Most people think Wisconsin’s drink of choice is the brandy old-fashioned sweet, an old-fashioned made with brandy instead of whiskey and topped with lemon-lime soda. True Wisconsinites, however, know the real deal is the brandy slush.
Many frozen drinks use a blender, but this easy batch cocktail is made by mixing together tea, brandy, and lemonade and orange juice concentrates. The mixture is popped in the freezer, and when it’s ready, you place a scoop in a glass and top it with lemon-lime soda. The result is sweet, refreshing, slushy, fruity, boozy—everything you need for a festive or backyard party. Ready for the ultimate brandy slush recipe?
Brandy Slush Ingredients
- Tea: Any brand of green or black tea works for brandy slush.
- Brandy: Choose a good mid-price brandy for the slush. As always, choose something you’d drink on its own. Leftovers can be used in other brandy cocktails.
- Frozen juice concentrates: The intense flavors from orange juice and lemonade concentrates make this drink taste so good.
- Lemon-lime soda: You can use your favorite brand, but in Wisconsin a brandy slush usually gets topped with Sprite or 7Up.
Directions
Step 1: Make the tea
Place tea bags in a small bowl. Bring 2 cups water to a boil, then pour over the tea bags. Cover and let steep for five minutes. Discard tea bags.
Step 2: Combine all the ingredients
Transfer the tea to a large pitcher, and stir in the brandy, lemonade concentrate, orange juice concentrate and remaining water. Pour into a 4-quart freezer container, and freeze overnight or until set.
Step 3: Scoop and top with soda
For each serving, scoop 3/4 cup slush into a rocks glass. Pour lemon-lime soda into the glass. If desired, serve with lime wedges.
Recipe Variations
- Try a different tea: You can use flavored teas or herbal teas for a brandy slush. Let your imagination run wild!
- Use different spirits: Try a flavored brandy like peach or blackberry, or go with whiskey, bourbon, rum or gin for the base spirit in the slush. This cranberry-orange vodka slush is on to something.
- Sub in different fruit juices: Take inspiration from other slush recipes for fun flavor combos, like this berry slush or easy citrus slush. You can use limeade or pink lemonade concentrate, cranberry concentrate, strawberry-lemonade or any other juices for the brandy slush.
- Go easy on the sweet: Our recipe eliminates the sugar, but if you want to go even less sweet, instead of lemon-lime soda, try topping the slush with citrus-flavored sparkling water or plain soda water.
How to Store Brandy Slush
Brandy slush can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month.
Brandy Slush Tips
How long does brandy slush take to freeze?
Brandy slush will freeze in four hours or so, but it’s best to let it freeze overnight. You want it good and slushy to scoop out. The alcohol and sugar in the fruit juices will keep it from totally freezing solid.
Can you add sugar to brandy slush?
Yes, you can add sugar to brandy slush. In our brandy slush recipe, the orange juice and lemonade concentrates, plus the lemon-lime soda topper, add plenty of sweetness to brandy slush, but you can add extra sugar if you want. Stir 1 to 2 cups sugar into the hot tea.