The old fashioned is a classic whiskey cocktail that has stood the test of time. Consisting of just a few simple ingredients, it allows the flavors of the whiskey to take center stage. Elijah Craig is a fantastic bourbon that makes an exceptional old fashioned. In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to make the perfect Elijah Craig old fashioned at home.
What is an Old Fashioned?
An old fashioned is one of the most basic and popular whiskey cocktails. It traditionally consists of whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water. While simple in ingredients, properly balancing these elements is important for bringing out the complex flavors of the whiskey.
The old fashioned originated in the 1800s. It’s believed the first version was made with American rye whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water. Over time, bourbon became a popular base spirit. The old fashioned has seen many variations but remains rooted in spirit, sugar, bitters and water.
Why Use Elijah Craig for an Old Fashioned?
Elijah Craig is an excellent bourbon for making old fashioneds. Here’s why it’s a great choice:
- It’s an affordable, quality bourbon – You don’t need an ultra-premium bourbon for an old fashioned. Elijah Craig hits a nice sweet spot between price and quality.
- Bold flavors – Elijah Craig brings nice oak, spice, vanilla and caramel notes that pair well with sugar and bitters.
- High proof – Bottled at 94 proof, Elijah Craig has enough backbone to stand up in a cocktail.
- Smooth taste – Despite the higher proof, Elijah Craig maintains a smooth and mellow taste that shines through in an old fashioned.
The rich flavors and balanced profile of Elijah Craig make it ago-to bourbon for old fashioned cocktails. While other bourbons certainly can work, Elijah Craig is an excellent choice.
Ingredients & Equipment Needed
Making an Elijah Craig old fashioned is simple. You just need a few ingredients and basic bar supplies:
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Elijah Craig bourbon
- 1 sugar cube or 1⁄2 tsp granulated sugar
- 3-5 dashes Angostura bitters
- Orange twist for garnish
- Ice
- Water
Equipment:
- Mixing glass
- Muddler
- Barspoon
- Strainer
- Old fashioned glass
That’s just about all you need to make a tasty Elijah Craig old fashioned! The most important item is a good quality bourbon like Elijah Craig. Let’s go through the easy process step-by-step.
Step 1 – Add Sugar & Bitters to Glass
First, place an old fashioned glass off to the side. Add 1 sugar cube or 1⁄2 teaspoon of granulated sugar into a mixing glass. Next, add 3 to 5 generous dashes of Angostura bitters onto the sugar.
You can use simple syrup instead of plain sugar, but many prefer the texture and froth from muddling a sugar cube.
Step 2 – Muddle Sugar & Bitters
Take a muddler and press down on the sugar cube to crush and dissolve it. Twist the muddler back and forth to thoroughly blend the bitters into the sugar.
Muddling releases oils and aromas from the bitters. This adds complexity to the cocktail. Muddle for at least 30 seconds to ensure the sugar fully dissolves.
Step 3 – Add Bourbon & Ice
Once the sugar is muddled, add 2 oz of Elijah Craig bourbon to the mixing glass.
Next, fill the mixing glass with ice. Add enough ice that it covers the liquid. The ice will chill and dilute the cocktail as its stirred.
Step 4 – Stir the Cocktail
Take a barspoon and stir the cocktail for 30 to 45 seconds. Stirring blends the ingredients, chills the drink, and slightly dilutes it.
Stir with a gentle mixing motion to avoid bruising the bourbon. Make sure to stir long enough to sufficiently chill and slightly dilute the cocktail.
Step 5 – Strain into Glass
Double strain the cocktail into your prepared old fashioned glass. Use a Hawthorne strainer and fine mesh strainer to catch any ice chips or muddler debris.
Straining produces a clean, chilled cocktail without ice fragments or excess muddle ingredients. Discard the ice left in the mixing glass.
Step 6 – Add Ice to Glass
Add fresh ice cubes to the old fashioned glass. Use nice large cubes that won’t over-dilute the drink.
While the cocktail is already chilled, the fresh ice helps maintain the optimal temperature.
Step 7 – Garnish & Serve
To finish, take an orange twist and pinch it over the drink to express the oils. Run the peel around the rim of the glass and place it into the cocktail.
The orange oils enhance the aroma and tie together the flavors. Serve the Elijah Craig old fashioned and enjoy!
Taste & Adjustments
Taste the cocktail and make any necessary adjustments:
- Not sweet enough? – Add a dash more simple syrup.
- Needs more richness? – Dash more bitters.
- Too strong? – Add a few more ice cubes.
- Too diluted? – Stir or shake a little less next time.
Part of the fun is customizing the cocktail to your tastes. Adjust the ingredients until you have a perfectly balanced Elijah Craig old fashioned.
Variations
One of the great things about old fashioneds is experimenting with different ingredient variations. Here are some ways to change up your Elijah Craig old fashioned:
- Whiskey – Try other bourbons or ryes like Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101, or Bulleit.
- Bitters – Swap Angostura for orange, black walnut, peach, cherry, or chocolate bitters.
- Sugar – Use maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown sugar for different sweetness.
- Fruit – Muddle orange slices, cherries, or other fruit for added complexity.
- Liqueurs – Add a few dashes of liqueurs like Benedictine, Drambuie, or Cointreau.
Feel free to get creative and tailor the cocktail to your personal taste preferences! The classic Elijah Craig old fashioned is always a winner, but it’s fun to experiment as well.
