Fussfungle

Developed in McKeesport just southeast of Pittsburgh, the FUSSFUNGLE sweetens a rye Old-Fashioned with a special recipe of burnt brown sugar and molasses. The sweetening mixture makes for a delicious whiskey treat and should be prepared in advance. If you’re in the mood for a good holiday cocktail, a perfect companion for a cigar or even a 5PM pick-me-up, the Fussfungle is a tasty two-ingredient cocktail to serve and quick to prepare when the syrup is in hand.

Requirements: Rye whiskey (Rittenhouse Bottled-In-Bond preferred), burnt brown sugar & molasses syrup (brown sugar, water, molasses), orange bitters (optional), orange peel garnish (optional)

• 2 oz. rye whiskey
• 1 oz. burnt brown sugar-molasses syrup (see preparation instructions below)
• 2 dashes orange bitters (optional)
• orange peel (optional)

Add first the syrup to an ice-filled mixing glass, then the whiskey. A dash or two of orange bitters is optional. Stir until very chilled. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. An orange peel may be added as garnish.

Burnt Brown Sugar-Molasses Syrup – Heat ½ cup of brown sugar in a small saucepan until sugar begins to darken on the edges. Stir and continue to cook over medium heat until melted and darkened further. Remove from heat and add ½ cup of water. Stir until sugar has dissolved fully and add ¼ cup molasses. Stir until molasses has dissolved. Remove from heat and refrigerate for up to one month.*

Comments: I used organic blackstrap molasses with brown sugar and found it delicious. The ratio of 2:1 whiskey to syrup works best for a sweeter drink, while cutting back on the syrup will make it less-so.

History: The Fussfungle became Pittsburgh’s most popular nationwide cocktail export pre-prohibition. The Slavic community of McKeesport, PA created and developed it at the turn of the century.

Similar Cocktails:

Sazerac – https://keetscocktails.com/sazerac-2/

Pumpkin Pie Old-Fashioned – https://keetscocktails.com/pumpkin-pie-old-fashioned/

* From PITTSBURGH DRINKS, Cody McDevitt & Sean Enright, 2017 American Palate Publishing