BuzzMug Bourbon Cold Brew Old Fashioned

Some coffee cocktails want to hit you over the head with coffee. This one has better manners.

A Bourbon Cold Brew Old Fashioned should still taste like an Old Fashioned first: bourbon up front, a little sweetness, bitters, and those fresh orange oils that make the whole thing smell considerably fancier than the amount of work involved.

Then comes the coffee.

A splash of cold brew concentrate adds a dark, roasted edge without turning your whiskey into boozy iced coffee. Maple syrup brings just enough sweetness, while Angostura and chocolate bitters fill in the darker, spicier corners.

The result is bold, smooth, slightly bitter, lightly sweet, and very bourbon-forward.

Basically, it's an Old Fashioned that stayed up late drinking coffee.

Why you'll love this bourbon cold brew Old Fashioned

If you like coffee cocktails but find many of them too sweet, creamy, or dessert-like, this one goes in a completely different direction.

There's no cream. No coffee liqueur. No frothy espresso situation. And no cocktail shaker audition required.

You only need bourbon, cold brew concentrate, maple syrup, bitters, ice, and a strip of citrus peel. Stir everything together, pour it over a big cube, and you're in business.

The cold brew is deliberately kept in the background. It adds roastiness and a little bitterness, but bourbon remains the star of the show.

And because this recipe uses cold brew rather than freshly brewed espresso, it's exceptionally easy to make whenever the mood strikes. Keep a bottle of concentrate in the refrigerator and your coffee cocktail infrastructure is basically complete.

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What makes it an Old Fashioned?

A traditional Old Fashioned is built around a very simple formula: whiskey, sugar, bitters, and dilution from ice.

We're keeping that basic structure intact and sneaking cold brew concentrate into the party.

The key word there is sneaking.

This isn't supposed to be equal parts coffee and bourbon. Once you start heading toward a 1:1 ratio, you've crossed into boozy iced coffee territory. Maybe delicious territory - but different territory.

Here, 2 ounces of bourbon meets just ⅔ ounce of cold brew concentrate. That's enough coffee to make itself known without stealing bourbon's parking space.

On the first sip, you should taste whiskey.

Then coffee.

If that's happening, you've nailed it.

Why cold brew works so well here

Espresso might seem like the natural alternative, especially in a coffee cocktail, but for this specific recipe I much prefer cold brew concentrate.

Espresso has its own very distinct aromatic intensity and can bring more acidity. It also works especially well in shaken cocktails, where it helps create the foam associated with an Espresso Martini. Here, though, we're not looking for either that texture or that style of structure.

We want a cocktail that can be stirred rather than shaken, while keeping the smooth, controlled texture of an Old Fashioned. Cold brew fits naturally into that format because it tends to have a rounder profile and roasted notes that overlap well with the flavors in bourbon.

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Ingredients you'll need

Bourbon

Use 2 ounces of bourbon.

You don't need to raid the locked cabinet for your rarest bottle, but use something you actually enjoy drinking. Coffee is joining the bourbon here, not disguising it.

Bourbons with vanilla, caramel, oak, and baking-spice notes are especially good with cold brew.

A slightly bolder bourbon also works nicely because it can hold its own against the coffee and bitters after the drink has been chilled and diluted.

Cold brew concentrate

Use ⅔ ounce of unsweetened cold brew concentrate, preferably chilled.

The word concentrate matters.

Regular ready-to-drink cold brew already contains quite a bit of water. You'd need more of it to get the same coffee flavor, which means more dilution and less bourbon swagger.

A concentrate gives you plenty of roasted coffee flavor from a relatively small amount.

If your concentrate is particularly intense, start with ½ ounce instead.

Cold brews with chocolate, caramel, nutty, or darker roasted notes work especially well here.

Pure maple syrup

Use ¼ ounce pure maple syrup.

Maple syrup gives the drink more depth than plain simple syrup without making the cocktail taste like breakfast.

And no, we're not talking about pancake syrup. Save that for the pancakes.

