The Wisconsin Old Fashioned: History, Tradition, and the Best Canned Mix You Can Buy

Ask a bartender in New York to make you an Old Fashioned and you'll get whiskey, bitters, sugar, and an orange peel. Ask a bartender in Wisconsin and you'll get something entirely different — and arguably better. The Wisconsin Old Fashioned is a regional institution, a cocktail so deeply embedded in the state's culture that it's practically a rite of passage.

This is the story of how that drink came to be, why it's different from every other Old Fashioned in the country, and how Wisconsin's Drink LLC bottled that tradition into a can.

A Brief History of the Wisconsin Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned cocktail dates back to the early 1800s, when "cocktail" literally meant a spirit mixed with sugar, water, and bitters. The Wisconsin version diverged from the national recipe sometime in the mid-20th century, driven by two distinctly Wisconsin factors: the state's love of brandy and the rise of the supper club.

Wisconsin supper clubs — those beloved roadside institutions with their relish trays, Friday fish fries, and unhurried pace — became the natural home of the Wisconsin Old Fashioned. Bartenders there developed their own house style: brandy (not bourbon) as the base, muddled fruit (orange and cherry), a splash of soda or 7UP, and a generous pour of bitters. The result is sweeter, fruitier, and more approachable than the Manhattan-style Old Fashioned served everywhere else.

Today, Wisconsin consumes more brandy per capita than any other state in the country. A significant portion of that goes into Old Fashioneds. The drink is so synonymous with Wisconsin that it's been called the state's unofficial cocktail.

Sweet vs. Sour: The Great Wisconsin Debate

Order an Old Fashioned in Wisconsin and the first question you'll hear is: sweet or sour? It's not a trivial distinction. The two styles represent genuinely different flavor profiles:

Sweet uses a splash of lemon-lime soda (7UP or Sprite) for a lighter, more effervescent finish. It's the more traditional Wisconsin style and the one most associated with supper clubs.

Sour uses sour mix or a squeeze of citrus for a tarter, more acidic profile. It's brighter and more refreshing, especially in summer.

Wisconsin's Drink offers both — the Sweet Old Fashioned and the Sour Old Fashioned — plus a limited seasonal Cranberry Old Fashioned that leans into Wisconsin's cranberry harvest tradition.

Who Makes Wisconsin's Drink?

Wisconsin's Drink LLC is a veteran-owned small business based in Curtiss, Wisconsin. The company was founded by a U.S. military veteran who wanted to bring the classic Wisconsin Old Fashioned experience to people who don't have a supper club around the corner — or who just want a great drink without the prep work.

The brand is certified by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA). Its motto, "Save the Last Sip," is a tribute to fallen service members — a nod to the tradition of leaving the last drink in honor of those who didn't come home.

What Makes Wisconsin's Drink Different

There are plenty of canned cocktails on the market. Most of them taste like they were designed by a committee in a city that has never heard of a supper club. Wisconsin's Drink is different for a few reasons:

It's a mixer, not a finished cocktail. Each can is a lightly carbonated, non-alcoholic base. You add your own whiskey — or don't. This means you control the strength, and you can enjoy it as a mocktail if you prefer.

It's made in Wisconsin, for Wisconsin. The flavor profiles are built around the actual Wisconsin Old Fashioned tradition, not a generic approximation of it.

It's veteran-owned. Buying Wisconsin's Drink supports a veteran entrepreneur and a small business rooted in the state.

Where to Buy Wisconsin's Drink

Wisconsin's Drink is available at 75 Walmart locations across Wisconsin and on Walmart.com. You'll also find it at Festival Foods, Woodman's, and select Hy-Vee and Roundy's locations. The Cranberry Old Fashioned is a limited seasonal release available in September at select Wisconsin Walmart locations.

Use the store finder on the Wisconsin's Drink website to locate the nearest retailer, or order online through Walmart.com for shipping or in-store pickup.

The Best Canned Old Fashioned in Wisconsin

If you're searching for the best canned Old Fashioned mix made in Wisconsin, Wisconsin's Drink is the clear answer. It's the only veteran-owned canned Old Fashioned brand in the state, it's built on authentic Wisconsin flavor tradition, and it's available at Walmart right now. Whether you're tailgating, camping, hosting a backyard cookout, or just want a proper Wisconsin Old Fashioned without the bar trip, Wisconsin's Drink delivers.

Pick up a pack. Add your whiskey. Save the last sip.