Latest Drink Recipe
In my opinion, one of the greatest triumphs of the cocktail renaissance is the rediscovery of the classic Old Fashioned. I’ve often spoken of how at some point after the repeal of Prohibition, the Old Fashioned became lost and possibly confused with a long-forgotten drink called a Smash (basically a tarted-up Mint Julep covered in fruit), a mere husk of its former, glorious self.
For decades, bartenders just like me served a limp, weak concoction consisting of a half-muddled sugar cube, a mashed-up neon red cherry and orange, a splash of whiskey, and some soda water drowning the results.
With a little luck, and a lot of hard work, that’s all changed with the renewed interest in classic cocktails. Now at any given night at my bar you can find literally a dozen people sipping on two ounces bourbon touched with a teaspoon of sugar and two dashes of bitters, garnished with a simple orange twist over a couple big ice cubes.
But don’t try to pull that bullshit with the good people of the Great State of Wisconsin, where the Brandy Old Fashioned rules supreme. It’s not the same drink as above, it just shares a name. And if you make it right, really right, it’s a damn delicious cocktail and worthy of examination.
Being located in a hotel, we’re used to serving folks from all over the world. And the first time I witnessed a guest from Wisconsin stare blankly as one of my bartenders handed over two ounces of Cognac touched with a teaspoon of sugar and two dashes of bitters and garnished with a simple orange twist over a couple big ice cubes, I knew some further training was in order.
So in the name of making cocktails – all cocktails – with as much of our hearts as we can offer, I present to you what I believe to be the perfect Brandy Old Fashioned… Wisconsin-style.
I start with an old fashioned glass I’ve chilled in the freezer. Call it a tumbler, call it a double rocks glass, or call it a bucket, it’s a glass you’re familiar with. To that I add two dashes of Angostura bitters and a teaspoon of sugar. If I’m in a hurry I use a 2:1 simple syrup, but if I’m going to spend some time, I use a sugar cube. The sugar cube is preferable here because it’s going to add some friction to the muddling we’re about to do. Brace yourselves, cocktail “nerds”.
Next I’ll take a thick-cut orange wedge, and a cherry. The usual suspect here is a grocery store maraschino cherry, but I always choose a brandied Amarena cherry. Remember, you’re going to get out what you put in, so a quality cherry is going to make the drink that much better.
I muddle the sugar, bitters, orange wedge and cherry into a thick paste, careful not to touch the orange peel too much as it’ll bring unwanted bitterness to the party – just work around the peel and pulverize that orange meat.
Your standard Brandy Old Fashioned brandy of choice is Korbel: cheap California brandy. Considering the hundreds of thousands of cases they ship to Wisconsin every year, it might be considered sacrosanct to use anything else. But if you want to do this right, really right, then do yourself a favor and use some good Cognac. I have my preferred brandy, you have yours.
At this point your typical Wisconsinite barkeep is going to add ice and finish the drink in one of two main ways: sweet or sour. Those who take it sweet will ask for a splash of Sprite or 7-Up, those who take it sour get a dose of Collins Mix or Squirt. To me, it’s just a way of watering down the drink, so I leave out the soda and take a more… cocktail-y method.
Crushed ice is a must for me whenever I whip up a Brandy Old Fashioned. I always skip the soda and let the tiny shards of ice do the work, taming those strong, sweet flavors and turning this into a drink you can sip slowly.
As for a garnish, most will throw a “flag” of an orange wedge and a cherry spiked through with a wooden toothpick, but my take here is that those things are already in the drink, so I skip ‘em. Besides, how pretty does that look without the goofy fruit salad perched over the top?
You know, it’s something to enjoy sipping on while you cook up some bratwurst and onions in a boiling kettle of beer before everyone comes over to watch the Packers game. Drink accordingly.
Brandy Old Fashioned
1 sugar cube or 1 tsp 2:1 simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 orange wedge
1 cherry, preferably Amarena or Maraska
2 oz brandy or Cognac
In a chilled old fashioned glass, muddle the sugar, bitters, orange wedge and cherry into a thick paste, careful not to work the orange peel. Add brandy or Cognac, stir, and fill glass with crushed ice and serve.