Real maple syrup brings subtle caramelized flavors that sit naturally between bourbon and coffee.

If you prefer a slightly sweeter Old Fashioned, you can increase it to about ⅓ ounce.

Simple syrup also works as a substitute. It will give you the sweetness without quite as much extra flavor.

Angostura bitters

Two dashes of Angostura keep this cocktail firmly connected to the classic Old Fashioned.

They add spice, bitterness, and aromatic complexity-three words that sound very serious for something you add by turning a tiny bottle upside down twice.

Don't skip them.

Chocolate bitters

Add one dash of chocolate bitters.

One.

We're trying to quietly reinforce the cocoa and roasted flavors already hanging around in the bourbon and coffee. We're not making a chocolate martini.

Angostura should remain the primary bitter, with chocolate bitters acting as the backup singer.

Orange peel

A strip of fresh orange peel may look like garnish, but it's doing actual work.

Expressing the peel over the drink releases citrus oils across the surface. That bright orange aroma cuts through all those deeper notes of bourbon, coffee, maple, spice, and chocolate.

Lemon peel works too if you want something a little brighter and sharper.

Ice

Use regular ice for stirring and, if possible, one large cube for serving.

A big cube melts more slowly, which means your cocktail can take its sweet time without becoming bourbon-flavored water.

About the bitters and why they matter

It's easy to think of bitters as something we add simply because an Old Fashioned is supposed to have them, but in this recipe they serve a much more specific purpose.

We already have bourbon, coffee, and maple syrup, so there are several deep, roasted, relatively rich flavors in play. Without an aromatic component that adds contrast, the cocktail could actually taste surprisingly flat despite the intensity of the ingredients.

Angostura adds spice and bitterness, while chocolate bitters quietly reinforce the roasted and cocoa notes. Used together, they give the drink more depth than chocolate bitters alone.

I wouldn't increase the amounts much, though. Cold brew already brings its own bitterness, and too many bitters could easily cover the subtler qualities of the bourbon.

Two dashes Angostura and one dash chocolate bitters make a balanced starting point.

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How to make a bourbon cold brew old fashioned

Add the bourbon, cold brew concentrate, maple syrup, Angostura bitters, and chocolate bitters to a mixing glass.

Fill the glass generously with ice and stir for about 15-20 seconds.

Don't skip this part.

Stirring doesn't just make the cocktail cold. Melting ice adds a small amount of water, softening the bourbon and helping all the flavors come together.

Place a large ice cube in a rocks glass, then strain the cocktail over it.

Take your orange peel, hold it over the drink with the colored side facing downward, and gently bend it to release the oils. Run the peel around the rim of the glass and drop it in.

That's it.

No shaking. No frothing. No smoke-filled cloche dramatically lifted from the glass while your friends film it for Instagram.

Unless you're into that sort of thing.

Tips for Getting it Just Right

Keep the bourbon in charge.
If you taste coffee before whiskey, reduce the cold brew from ⅔ ounce to ½ ounce.

Use concentrate, not ordinary iced coffee.
You want coffee flavor without adding unnecessary water.

Keep your cold brew cold.
Starting with chilled concentrate helps the drink cool down faster while stirring.

Don't skip the dilution.
Pouring everything directly over the serving cube isn't quite the same. Stirring first gives you much better control over temperature and dilution.

Go easy on the sweetness.
Start with ¼ ounce maple syrup. You can always add a touch more next time.

Don't get carried away with chocolate bitters.
One dash adds depth. Five dashes and suddenly Willy Wonka is your bartender.

Use the orange peel properly.
Express those oils over the drink before tossing the peel into the glass. Your nose experiences the cocktail before your mouth does.

Can I Make it Ahead?

Absolutely.

Combine the bourbon, cold brew concentrate, maple syrup, Angostura, and chocolate bitters and refrigerate the mixture until you're ready to serve.

For the best texture, stir individual servings with ice just before pouring them into the glass.

