Brandy Fix
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 20.6% ABV ∙
The Brandy Fix is a short shaken sour built on cognac, pineapple and lemon juice, sugar syrup, and a touch of herbal liqueur, served over ice. Cognac's warmth leads, pineapple rounds the edges, and a thread of herbal liqueur cuts through the lemon for a tart, faintly bitter finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Cognac 60 mlPineapple juice 15 mlLemon juice 15 mlSugar syrup 10 mlHerbal liqueur (e.g., Yellow Chartreuse) 5 ml
- Strain into the glass filled with crushed ice
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Shake all five ingredients hard for a full 12-15 seconds with plenty of ice, since the pineapple juice needs vigorous agitation to aerate.
- Strain over fresh crushed ice as the build calls for — the melt is part of how a fix drinks, so do not fine-strain it into an empty glass.
- Express the lemon twist's oils over the drink's surface before dropping it in, giving the citrus aromatics room to meet the cognac and pineapple immediately.
History
The Fix belongs to a family of 19th-century mixed drinks built on a base spirit, citrus, and a sweetener, served over crushed ice; the category was already established enough by the 1860s that Jerry Thomas included Fixes alongside Cobblers, Crustas, Sours, Slings, and Smashes in his 1862 Bartender's Guide, one of the first published American bartending manuals. The Brandy Fix is a specific member of this style, using brandy as its base spirit. A widely cited early printed recipe for the Brandy Fix appears in Harry Johnson's New and Improved Bartender's Manual, in its 1888 edition, a version sometimes pointed to as the first published cocktail recipe to call for Chartreuse. Fixes were popular through the 19th century before falling out of favor as Sours, Fizzes, and other styles came to dominate bartending in the following decades.
FAQ
What is a fix cocktail?
A fix is an old style of short drink built on a base spirit, citrus juice, sugar, and often a fruit juice or liqueur, shaken and served over crushed or cracked ice in a small glass. It sits between a sour and a punch — more fruit-forward and less formal than a sour, but single-serve rather than a shared bowl.
What is a Brandy Fix?
It is a shaken cocktail of cognac, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and sugar syrup, served over ice in an old-fashioned glass. This build adds a small amount of herbal liqueur, such as Yellow Chartreuse, for a bitter-herbal edge against the fruit and citrus.
What is a good mix with brandy?
Citrus and pineapple juice both work well with brandy, which is why they anchor this fix: the lemon adds tartness and the pineapple adds sweetness and body against cognac's warmth. A small amount of sugar syrup balances the citrus, and a dash of herbal liqueur adds depth without overpowering the brandy.
Is a Brandy Fix shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The citrus and juice need the aeration and quick chill of a shake; stirring would leave the drink flat and under-mixed.
What glass is a Brandy Fix served in?
An old-fashioned glass, filled with ice and garnished with a lemon twist.
Do you add water or soda to brandy?
Neither is required, but both are common: a splash of water opens up a sipped brandy's aroma, while soda water turns it into a light, long highball. In a Brandy Fix, cognac is instead mixed with citrus, pineapple, sugar, and a touch of herbal liqueur rather than diluted with water or soda.
