Wisconsin could become first state with an official cocktail: What they’re picking

(WFRV) — There is no hiding that the state of Wisconsin has plenty of residents who indulge in a couple of drinks over the weekend. After all, Wisconsin is home to the most excessive drinkers in the country.

Whether it’s a Miller Lite, a Bloody Mary, or an Ice Cream Drink, Wisconsinites love their alcohol, and state lawmakers are playing along.

State lawmakers are proposing a resolution declaring the Wisconsin-style Old Fashioned the official state cocktail.

If you aren’t from Wisconsin, you’re probably wondering how an Old Fashioned could be any different in the Badger State compared to any other.

It’s all because of brandy.

There are three alcoholic bases you’ll typically find in an Old Fashioned: gin, bourbon, and whiskey, with the latter being arguably the most popular. Except in Wisconsin, where for some reason or another, it’s brandy you’ll most likely find in your Old Fashioned.

It’s also muddled, a process that’s less common elsewhere but appreciated throughout Wisconsin’s supper clubs during an infamous Friday fish fry.

Because of its noted uniqueness, Wisconsin lawmakers are hoping to designate the brandy Old Fashioned — which “Wisconsinites commonly garnish an old-fashioned with either a sweet garnish, such as oranges or cherries, or a savory garnish, such as olives, pickled mushrooms, or pickled vegetables” — as the state’s official cocktail.

The resolution, seen here, concludes by stating that the brandy old-fashioned has become an unmistakable symbol of Wisconsin, its residents, and its unique culture. Therefore, lawmakers said, it should be the state’s official cocktail.

It’s unclear if and when the state legislature could take up the bill.

Should it pass, Wisconsin would be the first state with an official cocktail. The state is already one of 20 that have designated milk as the official state drink — unsurprising, considering it’s the Dairy State. Two others, Alabama and Virginia, have declared a whiskey as their official state spirit.