Every now and then after dinner, husband, Mike, enjoys drinking bourbon neat. That means straight-up, no ice. He’s offered me a taste and my reaction has always been the same no matter the brand: I make an ugly face while shaking my head, and utter something that sounds like the word “Blech.” But things have changed since we started making Bourbon Old Fashioned cocktails – a dark, smooth, a little sweet and a little bitter, adult beverage.
ORIGINS OF THE OLD FASHIONED
The Old Fashioned is one of the oldest classic cocktails, having been around since the mid-1800s and remains near the top of most favorite cocktail lists. By early definitions, the word “cocktail” meant a potent mixture of spirits, bitters, water, and sugar. The Old Fashioned checks all these boxes. By the 1860’s as cocktails became more and more complex, customers started asking bartenders for a less complicated drink – something more old-fashioned, thus the cocktail became known as the Old Fashioned. There is no single person said to have invented the cocktail, instead it is a cocktail of evolution, changing spirits, sugar sources, garnishes, bitters, and ingredient proportions.
WHAT SHOULD AN OLD FASHIONED TASTE LIKE?
An Old Fashioned cocktail blends the flavor of bourbon (or rye or scotch) with bitter, sweet, and sour. The addition of lemon peel or orange peel adds a touch of citrus flavor. It’s a rich, smooth, silky, well-balanced, spirit forward cocktail.
WHAT’S IN AN OLD FASHIONED?
The traditional recipe is pretty straightforward:
Bitters – typically Angostura, however lots of room for experimenting with different bitters.
Garnishes – lemon or orange peel, cherry (in our case, keto bourbon cherries) more traditionally maraschino cherries are used, but they add an additional 3 net carbs per cherry.
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces of bourbon
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar-free syrup (Log Cabin, Mrs. Butterworth’s, etc.) or Keto Simple Syrup
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
orange peel
Keto Bourbon Cherries for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine: In a lowball glass, rocks glass, or old fashioned glass, pour in the bourbon, 1/2 teaspoon syrup, and 2-3 dashes of bitters. Using a bar spoon, gently stir till combined.
Add and Stir: Add one large ice cube or several smaller cubes. Stir in circular motion until chilled, about 30 seconds. If additional sweetness is desired, stir in additional 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of syrup.
Express: oil of an orange peel, skin side down, into glass, then drop in.
Garnish: with our keto bourbon cherry.
FAVORITE BOURBONS FOR AN OLD FASHIONED – START BY USING GOOD SIPPING BOURBON
FOUR ROSES
MAKER’S MARK
ELIJAH CRAIG
BASIL HAYDEN’S
BULLEIT
OTHER COCKTAILS TO TRY
Easy Bourbon Old Fashioned With Step-By-Step Instructions
One of the greatest classic bourbon cocktails of all time, our keto version tastes just as great as the original. Using sugar-free maple syrup or keto simple syrup, the carb count reduces to only 2 net grams per serving! It’s a rich, smooth, silky, well-balanced, spirit forward cocktail you're going to love!
- 2 oz bourbon
- ½ tsp sugar-free maple syrup (use up to 1 teaspoon to taste)
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- orange peel (for garnish)
- 1 bourbon cherry (optional )
In a lowball, rocks, or old fashioned glass, pour in bourbon, ½ tsp of sugar-free maple syrup, 3 dashes Angostura bitters. Gently stir until combined.
Add one large ice cube or several smaller cubes. Stir in circular motion until chilled, about 30 seconds. Express the oil of an orange peel, skin side down, into glass, then drop in. Garnish with bourbon cherry, if desired.
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