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Brandy Old Fashioned

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description Brandy Old Fashioned Overview

The Brandy Old Fashioned is a regional variation of the Old Fashioned cocktail associated especially with Wisconsin and the broader American Midwest. It combines brandy with sugar and aromatic bitters, often muddling the sugar with fruit before adding ice. Wisconsin bars commonly serve it sweet, sour, or with soda, referring to the choice of mixer, while a citrus peel or fruit garnish may complete the drink.

help Brandy Old Fashioned FAQ

What is the difference between a standard Old Fashioned and a Brandy Old Fashioned?

While a traditional Old Fashioned uses whiskey as the base spirit, a Brandy Old Fashioned substitutes brandy. This regional variation is incredibly popular in Wisconsin, where it is often muddled with fruit and made sweeter using a splash of soda like Sprite or 7-Up.

Why is the Brandy Old Fashioned so popular in Wisconsin?

The drink's massive popularity in Wisconsin traces back to the 1940s and 1950s when liquor companies heavily promoted California brandy in the Midwest. It became so ingrained in local culture that Wisconsin bars reportedly consume a massive portion of the entire country's Korbel brandy supply.

What does it mean to order a Brandy Old Fashioned sweet, sour, or press?

These terms dictate the specific type of soda used to top off the cocktail after the brandy, bitters, and fruit are muddled. Ordering it "sweet" means it is topped with a lemon-lime soda like Sprite, "sour" uses a grapefruit soda like Squirt, and "press" combines equal parts sour soda and club soda.

What type of brandy is typically used to make a Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned?

Korbel California Brandy is the most traditional and widely used brandy for this regional cocktail. It provides a sweet, grape-forward profile that pairs perfectly with the aromatic bitters, sugar, and orange cherry muddled at the bottom of the glass.

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