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About Me
My name is Jeff Morgenthaler and I'm the bar manager at Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon.
I've been tending bar since 1996 and writing about it since 2004. I started tending bar while getting my degree in Interior Architecture, and slowly I came to the conclusion that bartending was what I really loved, and that I might as well drop everything and focus on being a professional bartender. Over the years I have strived, both behind the bar and with this website, to elevate the experience of having a drink from something mundane to something more culinary.
The writing I do here is intended as a work in progress. My recipes are like my opinions: they are constantly being revised and refined as I work them through my mind and my fingers. Comments and participation are encouraged, so please don't feel the need to tread lightly here.
15 Sep 2010 at 9:11 AM 1. Dave Stolte
Couldn’t be simpler Jeff. Nice way to break it down for those intimidated by Sangria. From here, they can progress to adding a shot of brandy or some bubbles to the mix if they like. :)
15 Sep 2010 at 10:06 AM 2. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Thanks, Dave! If you do use brandy, I’d probably recommend dropping the Grand Marnier to half a cup, and adding a good two-ounce dosage of good brandy.
15 Sep 2010 at 12:27 PM 3. Jeremy
I’ve been experimenting with different bitters in my Manhattans and Sours.
Are Angostura bitters the only kind you suggest for Sangria? I was contemplating using some blood orange bitters in your mix above.
15 Sep 2010 at 1:30 PM 4. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Jeremy
As I said, feel free to use this as a base for your experiments. I like the earthy, Christmas spices in Angostura but you might like playing with Fee Brother’s Old Fashioned Bitters, or whatever strikes your fancy.
That said, I find that recipes that use orange juice, orange liqueur, and orange bitters to taste like, well, orange overkill.
16 Sep 2010 at 9:34 AM 5. Brain
Thanks for helping to correct the record on Sangria!
There are many more recipes, published in the earliest cocktail books, for Sangria (or Sangaree, as the were called) — and they don’t even have to be based on wine.
http://www.classicmixology.com/sangria
16 Sep 2010 at 2:17 PM 6. Mike
I’ve messed with the Fee Brothers bitters in both white and red sangria and have had some awesome results. I also really enjoy adding Vermouth into the mix.
I know the season has recently changed, but this Blanco Sangria Recipe killed for me all summer at the bar and a few weddings I tended.
Blanco Sangria
1 750ml bottle of white wine (really most work well, but steer away from Rieslings and Grigio)
4 oz Cointreau
4 oz St. Germain Elderflower
3 oz Boissiere Dry Vermouth
Juice of 1 lemon
2 ounces 1:1 simple syrup
4-5 heavy dashes of Fee Brothers Rhubarb bitters
Build in a pitcher with little ice, add fruit, and serve on ice.
17 Sep 2010 at 10:42 AM 7. JD
I’ve found that white sangrias are tasty if made with vinho verde. The low ABV and ever-so slight fizziness mean that it plays very well with a variety of hard liquor additions. Or if you go easy on the booze then you have the ability to quaff quite a bit without keeling over.
I once tasted what may be the worst sangria ever. A friend bought a jug of pre-made, sweetened sangria from (I believe) Carlo Rossi, not knowing that sangria is not a style of wine that is then turned into a “sangria punch”. She proceeded to use this concoction in a regular recipe, adding even MORE sugar, grenadine, and bottom-shelf triple sec. It was so syrupy, with the viscosity of maple syrup. One sip made my stomach turn. Gross.
17 Sep 2010 at 3:02 PM 8. Tony Harion
Oh! just a reminder: don’t forget to eat the fruit!
20 Oct 2010 at 11:16 AM 9. federico Cuco
Jeff, hermano,
Very correct recipe, very good recipes from other countries to teach in your blog.
Sangria is a great way to share wine with friends.
Greetings from Argentina, your friend.
