On any given Friday night in Wisconsin, people gather at local supper clubs for fish fry. It's a tradition that goes back to the 1920s and 30s, and is almost always accompanied by a signature drink: the Old-Fashioned.
While the classic cocktail can be found across the country, Wisconsin's has a special twist.
Old-Fashioned are commonly made with whiskey or bourbon, but Wisconsinites eschew both in favor of brandy.
The penchant for brandy can be traced back to the state’s European immigrants, said Laura Schulte, a reporter at the Wausau Daily Herald who covered the history of the Wisconsin Old-Fashioned.
"The love for brandy actually is rooted in Wisconsin’s heritage," Schulte told WPR's "Central Time."
In 1893, the Korbel brothers made their way from California to the World’s Fair in Chicago — with cases of their brandy in tow. The European liquor brought a reminder of home, and Wisconsinites at the fair — many of whom were immigrants — took notice and brought the liquor back home with them.
"Now, Wisconsin is one of the major drinkers of Korbel brandy. There are rumors that Wisconsin has its own shipping dock for Korbel brandy," Schulte joked.
Korbel or otherwise, Wisconsin knows how to make a good brandy Old-Fashioned — and how to shake things up. Schulte recommended some places to check out for a good Wisconsin old fashioned.
Bartenders at The Libertine hand-cut their ice. Sound too hipster for you? There’s actually a logic to it.
"They have to cut it down to the exact right dimension. There’s a science behind it, about how fast the ice will melt when it’s in a certain shape and a certain size. The ice has to be perfectly see-through without any kind of dilution before they’ll even put it in the drink, (and) it goes in a wonderful Old-Fashioned," Schulte said.
If you want something really different, La Cave in La Crosse is the place to go. At La Cave, they set hickory wood chips that have been soaked in bourbon or gin on fire, then they set it out with a glass. They leave the glass sitting over the smoke long enough for it to gather those smoky aromas and flavors. Once that process is finished, they pour in the drink, featuring homemade bitters and no fruit.
"It’s kind of like drinking a campfire, but it’s really pleasant," Schulte said.
Can’t get enough of Old-Fashioneds? Schulte suggesting going to Drink Wisconsinbly, where you can get an Old-Fashioned — sour or sweet — straight out of the bubbler (water fountain for the non-Wisconsinites). If boozy water fountains are too much for you, get a classic handcrafted brandy Old-Fashioned garnished with a cherry and a cheese curd for a truly Wisconsin concoction.
