Rum Old Fashioned

Substitutes:

• Dark Rum: You can use any kind of dark rum you like for this recipe (even spiced rum). If you don't have dark rum, use bourbon or rye whiskey instead: this will make for a delicious classic Old Fashioned. Cognac or Scotch are also great alternatives.
• Angostura Bitters: Try using Peychaud's bitters if you're out of Angostura bitters. You can also try experimenting with less conventional bitters such as chocolate or Mexican mole bitters, or even a combination of several bitters. They work great with rum!
• Bartender’s tip: If you don’t have cubed sugar and/or are looking for an easier, faster way to make an Old Fashioned, you can use sugar syrup (homemade or store-bought). We advise you to make your own by mixing equal parts of brown cane sugar and hot water: it’s cheap and super easy, plus you can use any type of sugar you like! Once you have your syrup, process it as follows:
  • In the stirring glass, combine 6 dashes of Angostura bitters, ¼ oz of sugar syrup, and 2 ½ oz of dark rum.
  • Add ice, stir well (for about 15-20 seconds), and strain into an ice-filled old fashioned glass. Garnish with a cherry and/or orange zest.

Making a Pitcher of Rum Old Fashioned:

• Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all the ingredients by 8. That would be 20 oz of dark rum, 8 sugar cubes, and 48 dashes of Angostura bitters.
• Mix: Combine the sugar cubes and bitters in a large pitcher. Add a splash of soda water and crush the cubes using the muddler. Then, add the rum and stir well to dissolve the sugar.
• Serve: Pour the mixture into ice-filled Old Fashioned glasses, garnish with an orange twist or cherry, and serve immediately.

Making it Non-Alcoholic:

• Rum Substitute: Use a non-alcoholic dark rum substitute; these are available and do a good job mimicking the flavor of rum. If you’re feeling crafty, you can also make your own dark rum substitute by infusing together rooibos tea and a bunch of spices of your liking (vanilla, cinnamon, clove, allspice and banana are always a good way to start). Mix all the ingredients together, add hot water, cover, and let it infuse for at least 3h (the stronger the better, so if you have time let it infuse overnight. In that case, you can either let it rest in the fridge once the liquid has cooled down). Give it a taste, adjust the spice level if necessary, and strain it once you’re happy with the result. Stored properly (in an airtight container in the fridge), this “tea-rum” can be kept for up to a week.
• Angostura bitters: To get the spicy touch from the bitters, you can use a spice syrup (cinnamon, allspice, etc.) instead of sugar to prepare your drink. Also note that 2 dashes of bitter in an otherwise alcohol-free drink won’t raise the overall ABV of the drink. The drink will indeed chemically contain a drop of alcohol, but won’t make you intoxicated at all. Depending on your reason for not drinking alcohol and your degree of tolerance on the topic, this can also be a suitable option.
• Proceed As Usual: Use this non-alcoholic substitute instead of the regular rum, follow the original steps, and enjoy a non-alcoholic version.

Making it Vegan:

• Sugar Cube: Ensure that the sugar you're using is vegan. Some sugars are processed with bone char, which is not vegan. Look for organic sugar or beet sugar, which are typically vegan-friendly.
• Garnish: If you're using a maraschino or candied cherry for garnish, make sure the brand you’re using is vegan friendly: some brands use cochineal to give the cherry their bright red color.