Dotty Dumpling's Dowry, Madison, WI August 22, 2014

Location: Dotty Dumpling's Dowry, Madison, WI

Website: http://www.dottydumplingsdowry.com/

Points: 4
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or grenadine: 0
Muddling: +.5
Bitters: +1
Brandy:+1
Overall taste: +1






The Drink: This was a nice BOF. There was muddled fruit and a nice orange twist garnish, plus it had a nice red color. We didn't get to see them make it, but the balance of brandy and bitters was good and it was not too sweet. And of course it was made with Korbel.



Tips for Improvement: Can't really think of any.



Atmosphere: Dottie's is a Madison staple (since 1974). It is an adorable hamburger joint with lots of vintage Wisconsinalia. Only trouble is, it was Friday, it was crowded and there were 7 of us in a booth!

Experience: Dottie's is always fun. On this day, we had the fish fry which was good. But really, Dottie's is all about the burgers. The coolest thing is that they have an "Old Fashioned Martini" on the menu. Of course we had to try one. It didn't taste much like a brandy old fashioned but it was delicious and they get kudos for making a variation of our favorite drink.

Golden Mast Inn, Okauchee, WI, August 8, 2014

Location: Golden Mast Inn, Okauchee, WI

Website: http://www.weissgerbergroup.com/goldenmastinn/

Points: 3.5
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or grenadine: 0
Muddling: +.5
Bitters: +1
Brandy:+.5
Overall taste: +1






The Drink:  Ingredients: Ice, Bitters, Korbel, Sprite, Cherry, Orange. These were pretty drinks with a nice orange slice garnish. However, mine was on the weak side in terms of brandy. I would say the drink was adequate.

Tips for Improvement: More brandy for better flavor.

Atmosphere: This place is a glamorous Wisconsin supper club--they even have live music. It is right on one of the beautiful Oconomowoc area lakes. Everywhere you look there are cozy, nautical touches--note the swordfish over the fireplace mantle. 

Experience: What could be better than a Friday fish fry on the lake in late summer? I grew up in Oconomowoc, but I had never been here before. I didn't know what I was missing. I loved it! The dinner was served family style and included coleslaw, potato salad, rye bread, and potato pancakes with apple sauce. We had a combination of cod and walleye which was nicely breaded and fried. 


Needless to say, everyone loved it, even the kids. We topped off our meal with grasshopper and bananas foster.

Todd's Bar & Grill, Oconomowoc, WI August 7, 2014

Location: Todd's Bar & Grill, Oconomowoc, WI

Website: http://www.foodspot.com/Clients/WI/Oconomowoc/ToddsGrillSteakhouse/

Points: 4
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or grenadine: +.5
Muddling: +1
Bitters: +.5
Brandy:+.5
Overall taste: +1







The Drink: The drink was carefully crafted and technically nearly perfect. It consisted of muddled orange, cherries and a sugar cube; a splash of cherry juice, bitters, Korbel brandy and a spot of sprite. The drink tasted good, but the brandy was a little on the strong side and therefore overpowered the bitters a bit. But, a strong drink is better than a weak drink.

Tips for Improvement: Use a little less brandy (I can't believe I'm saying that!)

Atmosphere: This is a traditional small-town Wisconsin bar / grill.  It is long and narrow and friendly.

The Experience: Oconomowoc is my hometown and I was there with friends. We ran into other people we know, so we definitely had the cozy, neighborhood bar thing going on. My friend Tim the bartender made us our drinks--he was waiting for us with muddle in hand.   To top it off, "The Wizard of Oz" was being shown on the street outside with an audience of thousands.  The event was being held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the premiere which was held in Oconomowoc.  It even made the CBS morning news.  People were dressed in costume and we drank our BOFs with wicked witches. How cool is that?

The Dorf Haus Supper Club, Roxbury, WI June 6, 2014

Location: Dorf Haus, Roxbury, WI

Website: foodspot.com/dorfhaus
Points: 3.5
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or grenadine: 0
Muddling: o
Bitters: +1
Brandy:+1
Overall taste: +1







The Drink: Made with sugar and bitters, well mixed. Then more than two shots of brandy poured over ice, finished with 7-Up. Very smooth and a very nice taste. Good blend of brandy and bitters. Again, we discovered that you have to ask for Korbel, which is $1 more! Patrons at this bar had the drill down; ordering their favorite version of the brandy old fashioned: Korbel, sweet with fruit; Korbel, sour with olives, etc. They all named the brandy!

