Why you should fat-wash your whiskey in brown butter

It'll taste decadent (we promise)

By Christopher Osburn Published December 24, 2023

Whiskey Glass — Jakub Dziubak/Unsplash

In the last few decades, there’s been a cocktail renaissance in the US. Perhaps you missed it. If you didn’t, you’ve likely seen the return of classic cocktails, the rise of mixology, and the emphasis on exciting, flavor-enhancing techniques. One of our favorites of the latter is fat-washing whiskey.

Recommended Videos

For those new to the concept, fat washing isn’t the act of “washing” your whiskey with fat in the sink or some other washing receptacle. It’s a cocktailing technique in which a fat (like butter, bacon fat, coconut oil, or some other fat) or an oil is used to infuse an alcohol. In this example, it’s whiskey.

First, room-temperature whiskey is poured into a dish or sealable container (definitely not a bottle).
Add your fat of choice to the container. Leave it on the counter for a few hours so the fat can separate from the whiskey.
Then, put the container into the refrigerator or freezer and leave it there until the fat forms a sort of crust on top.
Remove the container and then either scrape off the fat or strain it through a cheesecloth.

What’s left is a fatty, buttery whiskey that’s perfectly suited for sipping neat, on the rocks, or as the base for your favorite whiskey-based cocktails.

Fat-washing done deliciously

While the technique of fat-washing itself is important and each individual step is necessary, the most important thing is the fat you decide to use. While bacon fat, coconut oil, avocado oil, and peanut butter are extremely popular, another great option is brown butter.

Don’t know what brown butter is? Well, in the simplest terms, it’s unsalted butter that’s melted in a pan and then sauteed on a low heat level to separate the milk solids and the butterfat. The solids sink to the bottom of the fan and slowly cook, turning a brown color. The whole buttery mixture ends up having a toasty, nutty flavor. It’s a popular ingredient in French cuisine and various pastries. Its use in fat-washing will also give your whiskey an elegant, nuanced hazelnut, toasty, sweet vanilla, and buttery caramel flavor.

So, next time you think of fat-washing your favorite whiskey, instead of opting to save that bacon grease or extra coconut oil, opt for brown butter instead. It’s fairly easy to make and is sure to add a new dimension to your favorite whiskey. Sip it neat, on the rocks, or mixed into a classic old fashioned, Manhattan, Vieux Carre, or Sazerac. It’s guaranteed to add a new, slightly savory, nutty, toasty flavor and aroma to your favorite cocktail.

Plus, learning how to make brown butter is a guaranteed way to make your baked goods taste better. Chocolate chip cookies or pastries made with brown butter are elevated to a new level. Impress your friends and family with a buttery, nutty cocktail paired with an indulgent, chewy, chocolatey, nutty cookie, and everyone is going to want to stop by your house this holiday season (and every other season for that matter). What could be better than that? Whiskey, cookies, and good times.

Christopher Osburn

Writer

Christopher Osburn is a food and drinks writer located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. He's been writing professional

Topics

Liquor, Beer, Wine & Drinks

Food & Drink

Oaklore Distilling is launching a rye whiskey matured in port wine barrels

Oaklore

North Carolina-based Oaklore Distilling Co. recently announced the launch of a new, limited-edition whiskey that fans of unique barrel-aging won’t want to miss. The latest addition to its Oaklore Story Series, Port Cask Finish Rye Whiskey is a 92-proof rye whiskey finished in barrels that previously held port wine.
Oaklore Port Cask Finish Rye Whiskey

This memorable whiskey begins with a mash bill of 70% rye, 20% corn, and 10% malted barley (it’s the same as the brand’s signature 6-year-old straight rye whiskey). It’s first matured for six years in a combination of char #2 and char #3 new, white oak barrels. It’s then transferred to ex-port wine barrels for another twelve to eighteen months of finishing.

Food & Drink

Woodinville is launching its oldest rye whiskey to date

woodinville is launching an eight-year-old rye whiskey

Woodinville

The well-known Washington State-based distillery Woodinville Whiskey Co. just released its oldest rye whiskey to date. Matured just a shade under a decade, the whiskey was launched this past weekend at the distillery.
Woodinville 100% Rye Aged 8 Years

As the name suggests, this is a rye whiskey boasting a mash bill of 100% rye. Grown, distilled, and matured in Washington State, this complex rye whiskey was matured for a minimum of eight whole years. The Rye was grown at the nearby Omlin family farm in Quincy, Washington. After harvesting, it’s shipped across the mountains to Woodinville, where it’s milled, mashed, and distilled.

Food & Drink

The secret varietals hiding in your glass of Champagne

Glasses of champagne on a tray

By now, you’re probably aware that Champagne is a sparkling wine produced in a specific region of France, and that the name is proprietary: No other sparkling wines produced elsewhere (even in France) can be called Champagne. You might also know that all sparkling wines are the result of certain processes which preserve some of the carbon dioxide by product of fermentation in order to be carbonized. Obsessives like me will also drone on about other secrets of Champagne, like the kind of yeast used -- which imparts that sublime aroma and taste of brioche. So, if all the other ways Champagne is crafted sets it apart, the same must be true for the grapes used, right? Is there such a thing as a champagne grape?

The answer is an echoing yes, because there’s more than one. Most Champagnes are blended wines. In fact, a lot of wine lovers might be surprised at the actual number of grape varieties permitted to be used in Champagne. Ask any Champagne fan which grapes are used and they’ll likely answer, correctly: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. But there are many other permitted Champagne cultivars – sometimes referred to as “the forgotten four” – as well as one created in this century specifically to combat the fallout from climate change; one which was only permitted to be planted in 2021. So, let’s get into the weeds…or, vines on the grapes used in Champagne.