Epicurious - How to Make a Delicious Old Fashioned at Home
The video provides a step-by-step guide to making an old-fashioned cocktail, highlighting its simplicity and adaptability to personal taste. It starts with adding a teaspoon of sugar, which can be adjusted based on sweetness preference. A couple of dashes of Angostura bitters are added for complexity, followed by a small amount of water to help dissolve the sugar. The mixture is muddled in the glass to minimize dishwashing. Ice is added to chill the cocktail, and the mixture is adjusted until it reaches the desired taste. Luxardo cherries are recommended for their long-lasting quality in syrup, despite being more expensive. An orange peel is used to rim the glass and enhance flavor, and the drink is finished with a final stir.
Key Points:
- Start with a teaspoon of sugar; adjust for sweetness.
- Add Angostura bitters for complexity.
- Use a small amount of water to dissolve sugar.
- Muddle ingredients in the glass to reduce dishes.
- Use Luxardo cherries and orange peel for enhanced flavor.
Details:
1. 🍹 Easy Old-Fashioned Setup
- The Old-Fashioned is a straightforward cocktail, ideal for home bartenders due to its simplicity and accessibility.
- Begin with a teaspoon of sugar to ensure a balanced flavor profile, which is a precise and actionable starting point.
- Consider adding a dash of bitters and a splash of water to dissolve the sugar effectively, enhancing the drink's complexity.
- Use a quality whiskey, such as bourbon or rye, to build the core of the cocktail, as it significantly impacts the final taste.
- Stir gently to combine ingredients without over-diluting, maintaining the drink's intended potency and flavor balance.
- Serve in a rocks glass over a large ice cube to slow dilution and maintain the cocktail's balance over time.
- Garnish with an orange twist or cherry for a classic finish that adds both aroma and visual appeal.
2. 🧂 Adjusting Ingredients for Taste
- Understanding personal or others' taste preferences is crucial for adjusting sweetness levels effectively.
- Utilizing Angostura bitters can enhance the drink's complexity, exemplifying how specific ingredients can alter flavor profiles.
- Incorporating a small amount of water can aid in integrating sugar into the drink, emphasizing the importance of ingredient balance for consistency.
- For example, reducing sugar by 10% can make a dessert less cloying, and adding a pinch of salt can sharpen flavors.
- Adjusting acidity with a few drops of lemon juice can brighten a dish, while a teaspoon of honey can mellow out overly acidic notes.
3. 🥄 Muddling and Ice
3.1. 🥄 Muddling
3.2. ❄️ Ice
4. 🧊 Mixing and Measuring
- Achieve the perfect cocktail mix by balancing ice and ingredients; adjust quantities based on taste and visual cues.
- Utilize a subjective method like 'pouring until the ancestors tell you to stop' to refine the cocktail's balance.
- Ensure cocktails are not too diluted or strong by observing consistency and making necessary adjustments.
- Incorporate detailed steps for measuring ingredients accurately to maintain flavor integrity.
- Emphasize the importance of precise measurement and mixing for consistent quality in cocktail preparation.
5. 🍒 Garnishing and Final Touches
- Luxardo cherries are a worthwhile investment due to their longevity in syrup, despite being more expensive.
- Rimming the glass with orange adds a subtle flavor enhancement to the drink.
- Activating the orange flavor by rubbing it before dropping it into the drink provides a final flavor boost.