We get a lot of visitors from outside of Wisconsin who are unfamiliar with the idea of a supper club and ask for tips on how they can get the “full experience.” We always, of course, recommend the Friday fish fry—there are few things more reflective of the Wisconsin supper club experience than that. But there are also certain types of drinks that have a long history of being supper club standards, and you should be able to order these at pretty much any supper club in the region and expect the bartender to know what they’re doing.
Here are just a few examples of some of the best traditional cocktails you can order at a supper club in Seymour, WI.
Brandy Old Fashioned
For people in most of the rest of the country, the Old Fashioned is a drink made with whiskey. In fact, Wisconsinites who have traveled elsewhere and asked for a Brandy Old Fashioned are likely to have gotten confused stares from the bartender!
The most popular variant of the Brandy Old Fashioned is the Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet (as opposed to Sour or Press). The recipe is generally the same as for a standard Old Fashioned, but you substitute your favorite brandy (usually Korbel in these parts) for the whiskey, and use 7 Up or Sprite to top instead of soda water. You’ll use bitters and muddled oranges and maraschino cherries to add to the sweetness.
Grasshopper
The Grasshopper is a minty ice cream drink that is a favorite after-dinner treat in supper clubs across the Midwest. It’s a concoction of green crème de menthe, white crème de cacao and heavy cream, and often topped with whipped cream and garnished with a sprig of mint.
Brandy Alexander
Another popular after-dinner treat, the Brandy Alexander is about as Wisconsin as it gets. It is a mixture of cognac, heavy cream and dark crème de cacao, and may also be topped with light whipped cream and a garnish of freshly grated nutmeg.
Brandy Manhattan
As you can tell, Wisconsinites love their brandy. The Brandy Manhattan is another supper club classic that features a substitution of brandy for whiskey. This one is pretty simple. It’s a mixture of brandy, equal parts sweet and dry vermouth, and a couple dashes of Angostura bitters. Be careful with this one—it’s a lot of alcohol!
Tom Collins
On a hot summer day, you might find yourself in need of a drink that’s a bit lighter and more refreshing. The Tom Collins is a classic dating back to the late 1800s that is popular in supper clubs as well. It features a mixture of gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and club soda, and is garnished with a lemon wedge. Crisp, refreshing and delicious—just what you need on a hot Wisconsin summer day.
For more examples of some of the best drinks to try out the next time you visit our supper club in Seymour, WI, contact the Hotel Seymour Supperclub today!