How To Make The Perfect Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet

Last Updated on June 28, 2023

A few weeks ago, while glamping at Camp Wandawega, we dined at The Duck Inn, a good old Wisconsin supper club, so of course, I ordered a Brandy Old-Fashioned Sweet cocktail. Unless you live in Wisconsin, finding a bartender who can mix a good one is hard. In fact, a bartender in Florida looked at me like I was from Mars when I ordered this boozy beverage. He didn’t even have brandy. So I’m taking matters into my own hands. Today I’m spilling the passed-down tried and true Wisconsin staple and state drink — the Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet cocktail recipe. Grab your orange bitters and cherries…let’s get mixing my drink of choice!

The Perfect Wisconsin Brandy Old-Fashioned Sweet Cocktail Recipe

This Wisconsin Bartender’s Secret Brandy Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Back in the day, I was a bartender in Wisconsin Dells, and I must say, I could whip up a good brandy old fashioned sweet! It was my signature cocktail and pure Wisconsin deliciousness in a glass! There are a lot of brandy cocktails out there, but this is one near and dear to my heart. But before I give you the classic olf fashioned recipe, can we take a moment to soak in the beauty of that glass above? *sigh* You can find similar vintage cocktail glasses here.

Ingredients for a Brandy Old Fashioned Cocktail

YIELDS 1 SERVING

A jigger of brandy –  if you use the large end of a jigger, that is 1.5 oz. I pour over the glass so a little extra goes in. 

A tiny spoonful of maraschino cherry juice (I’m suddenly singing Mary Poppins). You can also use a little bit of grenadine if you’re low on the juice from the jar.

2-3 Maraschino cherries

1 sugar cube (Yep, Mary Poppins, firmly stuck in my head.) Simple syrup can be used as well

Splash of orange juice

4-6 dashes of bitters (I like Fee Brothers Bitters, but you can also use Angostura Bitters. The aromatic bitters give it that unique taste.)

Sprite, 7up, or a splash of lemon-lime soda or sour mix (my personal preference is Squirt, a grapefruit soda, but it can be hard to find, so any lemon lime soda will do)

Ice

A slice of orange for garnish or an orange peel 

1 maraschino cherry for garnish

If it’s around the holidays, you can also pop a cinnamon stick in there as garnish. 

Traditional Old Fashioned Cocktail Mixing Instructions

1. Place the sugar cube in the cocktail glass. To do this properly, muddle the fruit and bitters with sugar.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir. Add ice cubes. Stir again.
3. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry. 

Boom! Welcome to true Wisconsin style baby. You are now ready to make the Badger state proud. 

RELATED: Don’t miss this sparkling sake cocktail with orange juice. 

All you need is Friday night fish fry at the supper clubs with the crunchy breadsticks and cheese spread and deep-fried cheese curds as an appetizer (BTDubs, sometimes I like to dip them in ranch because deep-fried cheese is not heart attack inducing enough…shhhhhhh, don’t tell). Oh, and before you feel confident ordering one in the Northwoods, we should probably talk about the Brandy Old Fashioned Sour, but that recipe is for another post. 

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