The perfect Wisconsin Old Fashioned, made with Korbel brandy and served sweet, sour, or press. Garnish it with cherries or olives for a Wisconsin favorite that’s sure to hit the spot!

Maybe it’s because I’m from Wisconsin… but I LOVE an old fashioned. Especially when the weather turns cold! There’s just something about the combination of oranges, cherry, and brandy that warms you up from the inside out… which makes it one of my all time FAVORITE winter cocktails.

I’ll never forget the first time I ordered an old fashioned outside of Wisconsin. I was in Michigan, visiting friends, and I asked for an Old Fashioned Seltzer. And the puzzled look I got in return? It’s forever burned into my memory.

I honestly never realized that people in 49 out of 50 states JUST order an old fashioned… no clarification needed. And ever since then, I’ve had even more of an appreciation for the way we do it here in Wisconsin!

Because here in Wisconsin you make it to order: sweet, sour, seltzer or press. And whether you garnish it with cherries or olives or no garnish at all… every one is as delicious as the next! Cheers!

history of the Wisconsin Old Fashioned

The history of the Wisconsin Old Fashioned dates all the way back to post World War 2, when many distilleries were shut down because of grain and men being sent overseas for the war effort. Americans didn’t have much to choose from at the time, but a group of Wisconsin liquor distributors came across a cache of 30,000 cases of well-aged, Christian Brothers Brandy, which was quickly bought up for distribution in Wisconsin. This changed the way cocktails were made, and brandy was incorporated into many cocktails that had never been used before, including Old Fashioneds.

what you’ll need for this recipe

Orange slices – Muddled oranges are a key ingredient in a Wisconsin Old Fashioned, and I used 1/2 of a round orange slice for each drink. I like Navel oranges for their sweet, slightly bitter flavor, but you can feel free to use any type of orange you have on hand.

Cherries – Cherries are another key ingredient in a Wisconsin Old Fashioned. I used regular maraschino cherries, which are most commonly used in this drink. You can also use Luxardo maraschino cherries, which have a more natural color and flavor but are much more expensive.

Sugar cubes – Sugar cubes add a touch of sweetness to this drink. I used one sugar cube for each cocktail. You can also use a splash of simple syrup if you prefer.

Bitters – No Old Fashioned is complete without a few splashes of bitters. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters, which are most commonly used, but you can feel free to experiment with other flavors if you’d like.

Brandy – Traditional Wisconsin Old Fashioneds are made with brandy… and not just any brandy, but Korbel. I used 1 1/2 ounces (1 shot) in each drink.

Soda – Finally, I topped each drink with soda, which is key to a Wisconsin Old Fashioned. Feel free to experiment with sweet sodas like Sprite or Sierra Mist, sour sodas like Squirt, or seltzer water.

how to make a Wisconsin Old Fashioned

Muddle the orange, cherry, sugar and bitters. In a rocks glass, combine the orange slice, cherry, sugar cube, and 3-5 dashes of bitters. Muddle with a cocktail muddler or the end of a wooden spoon.

Add ice and brandy. Fill the glass with ice; add 1 1/2 ounces Korbel brandy.

Top with soda. Top with lemon lime soda (sweet or sour) or seltzer.

Garnish. Garnish with maraschino cherries or green olives.

Sweet, Sour or Press?

One of the main things that makes a Wisconsin Old Fashioned different is the fact that it’s made with a mixer. While traditional old fashioneds are a combination of whiskey, sugar, water, and bitters, Wisconsinites serve them one of three ways: sweet, sour, or press.

An “Old Fashioned Sweet” is topped with a sweet white soda like Sprite, an “Old Fashioned Sour” is topped with a sour soda like Squirt, and an “Old Fashioned Press” is topped with a combination of sweet or sour soda mixed with seltzer water.

My personal favorite? An Old Fashioned Seltzer… topped just with seltzer water!

Recipe Variations

Use Demerara or brown sugar cubes instead of cane sugar cubes
Use simple syrup (regular or flavored) in place of sugar cubes
Substitute any type of brandy, whiskey or bourbon
Make it an Apple Brandy Old Fashioned
Use any flavor of bitters
Substitute Luxardo cherries for regular maraschino cherries
Top it with Sprite, Squirt, seltzer, or any combination of the 3
Garnish it with olives instead of cherries

Brandy vs. Whiskey vs. Bourbon

A traditional Old Fashioned is made with whiskey or bourbon, but a traditional Wisconsin Old Fashioned is always made with brandy. Brandy is a sweeter option, made from fermented grapes, while whiskey is made with grains and therefore offers a more earthy flavor.

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