The Reason You Should Add Brown Sugar To An Old Fashioned

You've probably seen one of your older family members drinking one of these classic cocktails at Christmas time. The Old Fashioned lives up to its name in age, with one of the first recipes containing similar ingredients to the modern Old Fashioned we know today (but without the whiskey) appearing in a book from 1862 (per Thrillist).

By 1880, the Old Fashioned was regularly being served at a social club called The Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky. The recipe was then brought to a bar in New York City, where it gained fame throughout the United States. Today, the Old Fashioned is traditionally made in the glass it's served in, with ingredients like rye or bourbon, Angostura Bitters, an orange peel slice, a maraschino cherry, and your sweetener of choice, such as simple syrup or a sugar cube, per Epicurious.

This caramel cocktail gets its beloved sweet balance from its final ingredient, the sugar. While many modern professional and home bartenders like to create their own twist on this classic drink, there may be a secret ingredient to the Old Fashioned that you have yet to be impressed by.

Old Fashioned drinks contain sugar, so why not switch it up with a different kind? Brown sugar is known for its unique caramel, toffee-like flavor thanks to the molasses that is added to it. Compared to regular white sugar, brown sugar can take any recipe and give it a deeper, richer flavor.

When it comes to adding it to your next Old Fashioned, you won't be sorry. Delish claims that this simple substitute will make your drink warm and cozy, like a batch of fresh chocolate chip cookies. Once you try it, you might find it difficult to sip it any other way. According to the recipe, all you have to do is add one teaspoon of packed brown sugar to your glass and muddle until the sugar dissolves. Then, add your other ingredients like bourbon and bitters, and garnish with whatever you prefer — an orange peel, cinnamon stick, etc.

If you happen to run out of brown sugar for your Old Fashioned, don't fret. The best substitutes for brown sugar work in a pinch. These include coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey, and agave nectar. You can also easily make your own brown sugar at home by combining molasses and granulated sugar.

If you're looking for more ways to spice up your next Old Fashioned, there's a handful of interesting ideas to choose from. Thrillist asked 14 bartenders their twist on this classic cocktail, and the best advice included using a high-proof rye whiskey instead of bourbon. Another said to omit the whiskey altogether and use rum with a splash of chocolate flavoring. Other bartenders suggested experimenting with the flavorings. One suggested using floral honey to give the drink a unique flavor or adding syrups like vanilla and lavender to give it an easy, refreshing taste.

At the end of the day, it's all about keeping an open mind and experimenting for yourself with different ingredients. Whether that be using larger ice cubes or garnishing with a lemon rind instead of an orange, you're bound to find the perfect concoction that will make your Old Fashioned taste anything but outdated.