Wisconsin Considers the Brandy Old Fashioned: When it comes to official beverages, states usually opt for the usual suspects. Twenty go for milk, Indiana sticks with water, and only Virginia and Alabama dare to go the alcoholic route, both settling on whiskey.
But now, Wisconsin is eyeing a unique distinctionbecoming the first state to declare an official cocktail, pending approval of a bill by state legislators.
The contender for this title might raise eyebrows, especially for Kentuckians: the brandy old-fashioned.
As the name suggests, it’s an old-fashioned with a twistswapping the typical bourbon for fruity brandy. Wisconsin’s version takes creative liberties, mixing brandy with muddled maraschino cherries, orange slices, sugar, and bitters. The “sweet” version is topped with Sprite, while the “sour” opts for grapefruit soda. The “press” version combines club soda and Sprite. Garnishes range from orange wedges to olives, pickled veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and, of course, cheese curds.
Even before Republican lawmakers, State Rep. Jon Plumer and State Sen. Cory Tomczyk, championed the brandy old-fashioned as the state’s drink, drinks writer Robert Simonson noted in his 2014 book that it was as close to an official state drink as Wisconsin ever had.
Wisconsin, in the late 19th century, initially followed the traditional old-fashioned like the rest of the world. So, what led to Wisconsin spicing up this beloved classic?
Three factors played a role: prohibition, World War II, and the mid-century love of supper clubs.
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Prohibition from 1920 to 1933 didn’t stop the flow of alcohol in rural Wisconsin, where even gangster Al Capone found refuge. To mask the questionable taste of the booze, bartenders added muddled fruit and sodaa tradition that persisted after Prohibition.
After World War II, with the distilling industry hit, Wisconsin found itself swimming in good brandy. Distributors seized an aging cache of over 30,000 barrels of brandy from California-based Christian Brothers, providing an alternative to the questionable whiskey available.
By the 1960s, the brandy old-fashioned dominated Wisconsin, especially in supper clubs, where unique toppings like cheese spreads and pickled veggies became a trend.
Today, Wisconsin is the heart of the “brandy belt,” consuming over half of California-based producer Korbel’s annual brandy cases.
Evan Hughes, CEO of Central Standard Craft Distillery, sees the brandy old-fashioned as integral to Wisconsin’s culture, a drink for family gatherings, weddings, and even funerals.
While tourists might give it a skeptical glance, Wisconsinites take pride in their unique concoction, a testament to the state’s longstanding drinking culture and penchant for putting their spin on classic recipes.
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Our Reader’s Queries
Why is brandy so popular in Wisconsin?
In the late 1940s, Wisconsin distributors acquired a large supply of brandy from California, totaling 30,000 cases. This amount of brandy could fill two-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to Hurt. Wisconsin was swimming in high-quality brandy. However, the situation took a turn in less than ten years.
What state drinks the most Old Fashioned?
The old-fashioned has become an iconic emblem of Wisconsin and its one-of-a-kind culture, the resolution declares, urging the Wisconsin legislature to recognize it as such. Ordering a brandy beverage in any other state will earn you perplexed looks, according to Rep.
What drink is Wisconsin known for?
Wisconsin holds the title for the highest brandy consumption per person in the US. A big part of this is thanks to our unofficial state drink, the Brandy Old Fashioned. This beloved cocktail is a twist on the classic Old Fashioned, featuring brandy instead of whiskey.
Why are old fashions so popular in Wisconsin?
Legend has it that brandy gained fame in Wisconsin after approximately 30,000 cases of aged Christian Brothers brandy were found and distributed in the Badger State. This led to Wisconsinites swapping out whiskey and other alcoholic beverages for brandy in their cocktails, thus making the brandy old fashioned a beloved drink in the region.