Tips for Improvement: Use Korbel; muddle fruit.

Atmosphere: This is definitely a place where the locals gather. People know each other here. The atmosphere is old world German. The bar tenders where dress shirts and ties--very nice. The Dorf Haus is very popular on a Friday night, and it is a happy, bustling place. The bar is cozy, and it faces a mirror.

Experience: We had the fried haddock which was lightly battered with a hint of pepper--very good. But, the salad bar and fritters were the big hit. The salad bar had cheese spread and pickled beets. Steve ate the pickled gizzards (no way for me). The Dorf Haus is known for their fritters, lightly fried dough, served warm with honey.  Finally, wonderful German potato salad was served with fish. This was a delicious fish fry. And they have Spaaten on tap!

The best part about the experience here is that people know their brandy old fashioned sweets. There was even a discussion at the next table about how it is a Wisconsin drink.

Nite Cap Inn, Palmyra, WI May 23, 2014

Location: Nite Cap Inn, Palmyra, WI

Web site: None
Points: 4
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or grenadine: 0
Muddling: +.5
Bitters: +1
Brandy:+1
Overall taste: +1











The Drink: This was a very tasty drink. The brandy was fine (though not Korbel). The bitters were good--Steve tasted "cinnamon."  The overall taste was very nice. There was no muddled fruit.  However, we noticed that they were pouring something that looked homemade into the drinks and asked about it. They are so busy on a Friday night that they make a mix ahead of time that is "potent" according to the bartender. It includes muddled fruit and bitters. So, they get points for muddling and creativity. Later we learned you have to ask for Korbel. 

Tips for Improvement: Always use Korbel.

Atmosphere: This was a big, old circular bar which is my favorite kind. We sat at the back side and watched the comings and goings of the fish fry crowd. The dining room had tables tucked cozily together, so you were next to other diners. 

Experience: I really loved this place. You order when you walk in the door, so your meal is ready and served family style when you are seated. They are so busy, that there is time for a drink at the bar, yet we got bar seats right away. The fish fry is good. Again, the homemade sides make the meal--coleslaw, dill tartar sauce and wonderful crispy potato pancakes. My favorite was the tartar sauce. While at the bar, I had a revelation. My son ordered a kiddy cocktail and I realized that loving kiddy cocktails as a kid, probably helped me develop a love for Brandy Old Fashioned Sweets as an adult.

Maple Tree Supper Club, McFarland WI May 16, 2014

Location: The Maple Tree Supper Club, McFarland, WI

Web site: http://mapletreesupperclub.com
Points: 3.5
Fruit garnish: .5
Cherry juice or grenadine: 0
Muddling: 0
Bitters: +1
Brandy:+1
Overall taste: +1 











The Drink: This was a good, solid brandy old fashioned. There was no muddling, but the garnish was an orange and a cherry. It was heavier on the brandy (Korbel) and lighter on the bitters, but it was very smooth.  It tasted good.

Tips for Improvement: Muddle some fruit.

Atmosphere: This is a pretty basic restaurant (supper club?). Nothing fancy but just fine. We were seated right away so we did not get to experience the bar.


Experience: We had the fish fry which was the standard fried cod. They have a salad bar. A real, Wisconsin supper club salad bar! It even had bread sticks and cheese spread. We will be back. The Korbel Old Fashion sign is pretty cool too.

Buckhorn Supper Club, Milton, WI May 9, 2014

Location: The Buckhorn Supper Club, WI
Web site:http://www.thebuckhorn.net/
Points: 2.5
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or grenadine: 0 
Muddling: 0
Bitters: +.5
Brandy:+1
Overall taste: +.5 










The Drink: The drink was OK, but not special. Korbel brandy was used, bitters were used. The garnish was nice.  Our assessment is that something was missing; it just didn't have the right combination of brandy, bitters and sweet.