Federico Cuco
20 Oct 2010 at 12:02 PM 10. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Thanks Federico, glad you like the recipe.
04 Nov 2010 at 3:25 PM 11. Sully
Excellent recipe.
You might try making a sherry-based sangria sometime. A local tapas restaurant makes an okay one. Done right, it’s like the combination of fruit and nuts. I wish I could offer you a recipe but I have hunch that simply the suggestion is enough for someone like you.
Keep blogging! I found you from the post about neat/up etc. and it was entertaining to read the comments.
19 Nov 2010 at 2:10 PM 12. janice
Where are you? I miss reading your blog. And don’t think hauling out the eggnog recipe again is going to suffice…
27 Nov 2010 at 10:45 AM 13. mata
I bet you make better Sangria than they do here in Spain ha ha ha!
02 Dec 2010 at 4:12 AM 14. Jae Penzien
Thank you so much, this was a good read. I was actually born in Spain (I’m not telling you what year though!) but was moved around europe and lastly settled in the UK when I was 7. I dont remember an awful lot of the few years I was in spain, but the smell of spanish food always seems to get me going or something. It’s weird how I dont remember anything except the smells,isn’t it! Anyway, thank you again. I’ll get my son to add your website to my rss thing…
01 Feb 2011 at 1:38 PM 15. Deric
Do you recommend after preparing and adding fruit to let it chill in the fridge overnight or longer?
17 Apr 2011 at 8:38 PM 16. BarsAndBartending.com
Thanks for a standard sangria recipe. I was probably like most of the people at the party originally – I expect sangria to be horrible if I don’t make it myself. I usually add a little lime bar mix for the sweetness instead of the simple syrop.
05 Jun 2011 at 1:51 AM 17. Stuart
Very nice. Was a good drink – I’d like to turn it into a staple :)
14 Jun 2011 at 5:58 AM 18. Cindi L.
Thank you for explaining Sangria simply. I plan to try this over the weekend and see how my guests like it. I’ve only ever tried sangria once before, it was a fall sangria cocktail I got from another blog I follow. The recipe was good but involved cooking the apples/alcohol together and waiting over night for it to chill. It also had a cinnamon harvest sugar rim. The taste was great and our party guests loved it. I guess that experience lead me to believe I had to cook all Sangrias. I see that’s not a standard approach now after reading your post. Thanks and keep up the great posts.
04 Jul 2011 at 3:18 PM 19. Tommy
I just tried this recipe (no alterations) with a Beaujolais over the 4th with rave reviews. I really liked the Grand Marnier in the mix. Thanks for making the celebration a hit!
15 Aug 2011 at 12:11 PM 20. Ben P
Made a double batch of this for my friends engagement party last night. It was a big hit. Built it up in a glass gallon jar. Upped the simple syrup a tad from 1 1/2 oz to 2 oz of 1:1. Also found Rioja wine, which I was worried I wouldn’t find. Substituted Patron Citronge for the Grand Marnier, mostly for reasons of cost. Figured it was better to skimp there than on the wine. I was very happy with the results. Next time I’m going to add the simple syrup last and see how it tastes without the extra sugar. While it wasn’t overly sweet, I wouldn’t consider what I made to be “dry”. It also seemed to taste better to me after sitting on some ice for a little bit, for some cooling and watering down.
Glad I had a little strainer to filter out some of the orange pulp. Guess I need a new orange juicer.
28 Oct 2011 at 11:04 AM 21. Duff
Awesome recipe. I like that is is simple, and restrained- focusing on the flavors. I have had a lot of terrible sangria from chain restaurants. There was also a terrible trend of making “sangria” for parties in college.
One question, besides Grand Marnier, what are your thoughts on other “orange” liquers? If I were to sub in Cointreau, do you think it might be wise to reduce the amount of syrup to balance it out?
