The Art of the Nightcap, Volume 4: The Old Fashioned
PART WORKSHOP. PART HAPPY HOUR. PULL UP A STOOL.
Every great cocktail has a moment — the precise shake, the measured pour, the final flourish across the top. The difference between ordinary and exceptional lives in those details.
Art of the Nightcap at Granada Hotel in downtown San Luis Obispo is our invitation to pull up a stool and see how it’s done. This intimate cocktail workshop celebrates the drinks that define the evening. Led by Nightcap’s expert mixologists, each one-hour session spotlights a single cocktail family, sharing the craft, history, and subtle techniques that turn a good drink into a great one — with just a touch of theatre along the way.
Each one-hour session traces a cocktail from its classic roots to Nightcap’s elevated take. Guests will enjoy a guided demonstration, taste components along the way, and end the class with the finished Nightcap creation in hand.
For our fourth installment on June 24th, we will move to the Old Fashioned.
Why the Old Fashioned?
Some cocktails are built around innovation. The Old Fashioned is built around restraint.
Often regarded as the original cocktail, the Old Fashioned remains a cornerstone of modern bartending—not because it’s complicated, but because it isn’t. Spirit, sugar, bitters, and dilution come together in a format that leaves nowhere to hide, where balance and technique define the final result.
What keeps the Old Fashioned enduring is its flexibility within simplicity. A different whiskey, a subtle change in sweetness, or a shift in bitters can completely alter the drink’s structure and character while still remaining unmistakably familiar.
This session begins with the classic-style Old Fashioned as a foundation before moving into interpretation with Sleight of Hand—our Nightcap special. Rich, layered, and unexpectedly complex, it reimagines the Old Fashioned’s framework through texture, aromatics, and depth of flavor, offering a more expressive take on a timeless format.
What to Expect at the Workshop
Part workshop, part happy hour, this immersive session invites you behind the bar to explore the craft of the Old Fashioned. Guided by our bar team, you’ll learn how to execute this classic with confidence, and how subtle shifts in technique and proportion can completely transform the final drink.
Throughout the evening, guests will:
Explore the history and evolution of the Old Fashioned
Understand how whiskey, sugar, bitters, and dilution shape the final drink
Refine stirring and dilution techniques for balance and texture
Compare how subtle ingredient variations influence depth and structure
Garnish with intention to elevate aroma and presentation
By the end of the class, you’ll leave with:
A Nightcap’s secret recipe
The confidence to order (or make) it exactly right
Seats are limited and available for $50 per person. Whether you’re a cocktail connoisseur or just getting started, this is your chance to stir, sip, and discover the art behind the perfect Old Fashioned.