When the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4–1 in Game 5 to claim the franchise’s first World Series title, the question that followed wasn’t whether to celebrate. It was what Wisconsin actually drinks when something this consequential happens. Not beer. Not bourbon. A brandy Old Fashioned — fruit-muddled, soda-topped, and built for exactly this kind of moment.
Why Wisconsin Drinks It Different
Brandy over whiskey isn’t a mistake — it’s a regional identity, earned over decades of supper clubs and neighborhood taverns.
Order an Old Fashioned in most American bars and you’ll typically get whiskey, a sugar cube, bitters, and a twist. Walk into a Wisconsin supper club or neighborhood taverns and you’ll get something else entirely: brandy, muddled orange and cherry, bitters, a splash of cherry juice, and soda. The result is fruit-forward and lighter than a stirred, spirit-forward whiskey version. Tim Sweeney, a lifelong Brewers fan and bar manager at Pebble Bar, reportedly called it the obvious Milwaukee drink for this moment — not because it’s fashionable, but because it’s theirs.
How to Order It in Wisconsin
Three terms separate locals from first-timers — know them before you walk in.
- Sweet: topped with lemon-lime soda (Sprite)
- Sour: topped with grapefruit soda
- Press: equal parts lemon-lime soda and club soda
A widely circulated Wisconsin preparation starts with muddling an orange slice, a maraschino cherry, a sugar cube, a splash of cherry juice, and four to five dashes of Angostura bitters in a rocks glass. Add 1½ ounces of brandy and ice, stir gently, and top with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with orange and cherry. That muddling step is what separates this drink from its austere whiskey counterpart — releasing fruit oils and juice into the glass makes the cocktail festive rather than formal, which suits a championship toast rather well.
The Chris Farley Upgrade
For fans who want to go bigger, this Wisconsin-rooted variation leans into celebratory excess.
This richer take combines Angostura bitters, a maraschino cherry, an orange half-moon, a splash of grenadine, and a measure of demerara syrup. Muddle lightly, add ice and two ounces of Korbel brandy, stir, then top with one ounce of Sprite. The grenadine and demerara layer in depth and sweetness while keeping the drink recognizably Wisconsin.
After 57 years without a title, Milwaukee doesn’t owe anyone a generic toast. A brandy Old Fashioned isn’t Wisconsin’s drink because it’s the most sophisticated option on the menu. It’s Wisconsin’s drink because it belongs here, and right now, that distinction matters.
