5 Tips on How to Make Old Fashioned Drinks At Home

When it comes to entertaining, there’s nothing more fun than
serving friends and family drinks that they won’t soon forget. The good news is
that you don’t need to shell out hundreds of dollars on special mixers and
exotic liquors to make your friends happy. All you need is the right
old-fashioned home bartender’s tips and a bit of imagination.

Researchers at Purdue University examined more than 500
surveys on the topic of home entertaining, and came up with some great insights
on how to make great parties happen at home. They found that a whopping 83% of
people surveyed said they would be willing to throw a party if they felt like
their hosts had prepared. So if you’re ready to get started, here are five
great ways to make old-fashioned cocktails at home.

Have a Complete Bar Set Up

One of the most important things to have when hosting a
party is a fully stocked bar. If you don’t have room for one, opt for a smaller
counter top or tabletop bar that can be placed anywhere in your kitchen. You
should also set up two cocktail pitchers––one with water and one with ice––near
the bar so guests can always make their drinks fresh.

Plan Your Menu and Serve Drinks in Progression

If you’ve ever been to a party and watched the bartender,
you may have noticed that they prepare drinks in a progression. The bartender
prepares the first drink and then goes back to make the second drink while the
guests wait for their first drink. It’s this attention to detail which ensures
that your guests don’t feel neglected or ignored. In fact, researchers found
that 83% of people surveyed said they would prefer it if their hosts prepared
the party in stages so they wouldn’t feel like they were being ignored.

You can use this same technique at home by planning a menu
of drinks ahead of time and preparing them in order of intensity. This will
ensure your guests are satisfied, happy, and entertained.

Make a Signature Drink

One of the best ways to have a memorable party is to have a
signature drink. Choose one of your favorite drinks and serve it in an
interesting way - maybe with a fun straw or in a bowl as opposed to a cocktail
glass.

 Mix up your favorite cocktail

The first step to throwing a great old-fashioned cocktail
party is to mix up your favorite drink. If you are new to the world of
drinking, this may sound like a strange tip, but it’s actually a good idea.
When you mix up your favorite drink and serve it to your guests, they will know
that you care about what they want. This is important because people on dates
or at parties don’t want to be served something they don’t enjoy. By mixing up
their favorite drink, you show them that you care about what they like and this
will make them more receptive to other drinks at the party.

Play with Gin and Tonic Variations

Gin and tonic is the quintessential old-fashioned drink.
But, according to Purdue University, it’s also a great way to get creative in
the kitchen.

Play around with different types of gin for a unique flavor.
You could also experiment with different types of tonics, as well as adding in
fresh fruit or herbs for a refreshing twist on your favorite drink. Appleton
Estate Jamaican Rum offers an intriguing take on the traditional cocktail,
which you can try out by combining their high-quality rum with Fevertree Indian
Tonic Water, lime juice and honey syrup before topping off the concoction with
fresh cucumber slices.

Make the right equipment

When it comes to your home bar, you don’t need much. If you
have a blender, that’s all you need to make great drinks. If you want to get
fancier, a mixing glass and jigger are helpful. And while they’re not
necessary, they’ll make your job easier.

Next, set up your bar with the right liquors. The most
important thing is to have good bourbon on hand, but vodka and gin are also
handy for mixers.

And one last tip: Be sure to stock up on fresh ingredients
like oranges and lemons when they’re in season! They’ll be perfect to slice up
and garnish drinks with at the party.

Don’t Forget the Simple Stuff

The old-fashioned is one of the simplest drinks to make at
home. All you need is a bottle of whiskey, a sugar cube, and a lemon or lime
wedge.

Take your lemon or lime wedge and rub it around the rim of
your glass. You should do this for every glass you plan to serve. Wet the sugar
with the juice from the fruit, then place it in the bottom of the whiskey
glass. Add ice cubes to fill about half way, then pour in about two ounces of
whiskey. Stir gently for about 10 seconds before serving.

If you want to get fancy, you can use orange bitters instead
of plain water in your cocktail mix as well as adding slices of oranges or
pineapples for garnish.

 Bottom line

The great thing about old-fashioned home cocktails is that
you don’t need anything fancy to make them. All you need is some ice, a lemon
or lime, simple syrup and a high-quality bourbon like Maker’s Mark. There are
many variations on the drink, but the general recipe is one ounce of bourbon or
whiskey, half an ounce of either sweet or dry vermouth (red wine isn’t recommended),
and a dash of Angostura bitters. The mixture should be strained over ice in a
rocks glass and garnished with either an orange zest or twist of lemon peel.

There are many other variations that may suit your tastes
better than the classic recipe, so feel free to experiment until you find the
perfect old-fashioned cocktail for you! For example, if you want to add more
spice to your drink, try adding some ginger syrup after straining the mixture
and top with a slice of apple.

old fashioned