Butterbeer Old Fashioned

Our permission slips are signed and we’re headed to Hogsmeade this weekend. Fancy popping ’round the Three Broomsticks with me for a Butterbeer Old Fashioned? While you might think you’re too busy studying for your O.W.L.s, starting a secret club, and liberating house elves, even the most preoccupied witch or wizard can make time for a Butterbeer Old Fashioned. How else do you expect to keep the dementors away?

Watch Me Brew It

What is Butterbeer?

Butterbeer, if you hadn’t had it yet, is a sweet, fizzy, vanilla-Butterscotch brew for witches and wizards who are of age. Hogwarts students and professors are known to enjoy a pint or two on their visits to Hogsmeade, though some have a reputation of handling it a bit better than others. A Butterbeer Old Fashioned adds bourbon, making it the McGonagall of magical cocktails: mysterious, strong, and oh so clever.

What is an Old Fashioned?

The beauty of the Old Fashioned is its simplicity. It highlights the bourbon, adds just enough sweetness from syrup, and gets a touch of spice and depth from Angostura bitters. The trick is using a syrup that complements your bourbon, hence why we are obligated to make cream soda syrup for our Butterbeer Old Fashioneds.

How to Make a Butterbeer Old Fashioned

1. Add bourbon, cream soda syrup, bitters, and salt to a mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir until chilled and properly diluted.
3. Strain over two glasses with a large cube.
4. Float a thin layer of butterscotch cream over the top.
5. Finish with a little grated nutmeg if you want that cozy pub feel.

How to Make Cream Soda Syrup

Making Cream Soda Syrup might sound as intimidating as a potion you’d make in sixth year, but it’s no harder than making simple syrup, which any first-year could easily do. All you have to do is get your hands on some cream soda. If you haven’t mastered the Accio spell yet, you can find it at most Muggle grocery stores or Target. You’ll need:

• 1/2 cup cream soda
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Pinch of sea salt

Makes about 3/4 cup. Double the recipe to make a large enough batch to get you through all 8 movies.

Instructions

1. Add the cream soda, water, and brown sugar to a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup has reduced slightly.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and a pinch of sea salt.
4. Let cool completely before using.

How to Make Butterscotch Cream

The magic behind a Butterbeer Old Fashioned is the butterscotch cream on top. Without it, you might as well be drinking goblin piss. Look for butterscotch sauce in the ice cream aisle or with the jams and jellies. Stealing it from Snape’s personal stores is not advised. You’ll need:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon butterscotch sauce
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Whip or froth until thickened but still pourable, almost like cold foam rather than whipped cream.

Tips for Making the Best Butterbeer Old Fashioned

• When making the cream soda syrup, it doesn’t matter how many times you stir it, nor whether you stir in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. You’ll get full marks either way.
• You will, however, need to stir the cocktail ingredients enough so that the outside of the mixing glass gets nice and frosty to ensure the drink is diluted and well-chilled.
• You can whip up butterscotch cream with a hand frother, the steam wand(!) of an espresso machine, a stand-up mixer, or an electric hand mixer.

Why You’ll Love a Butterbeer Old Fashioned

• Everyone loves butterbeer! I have yet to meet a witch, wizard, or squib who doesn’t. Its sweet, caramel-y, vanilla warmth is the perfect drink for a typical rainy day. Even Slytherins like it and they don’t tend to like much of anything, do they?
• If Dudley happened to be making a Butterbeer Old Fashioned, he’d probably enjoy it in front of the telly. Maybe while enjoying a marathon of his favorite movies, perhaps?
• I can’t think of a better Halloween Cocktail.