I'd also cut the citrus peel at the last minute. Fresh peel releases more aromatic oil than a sad, dried-out strip that's been sitting on the counter since lunchtime.

If you're making cocktails for several people, batching the liquid ingredients ahead can make life considerably easier.

Garnish ideas

For this recipe, orange peel is still my first choice. Not just because of how it looks: the citrus oils add freshness to a cocktail built almost entirely around dark, roasted, and spiced flavors.

Lemon peel is also a great alternative. It gives the cocktail a brighter, slightly sharper citrus note and works especially well if you prefer a fresher finish. The orange is a little rounder and more classic with bourbon, while lemon makes the drink feel slightly lighter and more aromatic.

If you want a subtle visual reference to the cold brew, you can also add one or two coffee beans. They won't noticeably change the flavor, but they make the coffee component immediately recognizable.

A good-quality cocktail cherry can also work if you prefer a presentation that feels closer to some versions of an Old Fashioned, although it naturally makes the drink feel slightly sweeter.

For me, though, one clear large ice cube, a good orange peel, and a rocks glass are more than enough. This cocktail works because of its simplicity, and it doesn't need an elaborate garnish.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular cold brew?

You can, but cold brew concentrate works better. See my note higher up on this page.

Regular cold brew is already diluted, so you may need considerably more of it before the coffee flavor becomes noticeable. That extra liquid can water down the bourbon and change the balance of the cocktail.

Can I use espresso instead?

Yes, but you'll get a different cocktail.

Espresso is generally more intense and can bring additional acidity and aroma. It's fantastic in something shaken and frothy like an Espresso Martini.

For this drink, cold brew gives you a smoother coffee note that fits more naturally into a stirred Old Fashioned.

Can I use simple syrup instead of maple syrup?

Definitely.

Replace the maple syrup with roughly the same amount of simple syrup and adjust to taste.

The drink will be slightly cleaner and more neutral. Maple syrup adds a little caramel-like depth, which is why I prefer it here.

Do I need both Angostura and chocolate bitters?

You can make the cocktail with Angostura alone and still get a good result. I like using both because they play slightly different roles.

Angostura provides the spiced, bitter notes associated with an Old Fashioned, while chocolate bitters quietly reinforce the roasted flavors of bourbon and coffee. That's why I use 2 dashes Angostura and only 1 dash chocolate bitters.

Why is my cocktail too bitter?

Your cold brew may be especially strong.

Try reducing the concentrate from ⅔ ounce to ½ ounce before piling on extra maple syrup.

Also check your bitters. With both coffee and bitters in the same glass, an enthusiastic dash can make a surprisingly big difference.

Why does mine taste like boozy iced coffee?

Too much coffee.

The bourbon should be the first flavor you notice. Reduce the amount of cold brew concentrate until the whiskey moves back into the foreground.

Cold brew brands vary quite a bit in strength, so consider the recipe ratio a very good starting point rather than an international law.

Can I make it sweeter?

Sure.

Increase the maple syrup from ¼ ounce to around ⅓ ounce.

Make small adjustments. Too much sweetness can mute both the bourbon and the pleasant bitterness that makes the cocktail interesting.

What if I don't have a mixing glass?

Use a sturdy drinking glass or jar large enough to comfortably hold the cocktail and plenty of ice.

The fancy glass isn't what makes the drink work. Proper chilling and dilution are.

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What to Serve with It

This cocktail is rich enough to stand on its own, especially after dinner, but a couple of simple snacks pair particularly well.

Dark chocolate echoes the roasted coffee and chocolate bitters, while toasted pecans or almonds work beautifully with bourbon's caramel and oak notes.

But you don't really need food.

A comfortable chair works too.

The magic of this Bourbon Cold Brew Old Fashioned is that it doesn't try too hard to become a coffee cocktail. Bourbon still leads, cold brew adds a roasted second layer, maple softens the edges, bitters add depth, and fresh citrus keeps everything from getting too dark and serious.

Just like an Old Fashioned should be.

Only caffeinated.

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