The "New" Old Fashioned

So anyone who is a bourbon fan or watched the AMC series "Mad Men," knows about the classic cocktail, The Old Fashioned.  The Old Fashioned is based on four main ingredients: sugar, water, bourbon and bitters.  There have been different additions that became popular over the last century such as muddling in fruit and adding various liqueurs, such as Curacao or even absinthe.  

Because I didn't have bitters on hand when I originally thought to have this libation to accompany my Bourbon & Bison Dish, I set about to try and find how to utilize an alternative, which proved exceptionally difficult.  I saw things that ranged from using Worcestershire sauce , soy sauce and various herbs, ranging from about 10-15 different ingredients.  So I decided to go ahead a purchase a bottle of bitters deciding there was no easy "recipe" alternative.  

Although I didn't have trouble finding it myself, in 2010 there was a bitters shortage, making it exceptionally expensive.  I paid about $10 for a little bottle, but now that I had it, I decided to make both the traditional Old Fashioned, as well as come with an easy alternative cocktail without bitters that tastes very similar, and voila! The "New" Old Fashioned was created.

The "New" Old Fashioned Recipe

The aim with this alternative was to use more common ingredients as well as I am not a fan of processed sugar, and prefer to use healthier alternatives for sweeteners.  There is a slightly stronger orange flavor to this recipe and sweeter after-taste to the original but it's pretty close and the ingredients can be adjusted to use less grand marnier to lessen the additional orange flavor.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. of truvia, or agave nectar, or raw honey

splash of water, about 2 tbsp.

1/4 tsp of cinnamon

1 shot of grand marnier

2 shots of preferred bourbon

ice

optional - orange peel for garnish

1. Muddle truvia (or other sweetener) and water in serving glass until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add cinnamon, grand marnier and bourbon, and top with ice.
3. Lay orange peel over side of glass and serve.

Enjoy this with my Bourbon & Bison Dish!

The Old Fashioned Original Recipe (Basic)

Ingredients:

1 sugar cube, 1 tsp of sugar

splash of water, about 2 tbsp.

4-6 dashes of bitters

2 shots of preferred bourbon

ice

optional - orange peel for garnish

1. Muddle sugar and water in serving glass until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add bitters and bourbon, and top with ice.
3. Lay orange peel over side of glass and serve.

Please drink responsibly..!