03 Mar 2012 at 1:07 PM 22. Steve
Great advice. Not sure if the picture is an actual photo of your sangria or not, but from what I can see in the photo, there’s one slight problem with the sangria: the fruit isn’t diced properly. It may be more photogenic as it appears above, but in my opinion, drinking sangria should not only be delicious, but fun, too. Thus, I’d recommend dicing your apples into tiny bite-sized pieces so that you can take in a small cube with every sip. One of the most satisfying things about drinking sangria is the experience of crunching down on a juicy wine-infused piece of apple.
Maybe some people like to save a bigger apple slice for the end, but I’m a big fan of having fun every step of the way rather than waiting for the finish. To each his own…
12 Mar 2012 at 10:18 PM 23. Marta Monteiro
Hello, Jeffrey!
I am a Portuguese bartender who hated Sangria until I’ve started working at a bar who does this amazin Sangria not only with Red wine, but also white wine a Sparkling wine or Champagne.
You are completly right: there is no perfect solution for a Sangria.
the basics is: wine, fresh fruit ( all fruit you wish – for the champagne raspberries to go along are amazing!!), some sugar, liquors. My mother even puts cinnamon, vodka and sprite!
Don’t ever buy bottled sangria – it sucks!!
Don’t ever EVER prepare the sangria the day before!! It should allways be prepared in the moment. My mother told me the fruit ferments and the result is not so good!! eheheheh
I’m glad to see this recipe here! And glad you have enjoyed it!
Many thanks.
Marta
15 May 2012 at 11:32 AM 24. Ginty
Jeffrey! We had some great patio weather up here in Ontario so I broke out your recipe, and everyone declared it the best they’ve had! Thanks for the recipe, I might riff a little on it next time. Maybe a little suds on top,…
30 Jun 2012 at 9:31 AM 25. Grant
Well after hours of scanning the web I finally landed on some sangria principles, thank you Mr. Morgenthaler! I could now relax and with principles in hand forge ahead into the unknown. The tip of buying a red wine from the Rioja region stood me well not only because the wine seemed perfect with the fruit, but also turned out to be a conversation piece as one of the guest’s family was originally from that region of spain – and he gave me two thumbs up on the sangria – phew! Finally I could really relax. (Or maybe that was the sangria working its magic.)
Having had some great sangria in Costa Rica earlier this year, one of the best parts was the wonderful small bits of fruit seemingly infused with magical stuff (like sugar). So I chose blue berries, strawberries and mango (small cubes, perfectly ripe) with some larger slices of apple. When I saw I had one third of a 2 liter pitcher full of fruit I threw in Grand Marnier (3/4c), Brandy (1/3c?), (2tsp) bitters, orange juice (3/4c I only had 2 oranges) and just enough wine to cover the fruit (forgot about the simple syrup altogether). Once at the party I added the rest of the wine (2 bottles). Clearly I had somehow muddled all the proportions and was really beginning to sweat it. The first few sips were like – this is just wine – but as things gelled nicely and the sweet mango got in there it really turned into nicer and nicer sangria as the pitcher emptied. Everyone loved it. Success! Thanks again.
24 Sep 2012 at 12:56 PM 26. Marley
Jeff:
Could you give us your recipe for a white wine sangria?
02 Jan 2013 at 10:56 AM 27. Jennifer
Hi, I wanted to make some sangria in mason jars as a bridal shower favor. When do you recommend pouring into the jars and can I make a warm batch and leave it out before refrigeration …say overnight so I dont have to keep cool at the shower? THanks!
23 Apr 2013 at 8:44 AM 28. Nathan
Tried this recipe last night, to-the-letter. It’s dangerous! The Rioja was a good choice for a base – fruity, but not sweet, and the simple syrup was the right amount to give a hint of sweetness.
I used St. George Qi White Tea Liqueur for the orange liqueur. I think next time I’ll try the Grand Marnier (I didn’t have any on hand last night) to see if it’s better. I think the GM might make things a bit sweeter, though.
The market had some amazing blackberries and pears, so that was the fresh fruit in the mix.
Thanks Jeffrey! Good stuff. I can’t wait for your next Small Screen Network episode.