How to Make Multiple Drinks
If you want to scale up and make old fashioneds for a group, here are some tips:
- Pre-batch your simple syrup or make one large muddle of sugar and bitters.
- Keep a large mixing glass with ice handy to stir multiple drinks.
- Line up your old fashioned glasses in advance.
- Measure out your bourbon in advance using a jigger.
- Garnish each glass individually for best presentation.
- Keep a rinse bottle of bourbon to periodically wet your orange twists.
Making them assembly-line style will allow you to crank out a consistent product for your guests or party. Having one person muddle and stir while another strains and garnishes works very well.
What Glass to Use
An old fashioned glass is the namesake glass for this cocktail. These short, round glasses with thick bottoms are ideal for showing off the bourbon.
However, feel free to use a rocks glass or lowball glass. Avoid tall highball glasses as they will dilute the cocktail too quickly.
For the best presentation, use an attractive glass with some weight to it. This helps maintain temperature and allows you to fully appreciate the bourbon’s rich color.
Storing Your Old Fashioned
It’s best to drink your old fashioned immediately after making it. However, you can store one for a short time:
- Store in the fridge if not drinking right away.
- The flavor will change as it dilutes over time.
- Drink within 4-6 hours for best quality.
- Prepare it without ice, then add ice when ready to drink.
- Consider batching the cocktail in advance without water or ice.
- Add water and ice to portions when ready to serve.
While it won’t be as fresh, it can be nice to batch the labor-intensive components like the muddled sugar and bitters so you can easily mix drinks later.
Cocktail History & Origin
The old fashioned dates back to the early 1800s. The original was simply spirit, sugar, bitters, and water. Popular bourbon and rye brands included Old Overholt and Old Grand-Dad. Over time, the basic template transformed based on local preferences and spirits availability.
The name itself may stem from the “old-fashioned” practice of muddling sugar and bitters. Orange garnish became popular in the late 1800s. Kentucky bourbon emerged as the dominant spirit by the 1900s, cementing the modern old fashioned recipe.
The old fashioned has persevered as a whiskey cocktail staple. Despite countless trendy new cocktails, an old fashioned remains a solid choice that crosses generations.
Why People Love Old Fashioneds
There are several great reasons why the old fashioned has endured as a classic cocktail:
- It’s simple – With just whiskey, sugar, bitters and water as the core ingredients, it’s an easy cocktail to make.
- It’s strong – An old fashioned is a stiff drink, typically with bourbon as the base spirit.
- It’s customizable – The basic template allows for countless riffs and personalizations.
- It highlights quality spirits – With minimal ingredients, an old fashioned really allows a good whiskey to shine.
- It’s comforting – The cocktail has a certain nostalgic, warming quality.
- It’s versatile – An old fashioned works in any season and for any occasion.
For whiskey purists or cocktail traditionalists, an old fashioned just hits the spot. It enduringly satisfies the need for a simple, spirit-forward drink.
Key Takeaways
Here are some key points for successfully making an Elijah Craig old fashioned:
- Use a quality, bolder bourbon like Elijah Craig as your base spirit.
- Muddle sugar and Angostura bitters thoroughly to integrate flavors.
- Stir over ice for 30-45 seconds to properly chill and dilute.
- Double strain into an old fashioned glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with an expressed orange twist.
- Adjust sweetness, richness and dilution to taste.
- Feel free to experiment with fun ingredient variations.
- Serve this classic bourbon cocktail and enjoy!
The Elijah Craig old fashioned is the perfect showcase for superb Kentucky bourbon. Savor the oak, vanilla, caramel and spice notes in this whiskey cocktail tradition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about making great Elijah Craig old fashioneds:
What’s the difference between an old fashioned and a whiskey neat or on the rocks?
An old fashioned adds other ingredients to balance and enhance the whiskey’s flavors. Neat or rocks drinks are just whiskey by itself, highlighting the pure spirit.
Should I use simple syrup instead of muddling sugar?
You can use simple syrup for convenience, but muddling a sugar cube gives a nice texture and frothy head. Add a dash of water while stirring if using simple syrup.
What bitters work best?
Angostura is the classic choice, but orange, black walnut, peach, and Peychaud’s all work well too.
How much should I stir the drink?
Stir for 30-45 seconds until chilled and slightly diluted. Don’t over-stir and over-dilute the cocktail.
What should an old fashioned taste like?
It should taste like bourbon accented by sweetness, richness, and bitter complexity. The whiskey character must still come through.
Can I make it ahead of time?
You can batch the bourbon, sugar, and bitters in advance without ice or water. Add those when ready to serve for best quality.
Conclusion
A classic old fashioned is a perfect cocktail to showcase a quality bourbon like Elijah Craig. Its simplicity highlights the wonderful vanilla, oak and caramel notes of the whiskey.
By using a proper technique and balance of ingredients, you can easily make an exceptional Elijah Craig old fashioned at home. Muddle sugar and bitters, stir with ice, then strain into a glass over fresh ice.
Feel free to tailor the cocktail to your tastes and explore fun variations. Sip this bourbon icon and enjoy the smoothness of Elijah Craig mingling with rich sweetness and aromatic bitters.
The old fashioned endured because when done well, few cocktails are as satisfying. Follow these tips to create a stellar version with Elijah Craig bourbon as the foundation. This iconic cocktail never goes out of style.
