The Wisconsin Old Fashioned uses Korbel brandy instead of whiskey, muddled with a sugar cube, orange slice, maraschino cherry, Angostura bitters and a splash of Sprite or sour mix.
The Old Fashioned cocktail originated in Louisville in the 1880s with whiskey. Wisconsin's variant emerged in the 1880s when the state's German and Polish immigrant population preferred brandy, which had been imported in volume from Germany. Korbel Brandy from California, distributed cheaply across the Midwest, became the canonical pour; by the 1950s the Wisconsin Old Fashioned was a defining state cocktail. The Old Fashioned restaurant on North Pinckney took the cocktail's name as its identity in 2005, codifying the muddled-fruit-plus-brandy ritual into a tavern menu.
4 editor picks for Wisconsin brandy Old Fashioned in Madison, ranked by editorial score. All Madison signature dishes · Wisconsin brandy Old Fashioned across every city.
The Old Fashioned ★ 4.8
capitol-square · 23 N Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703
The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney, the Wisconsin canon codified into a tavern menu since 2005, runs cheese curds, fish fry and brandy Old Fashioneds.
Tornado Steak House ★ 4.6
capitol-square · 116 S Hamilton St, Madison, WI 53703
Tornado Steak House on South Hamilton, a block off Capitol Square, runs Madison's traditional supper club tier with steaks and the weekly Friday fish fry.
Settle Down Tavern ★ 4.4
capitol-square · 117 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703
Settle Down Tavern on South Pinckney, in the First Settlement District a block off Capitol Square, runs a tight tavern menu and a strong cocktail program.
Schwoegler's Park Towne Lanes ★ 4.0
westside · 444 Grand Canyon Dr, Madison, WI 53719
Schwoegler's Park Towne Lanes on Grand Canyon Drive, the Madison bowling-and-supper-club institution since 1919, runs a fish fry and a sports bar restaurant.