Bartender Journey Episode #263
The Old Fashioned.
I was at a sitting at a bar the other day and there was a bartender, training a young lady who was obviously brand new to bartending. The younger one asked the one who was doing the training “how long have you been bartending”. She answers “nearly 15 years”.
A ticket comes in for an Old Fashioned. Here’s a learning opportunity for the newbie, right?
She explains how to make it:
There are a lot of problems here. Lets take them one by one.
This is my recipe, and its written almost exactly like this in Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s The Bar Book, which is more or less the final word for me personally in all matters Bartending.
In mixing cup:
Stir with ice to chill and dilute.
Strain into an old fashioned glass with one large 2” ice cube. Express oils from an orange twist (use a Y-peeler to make orange twist to order). You could also use a lemon twist, which is delicious also.
Old Fashioneds can of course also be made with Rye whiskey or even rum. I’ve seen Reposado or Anão Tequila Old Fashioneds too.
In Sasha Patraski’s book Regarding Cocktails Sasha’s protégé Sam Ross shares his recipe for an Old Fashioned variation called the Tattletale. Its made with Angostura bitters, honey a blend of a Highlands scotch and a smoky Islay scotch.
So of course, there is no end to variations and methods, but I just feel like its good to know the proper traditional way of making things before going off on tangents.
History wise:
The earliest known printed definition of the “cocktail” appeared in the newspaper the Balance and Columbian Repository in 1806. It was written in response to a reader who asked for a definition of the word. It said a cocktail is “A stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters.”
Quoting from Wikipedia, “The first use of the name ‘Old Fashioned’ for a Bourbon whiskey cocktail was said to have been at the Pendennis Club, a gentlemen's club founded in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky. The recipe was said to have been invented by a bartender at that club in honor of Colonel James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller, who brought it to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City.”
Robert Simonson mentioned that it was simply referred to as a “whiskey cocktail” until the late 19th century. Mr. Simonson wrote a great book all about the Old Fashioned called The Old-Fashioned: The Story of the World's First Classic Cocktail, with Recipes and Lore. I’ll have a link to that along with the other books I mentioned.
Speaking of prohibition, as I record this today Dec 5, 2018 it is Repeal Day! This is the anniversary of the end of Prohibition in 1933. Its an unofficial Bartender holiday, or at least excuse for a party! I happened to be almost at the end of binge watching Boardwalk Empire, which was a great show on HBO about the prohibition era. Its fictional, but a lot of historical characters are in the show like Lucky Luciano, Al Capone and Elliot Ness. The show is now available on Amazon Prime if you want to check it out.
So mix yourself up and Old Fashioned. I’d love to see your version. If you could post a picture on IG and give it the hash tag
#BartenderOldFashioned
Depending how many we get, I’ll try to mention them all on the next show.
I’ll be posting mine on my IG which is BartenderJourney.
Here’s a toast:
Here’s to everything that is old.
Old friends, old times, old manners and old fashioneds.
Tales Of The Cocktail 2015 Wrap-up!
Tales Of The Cocktail 2015 Preview with Warren Bobrow!
Modern (and historic) Vermouth!
Are Distilled Spirits Gluten Free?
Great whiskey made in Brooklyn New York!
Bourbon Empire
Jeffrey Morganthaler
Camper English
Genever - A Slightly Mysterious Spirit
Interview with Mr. David Wondrich
Drinking a Negroni with Gaz
Interview with Jesse. Berkshires Bartender who shares some stories from behind the bar.
Bitters & Shrub Syrup Cocktails
Scotch tasting with Simon Brookings
Wine Knowledge for Bartenders 2.0
America Walks into A Bar
What to expect-first time at Tales of the Cocktail
Dad's Hat Rye Whiskey
Wine Knowledge for Bartenders; Cocktail tour of New Orleans & an interview with Julie Reiner.
Bartender Journey Podcast #100!
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