Tier 1 Drink: No-Frills Old Fashioned

Is it any surprise that I like this drink with a name like "Old Fashioned"? Best part about this cocktail is that it's hard to mess up. What are the ingredients? Check the dictionary, brother.

Whiskey, bitters, water, and sugar. It just so happens that you have all of these things (and more!) in your home bar. Here's what 'cher gonna wanna do to make it.

Take a glass. Any old glass will do.

Put some simple syrup in it. Put as much as you want.

Shake a few dashes of Angostura bitters onto the sugar. Put as much as you want.

Put a little water in there, just enough to help these things swish around together in the glass. If you like the way your tap water tastes, use that.

Fill the glass with ice cubes.

Put in some whiskey. Ounce and a half to two ounces.

Give this a stir.

Add some lemon zest if you have it.

Bam. Old Fashioned. Drink this just after you come home and change into some non-work clothes. Ideally, you're wearing a v-neck hanes and sitting in the backyard. When you're done, go make another––It will be better than the last.

Notes:
Several recipes will call for a cherry and an orange slice and lemon. This goes back to a time when whiskey was bootlegged and didn't taste so nice. Whiskey made today tastes pretty nice, so don't go too crazy with the produce if you don't want to. I like rye whiskey for this, and granulated sugar instead of simple syrup, but that's for another post. On a hot day I like to make this in a bigger glass and add a bunch of club soda instead of a little water. Ultimately, use what you have and make it how you like it.

Want to make another drink? Try the Manhattan.