MADISON, Wis. (AP) — In Wisconsin, the old fashioned co*cktail comes with brandy, not bourbon.
Now, state lawmakers are making it somewhat official.
A bipartisan resolution declaring the brandy old fashioned as the official Wisconsin state co*cktail won approval Thursday in the state Assembly.
It’s a resolution, not a bill, so even if passed by the Senate the brandy old fashioned won’t make it onto the list of other official state symbols that include milk as the official beverage, kringle as the official pastry, and corn as the official grain. Getting that level of recognition, enshrined in the state’s “Blue Book,” requires introduction of a bill, a public hearing and then the signature of the governor.
Only two states have gone that far: both Alabama and Virginia have whiskey as their official state spirit.
Some efforts to declare official state symbols in Wisconsin, like Colby as the official cheese, have run into opposition. The Colby proposal, around since 2019, has been shredded by those concerned that naming just one official cheese would hurt the sales, or reputation, of others.
But the old fashioned resolution will have a much smoother path. Because it is a resolution, and not a bill, it carries no weight of law. The Legislature can adopt it without a hearing or any public input.
So far this year, the Assembly has passed more than two dozen resolutions for everything from condemning the Hamas attack on Israel to proclaiming June as dairy month.
For the unfamiliar, the old fashioned co*cktail in just about every place other than Wisconsin is traditionally made with a whiskey, like bourbon, sugar and bitters.
But in Wisconsin, brandy usually replaces whiskey — and it’s most often poured over a mixture of muddled cherries, orange slices, sugar and bitters. Depending on how sweet or sour the imbiber likes it, the concoction is then topped with a lemon-lime soft drink, sour mix, club soda, or some combination.
It is typically garnished with a co*cktail cherry and orange slice, but is also sometimes served with olives, pickled mushrooms and even pickled brussels sprouts.
Democratic Rep. Ryan Clancy, in a pun-filled and lighthearted speech, said that adding savory ingredients to an old fashioned, like pickled vegetables, is an “abomination” that should be a felony offense.
“I felt stirred to speak today as a father, as a bartender, as an American,” Clancy said. “I need to be on record as saying there is only one acceptable style of drink — the brandy sweet old fashioned.”
The Wisconsin variation came about post-World War II when liquor distributors in Wisconsin found a cache of around 30,000 cases of quality brandy that they sold, which became more popular than the bad whiskey that was sold during the war, according to the book “Wisconsin co*cktails.”
“How have we not done this before — passed a resolution making the brandy old fashioned the state co*cktail,” said the measure’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Jon Plumer before the vote. “There’s a thousand things in the state of Wisconsin that make us special, and this is just one of them.”
Plumer said that skeptics of the brandy old fashioned shouldn’t knock it until they try it.
“For you whiskey folks, I’m sorry if you’re offended,” he said to laughter during debate.
FAQs
(AP) — In Wisconsin, the old fashioned co*cktail comes with brandy, not bourbon. Now, state lawmakers are making it somewhat official. A bipartisan resolution declaring the brandy old fashioned as the official Wisconsin state co*cktail won approval Thursday in the state Assembly.
Why does Wisconsin drink brandy old fashioned? ›
Starting as country road speakeasies during Prohibition, the dance halls turned restaurants are a staple of Wisconsin family life. “Everyone grew up going to supper clubs, and you always drink an Old Fashioned,” says Rob Peterson, marketing director of Door County Distillery.
What is the difference between an Old Fashioned and an Old Fashioned in Wisconsin? ›
a wisconsin old fashioned is not your typical old fashioned; it muddles sugar, bitters and orange with brandy and finishes with a crisp pour of soda for a sparkling version of a classic.
What is the state drink of Wisconsin Old Fashioned? ›
Wisconsin crowns the brandy old fashioned as the official state co*cktail : NPR. Wisconsin crowns the brandy old fashioned as the official state co*cktail Lawmakers in Wisconsin have passed a resolution declaring the state's official co*cktail: the brandy old fashioned.
What brandy is best for Wisconsin Old Fashioned? ›
Brandy – Like I said, use Korbel and you'll be in good favor with Wisconsin. According to Milwaukee Magazine, Korbel sold 275,000 cases of brandy in the U.S. in 2019, and more than 150,000 of them were bought in Wisconsin!
