For all the dark liquor fans out there, this Blueberry Old Fashioned is a fun twist on the classic Old Fashioned cocktail that mingles delicious blueberry flavor with whiskey.
An Old Fashioned is made with whiskey, bitters, simple syrup, and an orange twist. It’s a clear and simple drink, but really delivers on flavor. It’s especially good with bourbon or rye whiskey.
We’ve added fresh blueberries to this classic cocktail to show how versatile an Old Fashioned can be. You can even use a flavored blueberry syrup, if you want. There is great blueberry flavor, but it’s not overpowering to the bourbon, which remains the star of the recipe.
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The great thing about adding blueberry simple syrup is the beautiful color it adds to this cocktail. It’s really stunning and makes an impressive addition to your after-dinner drinks presentation.
» You might also like this Blueberry Basil Mezcal Cocktail.
Blueberry Old Fashioned Ingredients
- 2 oz Bourbon
- 0.5 ounces blueberry simple syrup
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- Ice
- Extra blueberries, for garnish
How to Make a Blueberry Old Fashioned
An Old Fashioned always starts with a great bourbon. We like to use Bulleit Bourbon. It’s just the right balance of flavor and price for cocktails.
The next step is to make a blueberry simple syrup. What I love about this simple syrup is that it can be used for so many different drinks, like a Dark & Stormy, a Bourbon Smash, or a simple blueberry lemonade.
We’ve got the full instructions for how to make blueberry simple syrup in this post, but the short version is to boil blueberries with water and sugar until they burst and impart lots of wonderful purple color to the liquid.
Then strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove all the skins and pulp from the liquid. You can use the skins and pulp for another purpose, like jam. When blended, the quick jam is really great on top of oatmeal or pancakes.
Make sure the simple syrup has enough time to cool before using it in your drink. If it’s still warm, it will cause the ice to melt into your drink faster than you want.
The blueberry simple syrup will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, so you can use it for this and all those other drinks we mentioned, without having to make another batch.
Use a low ball or whiskey glass for this drink. It’s not a lot of liquid, so you don’t need a tall glass.
Add one big ice cube, if you have it, or handful of small cubes. You don’t want to water down the drink, but it’s best when slightly chilled. Another way to go is to freeze about 10 blueberries and use those for the ice in the drink.
Add the simple syrup, the Bourbon and some ice in a cocktail shaker. Give it 10 good shakes to make sure the liquid is chilled. Then strain it into your glass. Add 3 drops of Angostura bitters and a few blueberries for garnish.
I sometimes add a sprig of rosemary to the glass as well, for the aroma. You can add an orange peel for a citrus aroma, or just keep it simple.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much simple syrup in an Old Fashioned?
For this drink, we use just half an ounce of simple syrup. That is why we make the simple syrup so concentrated with blueberry flavor. If you add too much, the drink will be too sweet.
What are some other popular drinks with blueberries?
Some of our favorite blueberry drinks are just classics that we’ve added the blueberry simple syrup to. These are a Blueberry Mojito, Blueberry Martini, Blueberry Smash, Blueberry Gin Fizz, and Blueberry Margarita.
Other Blueberry Cocktails
More Cocktails Recipes to Try
Other Craft Old Fashioned Recipes
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Blueberry Old Fashioned
Ingredients
For the cocktail
- 2 oz Bourbon
- 1 tbsp blueberry simple syrup
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- Ice
- Extra blueberries for garnish
For the blueberry simple syrup
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar substitute with Xylitol for sugar-free version
Instructions
- Add blueberries, water, and sugar to a saucepan. Boil over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and allow the syrup to completely cool.
- Add the Bourbon and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a low ball glass, over ice.
- Add Angostura bitters and garnish with extra blueberries.
Notes
Nutrition
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Laura is the founder and editor of the travel blogs Savored Sips and Savored Journeys. She is dedicated to sharing the best information about drinks found around the world.
I love a good old fashioned and the blueberry simple syrup was such a lovely addition!
One of my favorite flavors when it comes to cocktails… Love this twist – perfect recipe for the weekend!
Yum, I love the blueberry twist on this drink!
Old fashion is one of my fav cocktails, but I haven’t tried it with blueberries. Now is the time!
This is a refreshing cocktail! I love blueberry and bourbon is one of my favorite alcohol.
I love a good old fashioned, and the fact that you thought to add blueberry simple syrup was genius! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
I love a good old fashioned, and the fact that you thought to add blueberry simple syrup was genius! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
So refreshing and love the fact it has blueberries, yummy
Yum, this is so delicious!
Delicious and refreshing. Recommend!
So refreshing and delicious!
I love the color of this cocktail
This looks sooo refreshing!
What an elegant, classic cocktail!
I have made Blueberry syrup before. It is amazing, but I just muddled blueberries and used regular simple syrup, for this cocktail. It was incredible.