Pre-made cocktail mix suggestions
 

First...yes, I fully admit I'm lazy and uncultured.

I've been getting into drinking Old Fashioneds at the bar. Most of the time, it seems like the bartenders also use a pre-made mix and add it to whiskey. So now I want a decent pre-made Old Fashioned mix to add to whiskey at home.

A co-worker likes the Proof traditional syrup (and they sure love to live in my Facebook feed), but I'd love to hear other recommendations.

I left the thread title a little open-ended to allow for suggestions/recommendations/reviews of other mixes (margarita, mojito, sours, etc.).

I am thinking that the bar probably made up a mix of their own in the morning to be used all day. I don't think many good bars use store bought pre made mix.
I get lazy with margaritas and use Jose Cuervo mix along with triple sec and tequila and whatever else. It saves me juicing limes and making simple syrup (although I often have that in my fridge). I have tried a few others and like Jose Cuervo the best. And I get the "light" one and it is just as good, IMO.

Old Fashioneds are really easy to just do yourself. You can spend extra on the Proof syrups if you happen to like how they taste but an Old Fashioned is ridiculously simple. It's just three ingredients! Like the line in an old movie said, "What could happen to an Old Fashioned?"

I find they're easier to make with simple syrup than a sugar cube, which is probably the "mix" you're seeing in bars. Using syrup means you don't have to spend time muddling bitters into a sugar cube. You can buy simple syrup or just make a batch, which takes all of seven minutes or so. On the stove put a cup of sugar and a cup of water in a pot and bring to a simmer. Stir so the sugar dissolves. Pour it into a container and store covered in the fridge. It will keep for at least a week or two, probably longer. If your syrup is old just look for stuff growing in it before you use it.

In a rocks glass, pour a shot or two of your whiskey of choice. Add a slug of the simple syrup you made, to taste. Add a few dashes of Angostura bitters or orange bitters. Stir. Add ice. Add an orange slice or a cherry to garnish if you like. Drink.

I usually add about 1-2 teaspoons of syrup and 3 oz whiskey, as I don't like my drink sweet.

+1 if you’re after an Old Fashioned don’t invest in a mix. It’s literally one of the easiest mixed drinks to make.

You can store simple syrup too so just make a big batch one every few months and then when you want an OF you’ve already got that and just need your bourbon / rye and anything else you use to jazz it up

I have had a jar of simple syrup that I made in my fridge for months. Many months!

While I'm on the topic, if you do use cherries, be sure to use real maraschino cherries. Those day-glo red ones you see everywhere are not real maraschino cherries. Maraschino cherries are a specifc type of cherry (marasca cherries) soaked in brandy made from their juice. They are mainly grown in the Dalmatian coast. They are much more expensive and sooooo worth it.

Luxardo is probably the most common brand of maraschino cherry. It's about $23 for a jar. Much more expensive and I could eat them by themselves.

Unless you are making buzzed cherry bombs which I make every year (well, not last year) for our 4th of July bock parties. I use regular vodka--not vanilla. Buzzed Cherry Bombs (Vodka Soaked Cherries) | Frosting and a Smile

They are freaking amazing. I bought them once, and haven't splurged since, but would if we were setting up the bar for a very nice party.

On the topic of pre-made mixes, here are my thoughts:
- As others have said, old fashioneds are easy to make. I use the sugar cubes, but it takes all of 2-3 minutes even with that method. Also, since I'm a Wisconsin kid, I prefer Korbel brandy to whiskey, and a splash of Sprite on the top. But we make them both that way and the traditional way at home. NOW, my brother in law brought over a pre-mixed old fashioned bottle (booze and all) at Christmas, and it was quite good. I don't recall the name, but will ask next time I see him. Of course, being a busy host who was finishing up slicing the beef tenderloin while I was pouring drinks, I didn't realize it was a full mix and so I added my whiskey to his "mix" on the first round. It turned out really sweet and of course really strong...got better with round 2 :).
- Margarita mix: I haven't found out that isn't way too sweet for me. My wife makes a very simple mix to which you can just add tequila. Mostly lime juice, a little sugar and some triple sec...I think that's all. But controlling the amount of sugar leads to a much more pleasurable experience.
- Bloody Mary: several are good, but we usually go with the Zing Zang. It also comes in single serve cans which is nice. We have a friend who infuses Costco vodka with peppers and just pours that into tomato juice...inventive, spicy, but just not as good.
- My favorite: Olives jarred in Vermouth. Just plop them into a glass of gin with a couple ice cubes and you have a dry martini. :D

Bittermilk No. 1 bourbon barrel aged old fashioned is a very good pre-made cocktail mix:
https://shop.bittermilk.com/products...-old-fashioned

Excellent ideas here!