What state drinks the most old fashioned? ›
To this day Wisconsin buys copious amounts -- roughly a third of the brandy Korbel produces every year goes to Wisconsin. Now, if you remember, the liquor in the Whiskey co*cktail/Old Fashioned was interchangeable, so those brandy-loving Wisconsinites swapped out whiskey for brandy and the Brandy Old Fashioned was born.
Why is the drink called an old fashioned? ›
“The Old-Fashioned was an evolution of the Whiskey co*cktail which was simply whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water, and was served as early as 1800 or so.” It wasn't until the 1870s and 1880s that when bartenders “began adding embellishments to their Whiskey co*cktails, some customers rebelled against the innovations,” as ...
What is the best whiskey for an Old Fashioned? ›
What is the best bourbon for making an Old Fashioned? If you're looking to make a delicious Old Fashioned co*cktail, some top choices for bourbon are the Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series, Jefferson's Tropics Aged in Humidity, and Larceny Straight Bourbon.
What drink is Wisconsin known for? ›
Wisconsin's Twist on a Classic — The Brandy Old Fashioned
Did you know Wisconsin consumes the most brandy per capita in the country? Part of the reason is due to our official state co*cktail, the Brandy Old Fashioned. It's the Old Fashioned co*cktail you know and love, with brandy in place of whiskey.
What is the difference between brandy and bourbon? ›
When comparing the two, bourbon tends to offer a sweeter and more intense flavor profile, while brandy provides a broader spectrum of fruity and nuanced tastes. Bartenders often choose bourbon when crafting co*cktails that require a bold and assertive base, emphasizing its caramel and vanilla undertones.
If you order an Old Fashioned in 49 out of 50 states, you can expect a whiskey co*cktail made with sugar, water and bitters, typically Angostura. In Wisconsin, however, the Old Fashioned ditches convention. Wisconsinites swap their whiskey for a brandy-based mixture served one of three ways: sweet, sour or press.
What is the drinking culture in Wisconsin? ›
Wisconsin has historically ranked as one of the heaviest drinking states in the United States with a persistent drinking culture. Few studies have documented the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol consumption after the first few months of the pandemic.
Is an Old Fashioned a girl drink? ›
Similarly, for the past few decades, the old-fashioned has been seen as a man's drink, but after Prohibition, the old-fashioned was one of the most popular drinks ordered by women. Understanding this connection between women and co*cktail culture places women back into a story that popular culture has removed them from.
What is the difference between an Old Fashioned and a Wisconsin Old Fashioned? ›
For the unfamiliar, the old fashioned co*cktail in just about every place other than Wisconsin is traditionally made with a whiskey, like bourbon, sugar and bitters. But in Wisconsin, brandy usually replaces whiskey — and it's most often poured over a mixture of muddled cherries, orange slices, sugar and bitters.
Why does Wisconsin drink so much brandy? ›
Brandy's popularity in Wisconsin started when a large number of German immigrants moved here in the 19th century and couldn't find their favorite drink, brandewijn. This prompted Korbel to start distilling for the public in 1889. Small-batch local distilleries produce – or have produced – brandy, too.
What are brandy and co*ke called? ›
SOME CALL IT A KAROO MARTINI; OTHERS REFER TO IT AS FIGHTING JUICE. WHATEVER THE NAME IT'S GIVEN, THERE IS NO DENYING THAT BRANDY AND co*kE IS A PART OF SOUTH AFRICAN CULTURE.
What is the most popular alcoholic drink in Wisconsin? ›
Wisconsin's Twist on a Classic — The Brandy Old Fashioned
Did you know Wisconsin consumes the most brandy per capita in the country? Part of the reason is due to our official state co*cktail, the Brandy Old Fashioned. It's the Old Fashioned co*cktail you know and love, with brandy in place of whiskey.
What is the difference between sweet and sour in Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned? ›
“ 'Sweet' is with 7-Up, 'sour' is with Squirt soda or pre-packaged sour mix, and 'press' is half 7-Up, half club soda,” says Brian Bartels, author of The United States of co*cktails, and owner of Settle Down Tavern in Madison. “Most people opt for 'sweet' or 'press.
Is brandy a Midwest thing? ›
The state with the biggest co*cktail culture has an enduring affection for the spirit. Most of the world drinks brandy—if they drink it at all—as an after-dinner digestif, and in most of the United States, its popularity is limited. But Wisconsinites love the stuff.
