So there I was at a location of Marlow’s Tavern, looking at the drink menu. The problem with me and drinking is that, because I have no tolerance after over a decade away from drinking, I can get sleepy in a hurry. Yes, I’m still a cheap date even all these months later. And you know me and sleep do not get along. So I’m very selective with the alcoholic beverages I imbibe. And while the notion of a BLT Bloody Mary didn’t do anything for me, one of the ingredients caught my eye: bacon vodka.
I asked if I could try just a shot of it, out of curiosity. And the waitress expressed her doubt it would be good flying solo like that, but I said it was all for science and she brought me a sample (shown here). The manager on duty even stopped by to tell me how it was prepped.
I’ve seen recipes online that call for frying up some bacon and then just letting the bacon sit in a thing of vodka for X amount of time. The manager told me their way of doing it–as this was made onsite, apparently–is to take bacon grease, place it in vodka, then freeze the concoction, which makes the grease rise to the top. Skim off the grease and what you have left is the taste of bacon.
[ad#longpost]And, honestly, it’s not terrible. It’s just very weird, because it’s like you’re getting two tastes at once, rather than a blending of the two. Distinctly, there is vodka, and just as distinctly, there is bacon.
If anybody wants to try this at home–all for the good of science, of course–the manager did mention a cup and a half of the bacon grease, but he did not mention an amount of vodka. Not that I could tell anyway, Marlow’s can be loud. So I would say start with a bottle and work your way…in whatever direction you think is the sanest.
But bacon vodka? It’s there. And it doesn’t suck with a hamburger. Let the record show thus.
Another restaurant does Bacon Bourbon (can’t remember it – it’s in VA High). It’s pretty damned tasty – smoky bacon flavour w/ the smoky bourbon. The bartender and I talked for about 20 minutes on what to do with it. I suggested a bourbon bacon bloody mary martini.
The first time I heard of “fat washing” alcohol was in my BarSmarts course. I still haven’t found a good enough reason to try it but, hey, I suppose knowing you can do it is enough. (Their example was fried chicken–why?!)
At Belly Timber, here in Portland, OR, you can kick back a cocktail with bacon-infused Bulleit bourbon. Tastes like mescal!