The Best Keto Old Fashioned

We’ve had cocktails on the blog before, but as every connoisseur knows, you can only really measure the quality of a bar by its ability to make an Old Fashioned. This isn’t just a classic cocktail… It’s the classic cocktail. It’s refined, full bodied and ultimately rather simple, which means you can’t hide behind a bunch of fancy ingredients. 

But as many others have noticed, the Old Fashioned is unfortunately not a keto friendly drink. But with a couple basic substitutions, you too can make this classic American beverage without breaking ketosis. So, without further ado, here is our classic, keto old fashioned.

Ingredients

• An old fashioned glass
• 2 ounces bourbon whiskey
• 4 dashes angostura bitters
• ¼ ounce keto syrup
• 1 orange peel
• 2-3 ice cubes

How we make a perfect keto old fashioned

You have a couple options on how you make this drink, you can either work directly in the final glass or you can use a cocktail mixing glass. For simplicity’s sake, we are going to make it directly in the glass, but again, either is fine.

Begin by placing either 1 large ice cube in the glass or 2-3 normal sized ice cubes if that is what you have. 

Next add, ¼ ounce of your preferred keto syrup. If you can get your hands on it, I would choose a low-carb demerara syrup but those can be hard to find (and hard to make) so a keto simple syrup works perfectly well too.

If you don’t know how to make it, check out our recipe here.

Now, it’s time to add your liquor. Bourbon whiskey is of course the traditional choice and what we will be using today. But I’ve had wonderful rum and brandy based old fashioned before so don’t be afraid to experiment a little bit if whiskey isn’t your jam. Add 2 ounces of the whiskey to your glass.

Next, it’s time for the angostura bitters. These add a really wonderful and complex citrus flavor to your old fashioned. They do have some carbs in them so this step can be omitted but you are only adding a small amount and it really does bring a lot to the drink. Add 4 dashes of the bitters to your drink.

Now, you can stir the drink so that all the liquids become uniform. If you are using a separate mixing glass, be sure to stir, not shake to combine.

Finally, you can use a little bit of orange peel and zest to garnish.

And there you have it, a perfect, keto old fashioned to spice up your evening.

What is the best whiskey for an old fashioned?

For a traditional old fashioned, you want to go with a bourbon whiskey. Something like Jack Daniel’s will do just fine, but if you really want to up your game, go with a higher proof whiskey as it will retain its flavor better and hold up to the dilution and sweetness better. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a great choice for this drink.

Keto Old Fashioned FAQ’s

Should I use 1 large ice cube or several small ones for an old fashioned?

Ideally, you’d use a large ice cube. As this drink is meant to be sipped over time, a large ice cube is best because it melts more slowly which means the drink becomes less diluted. But if you don’t have a large ice cube, it isn’t a big deal.

Do you have to use whiskey for an old fashioned keto?

While it’s definitely traditional, you can definitely make a great old fashioned from liquors like brandy or rum. Just be sure to use a dark liquor.

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