I've heard of the brandy old fashioned but have yet to make it to a real Wisconsin supper club to try one. We're moving back to Chicago later this summer (I'm partially excited to be near family and friends and partially sad to leave Maine) so I will have the opportunity.

For margarita mix I think the main option I usually see is Cuervo which I'm sure is all sugar. Margaritas are actually pretty simple to make as well so I'd suggest buying a bottle of fresh lime juice (not Rose's!) and some Cointreau, and giving it a try. A from-scratch margarita is really good - you realize how much sugar there is in the mixes (well, at least the cheap ones most people use I guess).

I don't care for tomato juice so I've never really gotten into Bloody Marys but I will say that I was once at a brunch place in New Orleans (I forget which) that had a make your own Bloody Mary bar. I used green tomato juice and it was AMAZING. I would drink those a lot if I had access to green tomato juice.

I've recently been converted to the "vermouth is good in a martini" club. I have started making them in the 1930s proportion of 1 part vermouth to 2 or 3 parts gin, with a dash of orange bitters. It's really a great drink! I don't know where this "just look in the direction of France and that's all the vermouth you need" machismo came from.

Early welcome back! Not sure what area you're heading to, but if you need any food or drink recs when you get back, I know the city and the north burbs restaurants about as well as anyone (and I'm humble :)), and would be happy to offer suggestions. Of course, as things reopen here, it may be a slightly new landscape for both of us.

You reminded me, my wife sometimes uses Cointreau instead of Triple Sec. I prefer her homemade style to even most restaurant margaritas, so couldn't agree with you more about this.

Would love to try the green. Here's my first rec for Chicago that may change your mind about Bloody Marys. Bub City in River North, for brunch. I assume their "make your own Bloody Mary" bar is closed during COVID, but if/when it reopens, check it out. The drink is not the point...the bar has about 50 toppings with long skewers...sliders, shrimp, grilled cheese sandwiches, etc. IIRC, one drink costs about $16, but if you know what you're doing you can fit about $40 worth of food on top. First time we went, we met friends who picked the place. We got there first, I made a drink and thought it was good. Then our friends showed up and I learned from the masters. They didn't even order from the meu.

I used to like them with just a splash of Vermouth. Still fine that way, but I've also graduated to about a 1-3 ratio. In general, I have a new appreciation for Vermouth in general after visiting northern Spain in 2019. Unfortunately, that means I've found myself going to the fancy liquor store and spending more on it than just picking up a bottle of Martini & Rossi at the grocery store.

I use Cuervo but I use the "light" version so it is not all sugar, nor is it artificial tasting or overly sweet. I do add my own triple sec to up the orange flavor & I would use Cointreau or Grand Marnier if I wanted to splurge. I would disagree with buying lime juice....only fresh squeezed. I would never use bottled lime or lemon juice in cooking and I don't in drinks either. I think it is a noticeable difference.
In the summer I like to make all kinds of versions of margaritas.....strawberry with basil, mango, cilantro & jalapeno, peach. etc. This is where the cuervo mix really comes in handy.

Thanks! My new colleagues just went to Cafe Babareeba on Friday for happy hour and I was pleased to see it's still around. We are definitely looking forward to all the great restaurants Chicago has to offer. Portland's restaurant scene is really excellent, especially for a city its size, so we haven't been lacking for options here either.

I find Cointreau is a nice middle ground between triple sec and Grand Marnier.