Tips for Improvement: As usual, when it is not done, the primary suggestion is to muddle.  

Atmosphere: This is a classic Wisconsin supper club. The bar is big and comfy. The restaurant is nice. We were told we really need to come back when it is nice enough to eat outside where you can enjoy Lake Koshkonong. 

Experience: We had the fish fry. The meal started with wonderful homemade rolls and coleslaw. The fish was deep fried cod which was good, but the sides were the best part of the meal.

Nashota Clubhouse, Nashota, WI April 18, 2014

Location: Nashota Clubhouse, Nashota, WI
Web site: http://www.nashotahclubhouse.com/
Points: 3.5
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or grenadine: +.5
Muddling: 0
Bitters: +1
Brandy: +1
Overall taste: +.5








The Drink: This was a good drink. They used a prepared simple syrup in the first one.  It was a little sweet, but overall the taste was good. In the second one, they used sugar and grenadine instead of the simple syrup.  Not sure if that is what made it better, but the second one was better.

Tips for Improvement:  Less sweet, add an orange to garnish. Muddle some fruit.

Atmosphere: This is your usual Wisconsin bar / restaurant. Nothing fancy.

Experience: Fish fry.  This place was packed which means a wait, which means two BOFS before dinner.  Of course we ordered the fish fry. The fish was not too greasy and good, but the real reason to eat here are the sides. Wonderful homemade coleslaw, potato salad, German potato salad and rye bread. 

The Fountain, Madison, 3/7/14

Location: The Fountain, Madison, WI
Web site: http://www.thefountainofmadison.com/
Points: 2.5
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or grenadine: ?
Muddling: +1
Bitters: +.5
Brandy: +.5
Overall taste: 0





The Drink: Wow, this was a pretty drink. The fruit was properly muddled, and it was well-garnished. They used Korbel brandy. However, the overwhelming consensus from the 4 of us who had one was that it was SWEET. Too much 7-up.  Vicki couldn't taste the brandy, but others said they could a little bit.  It just did not have the right balance.

Tips for improvement: More brandy and bitters to balance the sweet.

Atmosphere: We were in the restaurant section which is nice.  There is a bar in this section as well, so we could see them making our drink. 

Experience: We were with 4 friends (Jane, Jonathan, Walter and Debbie).  Jane and Debbie tried the brandy old fashioned sweet and agreed with us that it was too sweet.  They were busy (Friday night) and we were crunched for time and they did a good job of getting us out on time.  The separate bar area here is nice too, though we didn't have time for a second drink there.  This was our first blog post venture with friends, and it was fun!

Paul's Club, Madison, WI 3/7/14

Location: Paul's Club, Madison, WI
Web site: Can't find one
Points: 4.25
Fruit garnish: +.25 for generous, muddled orange
Muddled: Yes!
Cherry juice or grenadine: 0
Bitters: +1
Brandy: +1 Korbel
Overall taste: +1
















The Drink: Yummy, yummy. This was good. A tad strong, but that is better than being too weak. They muddled the fruit with sugar and the bitters.  They also gave the drink a shake before pouring it into the glass. This was just about perfect.

Tips for improvement: none

Atmosphere: What can I say about Paul's Club. If I had not been going there for over 30 years, I might think it was the best bar ever.  But, it is not the same and it is not better.  Paul's Club is known for its oak tree and its coziness.  It was resurrected after a fire and they maintained the coziness.  But, in the last couple of years it moved (tree and all) to a new location that is bigger. It is now not as cozy.  But, if I didn't know all of this--nice bar.  We met a friend there and we had our own space with comfy chairs.

Experience: Well, we saw some bearded hipsters.  

Romanos, Evansville, WI 3/1/14

Location: Romanos, Evansville, WI
Web site: http://romanospizza-lounge.com/Romanos-Website/
Points: 2
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or Grenadine: Grenadine, +.5
Muddling: 0
Bitters: 0
Brandy: +1
Overall taste: 0








The Drink: This drink did not work because a purchased old fashioned mix was used. That pretty much disqualifies the drink. There was no muddling. In addition to the mix, Grenadine was added. This made the drink way too sweet. Steve called it a "kiddy cocktail with brandy." We did not have a second one.

