Skip to main content

Join The Table to earn rewards.

Already a member?

Quick and Easy

Wisconsin Old Fashioned

March 19, 2025
0 0 out of 5 stars /
0 Ratings0 total ratings /
Photo by Noah Tanen
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • makes 1
Author Notes

This may not resemble the Old Fashioned you're used to, but they do things a little differently in Wisconsin. This is a variation that stems back to the late 1800s, when German immigrants living in the Cheesehead State gravitated towards brandy over whiskey as a base spirit in their cocktails. It’s common in bars and supper clubs across Wisconsin, and bartenders tend to be a little loose with their pours—often free-pouring or letting the jigger overflow. If you want to channel that spirit, feel free to go a little over the standard 2 ounces, adding up to 2.5 ounces of spirit. The traditional brandy of choice for this drink is the California made Korbel, the domestic option that would have been available at the time of its inception. That said, this is going to be just as if not more delicious with another brandy, or secretly a nice cognac. —Noah Tanen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 sugar cube
  • 1/2 fresh orange wedge
  • 1 maraschino or luxardo cocktail cherry, plus one barspoon of juice from the jar
  • 6 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • 2 ounces brandy
  • lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite
  • additional orange wedge and cocktail cherry for garnish
Directions
  1. Add the sugar cube, orange wedge, the cocktail cherry, and cocktail cherry juice to a chilled rocks glass. Add the 6 dashes of Angostura Bitters directly over the sugar cube and muddle everything together.
  2. Add ice up to the top of the glass and pour in the brandy. Stir to chill and dilute. Finish with a splash of lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite) and a skewered orange wedge and cocktail cherry for garnish.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Noah Tanen

Recipe by: Noah Tanen

Test Kitchen Content Creator at Food52

0 Reviews

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience.

When you visit our website, we collect and use personal information about you using cookies. You may opt out of selling, sharing, or disclosure of personal data for targeted advertising (called "Do Not Sell or Share" in California) by enabling the Global Privacy Control on a compatible browser. See our Privacy Policy for further information.