“Virgin” Old Fashioned
Recently, my dad has not been able to enjoy drinks with a lot of alcohol. Being the cocktail-making couple Hannah and I are, this has obviously meant that he gets left out when we’re making drinks for the rest of our guests when he’s here. I started to think more about our “What to Drink When You’re not Drinking” category. Enter the “Virgin” Old Fashioned; a mocktail which replicates the color, presentation, and much of the taste of the classic cocktail. It’s mostly non-alcoholic, as bitters contains alcohol, but you use very little of it. The look of this drink allows the drinker to enjoy a special beverage, while not having to answer a lot of questions about why they’re not drinking.
5-6 dashes aromatic bitters (such as Angostura)
0.5 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces club soda
Mix bitters and simple syrup in an old fashioned glass. Add one or two ice cubes and slowly stir in the club soda. There will be a lot of head on the drink when you first make it, due to the soda mixing with the sugar, but give it a minute or two and it will be a convincing flat head. Garnish with an orange peal (before dropping it in the glass, fold it long ways and press it between your fingers to release the flavorful oils).