Tip for improvement: Make the drink from scratch.

Atmosphere: This is the nicest bar in Evansville. The bar itself is long with big, comfortable  seats.  There is additional cocktail style seating, but we like sitting at the bar.

Experience: The waitress was super friendly. This is a small-town bar after all, so we still had a nice time.  This Romanos makes great chocolate martinis and we love coming here with friends. 

Mason's on Main, Oregon, WI 2/22/14

Location: Mason's on Main, Oregon, WI
Web site: http://www.masonsonmain.com/
Price: $5
Points: 4.25
Fruit garnish: .25 (for the generous orange slice)
Cherry juice or grenadine: not sure
Muddling: yes +1
Bitters: just right +1
Brandy: just right (Korbel) +1
Overall taste:  perfect +1

The Drink: This was a really good BOFS.  Both Steve and I agree that it was nice and smooth. We weren't able to watch them make it, but this is a featured drink on the menu called "Main Street Old Fashioned" which boasts "Our special homemade Old Fashioned mix featuring Wisconsin's Favorite -- Korbel Brandy." The fruit seemed muddled. There was no garnish, but as Steve loves to point out, the flavor is what matters most.

Tip for improvement: Can't really think of anything.

Atmosphere: This is a nice place and is fairly new.  The bar is roomy and has a cosmopolitan almost industrial feel. The main dining room next door has more of a turn-of-the-century look.

Experience: We took the family there for dessert. Everyone agreed the desserts were really good. Even though we were in the bar, there were tables that were comfortable for a large group.  Here is my dessert--Godiva panna cotta with home-made Kahlua ice cream. 

Kavanaugh's Esquire Club, Madison WI 2/21/14



Location: Kavanaugh's Esquire Club, Madison WI
Web Site: http://www.esquireclubmadison.com/
Price: $5.50
Points: 3.25 out of 5
Fruit garnish: +.5
Cherry juice or Grenadine: none
Muddling: no
Bitters: good +1
Brandy: strong enough +1
Overall taste: just a little too bitter +.75







The drink: This drink was just OK. No muddled fruit in combination with a slight bitterness dragged it down.  It was made with simple syrup and bitters, then ice and brandy and 7-up.  Two cherries were the garnish.  This place cranks these out--sometimes there are 6 lined up being made assembly line fashion.  So, they are super popular here.  The second one was better.


Tip for improvement: Muddle fruit with sugar and bitters.  Without the muddled fruit, a BOFS will never be great.  At least they didn't ask if we wanted olives.

Atmosphere: This is a classic Wisconsin supper club. The bar is at the center and it was packed.  We were lucky to get two seats at the bar.  As I said, they crank out the brandy old fashioneds, which is pretty cool.  This place is huge, with various dining areas surrounding the bar area.

Experience: For a Friday night, you get the full Wisconsin fish fry experience.  You wait to get a table in a packed bar and while you are waiting, you have a brandy old fashioned.  The locals are friendly and willing to talk.  Of course we discussed the old fashioneds.  I was told that the best ones in Madison are at "Toby's."  Care to join us?




The Night Owl, Evansville WI 2/14/2014

Night Owl, Evansville WI

Location: The Night Owl, Evansville WI
Web site: http://nightowlgrill.com/
Price: $4.50
Points: 4.0 out of 5.0
Fruit garnish: none
Cherry juice or Grenadine: not sure
Muddling: fruit (cherry and orange)was muddled with sugar. +1
Bitters: just right +1
Brandy: just right (though not Korbel) +1
Overall taste: great +1



The drink: Overall this was a great brandy old fashioned sweet.  The bartender concocted it with care. Steve thought it had a cinnamon taste.  We were asked if we wanted olives and said no, but there was no fruit garnish either. At least there was the muddled fruit to eat. The second one was better.

Tip for improvement: add a fruit garnish.

Atmosphere: the Night Owl has a pleasant bar area which is where we sat.  Note the shiny bar counter. There is also a very open restaurant area. The atmosphere is OK--part sports bar and part Wisconsin small-town bar and restaurant.

Experience: we like this hometown bar for meeting up with friends and for lunch and dinner with the family.