Today I want to share a simple recipe to make an old-fashioned cocktail.
A Simple Recipe To Make An Old-Fashioned Cocktail
Since my most loved cocktails are bourbon-based, Old Fashioned and Manhattans are the top drinks I make at home for or give as gifts. My most-loved Old Fashioned is simple.
- 2 oz 95-100 proof bourbon
- 1 OZ brown sugar simple syrup
- 2-3 drops of orange bitters
- Garnish with orange peel and one cherry
From that base recipe, I could batch up to eight at each time in an empty bottle of Bourbon and add the following ingredients by converting cups to ounces and then adding 50-75 percent of multiplied bitters
- 2 cups of bourbon
- 1 cup simple brown sugar
- 12-16 bitters in a few sips
- 1/3 cup of water
If I decide to modify the recipe and create something using an autumnal syrup, I may experiment with that it is flavored with syrups and bitters. For instance, in autumn, I am a fan of the flavor of this Chai Old Fashioned.
I substituted the simple syrup of chai for the simple syrup with brown sugar and then added my favorite autumn bitters, ginger, and smokey cinnamon. Here’s a sample:
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1/2 1 oz simples syrup chai (1:1 strong Demerara sugar and chai tea)
- 1 dash of ginger bitters
- 2 dash smoked cinnamon bitters
When it is batched, it looks like this:
- 2 cups of bourbon
- 1/2 cup simple syrup for chai
- 5 drops of ginger bitters
- 8 dashes of smoked cinnamon bitters
- 1/3 cup of water
Simple to do!

What types of Cocktails are the easiest to batch by this Method?
Spirit-forward cocktails make the easiest cocktails to make batches of without worrying about the bitterness of juices as time passes. As we said earlier, cocktails that contain egg whites, milk, cream, and egg whites aren’t very well-mixed, nor do they batch well. Egg whites become flat with time and emit the smell of sulfur. Likewise, milk might curdle slightly when mixed into drinks with high acidity.
However, there are plenty of cocktails that offer great chances to batch. Here are a few of my favorite batch recipes:
- Classic Old Fashioned
- Manhattan
- Negroni
- Martini
- Perfect Manhattan
- Old Pal
- Sazerac
- El Presidente
- Rum Old Fashioned
- Rob Roy
- Martinez
- Last Word
- Hanky Panky
- Vesper Martini
- Boulevardier
- Black Manhattan
- Rum Manhattan
Here are some resources I recommend:
120 Alcoholic Drinks for Connoisseurs shows you over one hundred unique alcoholic drinks to make and show off to your friends and have a night you won’t forget.
Professional Bartender Kit is a must-have collection for anyone interested in bartending, mixology, or someone who loves to make drinks.
RUBY Decanter w/ Built-in Aerator is easily the best on the market that we recommend.
8oz Premium Flask for when you’re going out and don’t want to blow all your money on drinks.
Stainless Steel Cooling Stones for keeping your drinks cold and classy.
Bartending & Mixology Masterclass teaches you everything you need to know about mixing drinks and alcoholic beverages like a professional.