A lemon herb Old Fashioned? Simple Goodness Sisters puts a twist on the classic drink

The third Old Fashioned Fest, featuring local distilleries, will be held May 4.

By Ray Miller-Still • April 3, 2024 11:45 am
Courtesy photo Gig Harbor-based Heritage Distillery not be making another appearance at Old Fashioned Fest this year, but Enumclaw’s Pursuit Distilling and Auburn’s Blackfish Distilling will be making a return visit.
Courtesy photo Gig Harbor-based Heritage Distillery not be making another appearance at Old Fashioned Fest this year, but Enumclaw’s Pursuit Distilling and Auburn’s Blackfish Distilling will be making a return visit.

In a super-modern world, sometimes old-fashioned can be better — but even the Simple Goodness Sisters’ annual Old Fashioned Fest tries to put a new spin on the classic drink.

An Old Fashioned is a simple drink; all you need is bourbon, bitters, and simple syrup.

But the Simple Goodness Sisters have invited numerous local distilleries to use one of their unique syrups (which include rhubarb vanilla beam, blueberry lavender, marionberry mint, apple pie, and more) to “reinvent the oldest cocktail of all time,” said co-owner Belinda Kelly.

Among the lineup will be Enumclaw’s Pursuit Distilling and Auburn’s Blackfish Distilling. Others include Monson Ranch Distillery, Curtson Distillery, Nightside Distillery, and 2Bar; Kelly said a few more are being confirmed.

Tickets for for May 4 event are $50, and come with a program, commemorative glass, and seven tasting tickets. Attendees vote for their favorite drink by giving their ticket to a distillery (one point) or marking them as their favorite (two points). Winners will be honored by being placed on the Simple Goodness Sister’s menu.

Tickets can be bought at simplegoodnesssisters.com; Note that there there are two arrival times you can buy tickets for: one at 2 p.m., and another at 5 p.m.

New this year are VIP tickets, which include a reserved “speakeasy room” seating, individual charcuterie and snacks, two additional tasting tickets, swag bag — or, perhaps, we should say “were” VIP tickets, as they have already sold out.

There are also $25 tickets for designated drivers, which includes a $10 discount to be used for drinks and food that’s not a part of the Old Fashioned event.

Finally, all attendees can enjoy live music.

A LITTLE HISTORY

The exact origins of the Old Fashioned appears to be unknown and debated amongst aficionados.

In general, people agree it was created in the early 1800s, but the name of the drink seems to have been a response to when more complicated cocktails started being created.

When the Prohibition came around, Old Fashions fans had to improvise with various fruits in order to be able to mask the poor quality of the base alcohol; the practice stayed strong through the late 1990s, when a cocktail renaissance brought it back to its roots.

Nowadays, Old Fashions are a good way for distilleries to showcase the quality of their bourbon or whisky.