1 COMMUNITY. 10 DAYS.
1 great COCKTAIL.
We look forward to enjoying another
round
with you. Our event returns
October 11-20,
2024 at participating bars
and restaurants.
Cocktails
for a cause
Cocktails
for a cause
$1 for every Old Fashioned sold (up to
$25,000)
supports bar and restaurant
workers in need.
With your help, we’ve
donated $50,0000 to the
Bartenders
Benevolent Fund since 2022.
Mix an
old fashioned
Get a head start on Old Fashioned Week ® 2024
by learning to make this classic Bourbon
cocktail at home.
HISTORY OF THE
OLD FASHIONED
In 1789, the Rev. Elijah Craig became the
first
to char oak barrels. Less than 20 years
later, the
Old Fashioned was born. Discover
the origins
of the world's first classic
cocktail with the
Father of Bourbon.
1806 THE WHISKEY COCKTAIL
The Old Fashioned was originally known
as "the whiskey cocktail" and considered
"matutinal"; that is, it was generally
consumed in the morning.
1862 The Cocktail, Defined
Jerry Thomas's book, "The Bar-Tender's Guide," describes the whiskey cocktail as "a couple dashes of Boker's bitters, twice as many dashes of gum syrup, and a ‘wine glass' of whiskey."
1880s Name Comes Into Fashion
After years of cocktail experimentation and permutation, calls for a return to "old-style drinking" give rise to the name "Old Fashioned." The term is widely adopted.
1930s Muddled Fruit Addition
Fruit becomes widely used as an ingredient versus a garnish. A 1936 New York Times letter to the editor claims the trend began during Prohibition, "to disguise the horrible taste of terrible liquor."
2010 Returning to Its Roots
Most of the country's top bartenders shun the use of fruit in their Old Fashioned cocktails, using an orange swath or brandied cherry for garnish only.
2019 Recognizing the Greatness Within
Drinks International recognizes the Old Fashioned as the World's #1 Classic Cocktail for the fifth year in a row.
2020 Celebrating the Old Fashioned
Elijah Craig partners with PUNCH to host their first annual Old Fashioned Week®. The event raises $100,000 to support bar & restaurant workers' affected by COVID-19.
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The Mission of the Bartenders Benevolent Fund
is to connect and inspire past, present, and
future hospitality workers through advocacy,
programming, financial support, and
fundraising to foster a healthy, equitable, and
thriving community.