fashioned
Cocktail connoisseurs and history buffs alike might enjoy Robert Simonson's book The Old-Fashioned. But we’ll give you the Reader’s Digest version of the Old-Fashioned’s history.
Like the recollection of a hard night out, the origin story is a bit foggy. However, it’s generally believed that the drink emerged in the early to mid-1800s as a slap to the face of the growing popularity of complex cocktails, which we at Before The Barrel can certainly relate to. During this time, traditionalists started asking for an “old-fashioned” drink: spirits, sugar, bitters, and water.
But during the 1920s, prohibition did a number on the quality of the spirits available. To sweeten, soften, and enhance the flavor of illegally produced booze, “barmaids” added fruit, sugar, and other flavorings into the mix. Enter the muddled orange, cherry, sugar, and bitters.
The cocktail lives on to this day, evolving with different types of spirits, citrus fruits, and even spices. But here’s the thing: the better the spirits, the less you actually need in a proper Old-Fashioned. So, here’s how we do it:
Original Old-Fashion Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ½ ounces Aged Corn Moonshine
Splash and a half of water
Sugar cube
Aromatic and Orange Bitters
Orange peel (not optional)
Cherry (optional)
Steps:
Add sugar cube to rocks glass
Drip water on sugar cube to dissolve it
Add about 3 dashes each of aromatic and orange bitters, then muddle together
Add Aged Corn Moonshine
Add ice to the glass
Garnish with an orange peel and cherry (optional)
Old Fashioneds & Old Friends
We keep it pretty simple around here at Before The Barrel: Good spirits, classic cocktails, and a friendly atmosphere. If you’re interested in purchasing a bottle of Aged Corn Moonshine or trying one of our Old Fashioned cocktails, drop into our location at 8651 Wattsburg Rd, Erie, PA 16509. Be sure to join our newsletter to stay updated with events, products, and recipes.
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