Brandy Old-Fashioned Sweet (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between an Old Fashioned and a brandy old fashioned? ›

' ” Regardless of which option you choose, unlike the spirit-forward original, Wisconsin's brandy Old Fashioned contains approximately four ounces of soda. It also features a muddled mixture of maraschino cherries, orange slice, sugar and bitters, among other possible garnishes.

brandy: It's traditional to use Korbel (Core-bell) brandy in a Wisconsin old fashioned, but at the end of the day, any decent brandy will do. If you really can't stand to use brandy, just swap for bourbon. 7-up, sprite, squirt, or club soda: Totally your choice here based on whether you want it sweet, sour, or press.

Brandy's popularity in Wisconsin started when a large number of German immigrants moved here in the 19th century and couldn't find their favorite drink, brandewijn. This prompted Korbel to start distilling for the public in 1889. Small-batch local distilleries produce – or have produced – brandy, too.

Ask for your drink to be more bitter or sweet.

If you want a more sweet Old Fashioned, ask for less bitters in your drink. Typical Old Fashioneds don't have much more than a splash of bitters in them.

More than a simple brandy and cola concoction, the Cuba Libre is a marriage of the robust Mansion House French Brandy with sweet cola and the tart lime.

It may surprise some to learn that the Badger State consumes more brandy than anywhere else in the United States. In 2019, Wisconsinites accounted for more than half of the worldwide sales of Korbel brandy.

For those looking for an intense experience, drinking brandy neat is definitely the way to go. All you need is a tulip-shaped glass, pour the brandy in and savour the flavour. If you prefer your brandy with a bit of dilution, try serving it on the rocks – simply pour over small cubes of ice or an ice ball and sip away.

Brandy is made by distillation of wine. The colors and sugar in the wine do not go into the distilled liquor, and clear liquid with high alcohol content is obtained.

By the late 19th century, the Badger State was still drinking the old fashioned like the rest of the world does. So, what made Wisconsin spice up a beloved classic?

Dating back to the 1800s, the Old Fashioned was a popular drink served at Gentlemen's Clubs and is often associated with an aristocratic and more mature drinker. Those who pick an Old Fashioned today are said to enjoy a more traditional way of life but still have an air of risk and challenge to their personality.

How to impress a bartender? ›

If you're in a craft co*cktail bar and you want to stand out, ask the bartender a few questions and at least sound like you want to learn. Ask them what they're enjoying making this season, and why. Pick your favorite liquor and ask which of that liquor they recommend— better yet, tell them what you like first.

When comparing the two, bourbon tends to offer a sweeter and more intense flavor profile, while brandy provides a broader spectrum of fruity and nuanced tastes. Bartenders often choose bourbon when crafting co*cktails that require a bold and assertive base, emphasizing its caramel and vanilla undertones.

With that said, bourbon is often the go-to whiskey choice for an Old Fashioned. The relatively heavy body of the mostly corn-based spirit creates structure within the co*cktail, and its natural sweetness helps counterbalance the more astringent elements of bitters.

As previously mentioned, brandy is distilled fruit juice, and it can be any kind of fruit juice, while cognac is a specific type of distilled fruit juice with lots of qualifications. Cognac comes from the Cognac region of southwestern France, and is made with a fruit juice base of white grapes.

Whiskey is distilled from grain, whereas Brandy is distilled from wine or fermented fruit. Brandy can never be whiskey, and vice versa, since their constituent ingredients are always different: Grain for whiskey and fruit for brandy.