A well-crafted Old Fashioned is, by far and away, my favorite cocktail, especially as the temperature drops. It runs in the family: this was also Honey’s favorite “sippah,” which is Maine-speak for a beverage best enjoyed slowly by the fire and with good company. The barley tea used in this recipe gives the drink that signature earthy taste, while the bitters keep the taste smooth and warm.
Ingredients:
- 1 sugar cube
- 1 orange slice
- 2 dashes bitters
- Ice
- 2 ounces barley tea
- 1 maraschino cherry, for garnish
Directions:
For the tea
Fill a pitcher with four cups of water and add one tea bag. Refrigerate for two hours.
For the mocktail
Place the sugar cube in the bottom of a glass (bonus points for using a festive tumbler!). Add the orange slice and bitters. Muddle, then fill the glass with ice. Add the tea, filling to near the top of the glass. Stir to help the sugar dissolve. Finish off with a cherry garnish.
Note: the two dashes of bitters used here contain only trace amounts of alcohol, meaning this mocktail is still considered non-alcoholic.
Adapted from The Zero Proof
