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The Science of Fat-Washing Cocktails


Sounds strange, tastes wonderful — that is, if you do it right. Fat-washing is the process of immersing a fat (oil, butter, or the like) in a spirit, then freezing it and skimming off the hardened fat. You’re left with a spirit infused with full flavors, and a slightly different mouthfeel. Believe it or not, it’s easy to do at home. Learn how and some of the science behind it with this Serious Eats article.

We’ve seen fat-washed spirits at bars around the country: we’ve tried sesame oil-infused gin and a tasty Sazerac infused with duck fat, to name a few. Since the technique gained popularity around 2007, bartenders have experimented with fat-washing spirits with everything from peanut butter to an entire grilled cheese sandwich.

Read more on Serious Eats

Photo by Kevin Liu

Rebecca Haley-Park

Rebecca Haley-Park is culture's former editor and resident stinky cheese cheerleader. A native New Englander, she holds a BFA in creative writing from University of Maine at Farmington.

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