A Beer Old Fashioned Gives You The Best Of Both Worlds
There are a few staple drinks you'll find in just about every bar — a gin and tonic, a martini, and, of course, an Old Fashioned. You make a classic Old Fashioned by muddling together bitters and sugar. Then, you add whiskey and top the whole thing off with an orange slice or peel, or a cocktail cherry (or sometimes a combination of these).
If you're a fan of this cocktail, why not mix things up and enjoy a spin on the standard beverage? One tasty twist to try is a Beer Old Fashioned. This drink has the bitter, slightly fruity flavor and strength of its classic counterpart but also the heartiness of beer in the mix. Plus, the beer can help balance out the strong taste of liquor in the drink, even though it actually adds more alcohol. What's more, beer and whiskey pair perfectly together in an Old Fashioned since both contain barley and yeast and follow a similar initial fermentation process.
If all this talk of a Beer Old Fashioned has you excited to try one for yourself, it pays to know the methodology behind this cocktail and the ingredients that go into it. You'll also want to understand what variations you can try to give it your own unique flair.
What to know about making a Beer Old Fashioned
To make this drink, the first thing to know is you'll still be using bitters mixed with a sweetener to start. You can either muddle together the spirit and brown sugar, or you can use a beer syrup. If you go the syrup route, feel free to add other flavors, such as vanilla bean or perhaps citrus, that will complement your cocktail.
Once you've muddled together your bitters and sweetener, it's time to move on to adding your whiskey (although some people like to muddle the whiskey with the bitters and sugar). For an Old Fashioned, you have a few different options when it comes to what type of whiskey you choose. For example, you can use bourbon for notes of caramel and vanilla or rye if you want a bit of spiciness in your beverage.
Lastly, you'll want to finish your beverage. While some mixologists don't add any beer at all — sticking to just a beer syrup, the bitters, and the whiskey — others top the drink off with a few ounces of beer. The exact flavor of the beverage will vary depending on what kind of brew you use. A stout, for instance, will give your cocktail a heartier taste, while something like an amber ale can make for a lighter and softer drink. Look for beers that will complement the flavors of your chosen whiskey. Then garnish as usual and enjoy!
Other twists on a classic Old Fashioned to try
If you love whiskey cocktails but want to move away from the Beer Old Fashioned and try something else, there are plenty of other twists on this drink to check out. One simple yet scrumptious way to mix things up is to make a Browned Butter Old Fashioned. The added fat has a toffee, nutty flavor that complements the caramel, vanilla, and overall sweet notes in bourbon, rye, and other whiskeys. If adding fat to your drink isn't appealing, you can still enjoy toffee flavors by making a Trefoil Old Fashioned, which features butterscotch schnapps.
Another way to play with this cocktail is to make a Sweetheart Old Fashioned. This particular spin involves just three ingredients — whiskey, cinnamon liqueur, and hazelnut liqueur. The result is a nutty and sugary drink you can serve either neat or on the rocks. Or, skip the whiskey altogether and make your drink a Rum Old Fashioned instead. With so many variations, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this classic cocktail in a new light.