If the restaurant is good with it then so am I! Sounds decadent lol

Blech! Martini and Rossi is the vermouth equivalent of jug wine. I usually buy Dolin or Noilly Prat. The bottle is like $20 I think but I buy it so infrequently that I don't care. And my mantra is that life is too short for cheap booze. :)

You're probably right but then I'd have to buy all those limes and juice them. Sounds like a lot of work and I am a lazy lazy man. So I buy a bottle of Fresh Lime and it's more than good enough for me. I also live in the great frozen north so the taste of fresh squeezed lime juice is but a rumor. :)

All those limes? How much are you drinking?? :p Limes keep a while in the fridge and you can even juice a bunch and freeze in ice cube trays for later. I couldn't live without my citrus squeezer.
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...ds&wmSkipPwa=1

If you’re going to go for an old fashioned mix, I’d recommend Gary’s:

Exactly. Old Fashioneds are really easy to make. I personally use half syrup and half Luxardo jar juice. And Angostura bitters of course.

Thanks for all of the posts. I also cannot reiterate enough what I said in the OP...

:D

I know a lot of these drink mixes "are so easy to do yourself" and "you just need (to buy a bunch of stuff that I don't want cluttering my liquor cabinet or fridge and/or squeeze/muddle/yell the juice out of a bunch of fruits/vegetables/things found in the yard)". On a weekend afternoon/evening when I have no plans (which honestly is super rare), yes, I will spend the time to invent/craft a nice drink. On a weeknight, after a day of work, I simply just want to pour some mix, pour some booze, maybe use a shaker, then plop myself on my sofa and enjoy the drink.

The sugar content in some of these drink mixes are outrageous, and I definitely look at the labels before making a decision; however, the ones typically found in liquor stores--except for maybe "light" margarita mixes--rarely fit the bill.

The two minutes of prep (melting sugar and adding water) and Luxardo pays off in spades! No one can be that lazy! 😂

Even without a simple syrup, it takes me literally 2 minutes to make an old fashioned. The only "extra" ingredient the OP would need to have on hand is a small bottle of bitters.

I can understand not wanting to make a margarita, or some other drinks, from scratch for just one serving. But an old fashioned doesn't take any time.

The mix is just simple syrup and bitters. If you take 5 mins to make enough simple syrup for 20 old fashioneds, it takes the same amount of time to use a premade mix as it does to just do it yourself.

Why, the very idea of selling old fashioned "mix" is simply a nadir of dishonorable degeneracy and I won't stand for it!

If you really just can’t stomach even making an Old Fashioned, the Tip Top Old Fashioned that they are serving now on DL is pretty good. I’ve had a few over the last couple weeks and it’s a strong offering. It’s not sweet, it could almost pass as a Manhattan, but very good.

Do you (or anyone else) have a recipe for a margarita using fesh lime juice (and I will use Cointreau most likely as I have it, and good tequila).
Thanks.

I'm not sure this is helpful at all, but I believe my wife uses a variation of Rick Bayless's Topolo margarita (https://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/topolo-margarita/). She uses a little less sugar, and usually Triple Sec or Cointreau. The recipe instructions say to make the "mix" in the pitcher and then add tequila. My advice is to let others who will be drinking them with you know when you add the tequila. One time we had some friends over and, not knowing she had added the tequila to the pitcher already, I put a generous tequila pour in two glasses and then added the mix on top. Still delicious but a little more difficult to grill the flank steak after that..

My wife makes a really good margarita that is just fresh lime juice (14 - 18 limes to make 4 - 6 good sized drinks), Cointreau, and tequila plus a little Splenda if we have company that doesn’t like it quite as bitter as we do (you can also add a little water to add volume and smooth out the bitter lime flavor as desired). She then puts tajin around the rim and that’s it - it’s really good but really simple

Jaime Oliver’s one is pretty good. If I recall it is just 1 part lime juice, 1 part Cointreau, 2 parts tequila. Serve neat, over ice or whizzed.

That's a true margarita, and what we usually make at home. Haven't done it in ages though. I don't mind the sweeter foo foo ones in bars occasionally, but it's almost like a completely different drink.

I like just a little simple syrup to take the sour edge off the lime juice.

I bought a bottle of Daniel's Broiler Old Fashioned mix from Amazon. It appears they are an upscale steakhouse in the Seattle area that charges $18 for an Old Fashioned. 5g of sugar in a 3/4 oz serving, which means adding 3oz. of your favorite whiskey/bourbon. The fruit notes (mainly orange) is very subtle, maybe too subtle. However, it's not too bad.

I've yet to find a pre-made mix for margaritas that I like unfortunately. Most of them are indeed too sickly sweet. So I'm stuck making my own mix, which means I don't drink them as much as I'd probably like :). Personally, while it might sound a bit weird, what I've used is basically an equal mix of lemon juice, sugar, and water, then add half a lime per drink, plus some orange juice, then of course the tequila and some sort of orange liqueur (basically, I use what I have, whether it's cointreau (probably my most common), patron citronge, curacao, or grand marnier. My wife tends not to like the grand marnier, so we haven't used that in a while. While there's sugar in it, to me at least it doesn't come out as sickly sweet, and with the orange juice, takes some of the edge off the harsher lime and lemon juices. I think I got the recipe when I was originally trying to recreate a decent margarita I'd had on a cruise ship, and I think at least Patron listed it as a recipe for a while.

For fruity cocktails, I'm a big fan of Barmalade (https://www.barmalade.com/) - 1oz of their mix, some lime juice, and booze are most of their recipes. Although this is more effort than a scratch Old Fashioned, it is easier than, for instance, a Margarita. Mango Habenero is my fave!

On America's Test Kitchen yesterday, they made margaritas. They used both lemon and lime juice for the sour part but also added the zest of both which I think sounds great. They let the juices, zest and superfine sugar sit in the fridge for hours and then strained it. I have to try it---zest adds so much flavor. They used curacao for the orange. I think it was equal parts tequila, sour mix, and curacao.

I have a book by Dorie Greenspan where she shares a technique taught to her by Pierre Hermé; when a recipe calls for citrus zest and sugar, spend a minute or so massaging the grated zest into the sugar, it releases the oils and the sugar becomes intoxicatingly aromatic. Doesn’t take long and you can then pour the juices in and let it sit as the recipe asks.

Same procedure for releasing zest oils can be done with salt.

My father in law makes his from scratch, starting with a single sugar cube. I thought it was pretty good.

I just came from Publix where I noticed an OF mix on the shelf and wondered why.

The tiki bar where we are staying made a Rum Runner for Mrs BV from a mix. I need to take a closer look: it was pretty good, with the exception of the whipped cream on top (???).

A little trick to get the sour edge off, just a tiny splash of fresh orange juice instead. :tu:

My homemade margaritas are....two parts Hornitos or similar tequila, Anejo or Blanco according to preference, one part Grand Marnier, (absolutely nothing wrong with Cointreau, again, just personal preference), squeeze two halved large limes in, (as corky said somewhere upthread, with a citrus squeezer, it's really easy), and a small splash of fresh squeezed orange juice.

No salt for me, thanks. But, if you want it, ground black Spanish sea salt, please.

An Old Fashioned is so easy to make, and it's amazing how many places just make a mess of it. I was in a bar in Antigua not long ago and asked for one (yes, should have stuck with rum...) and I got crushed ice, white sugar from the tea service, topped up with bourbon, and a cheap neon cherry on top. I had a chat to the barman after I sent it back and walked him through the steps...

Doesn’t beat my order for a very dry gin martini with a twist, which ended up being vermouth (martini bianco) on ice.

I'd echo others opinions that for an Old Fashioned I wouldn't bother with a mix. It's a super easy drink to make yourself without a mix and best of all, almost all the ingredients are shelf-stable so you're not going to waste a bunch of mixers/fruits/juices, etc. if you go a few days or more without drinking at home.

-decent bourbon (I like Woodford for an OF)
-Angostura bitters
-light brown sugar cubes
-orange peel (really the only thing that's not shelf stable)

Grab those items, keep them in stock, and you'll be able to make a drink in just a minute or two. It'll come out far better than any mix you're ever going to find.

On the whole, I'm not a fan of drink mixes in general, though I get if you're trying to have margaritas or something that requires a number of different juices, there's an efficiency factor there. Old Fashioneds don't really fall into that group though.

I have not seen brown sugar cubes...I think I have only had an old fashioned with white but brown sounds good....adds to the caramel flavor.

Yes, I've had this one happen to me a few times as well!

To be fair, it doesn't seem like an Old Fashioned is much of a "tropical" cocktail... :)