Bacon vodka
Bacon vodka is vodka infused with bacon flavor, part of a larger trend of "carnivorous cocktails"[1][2] and the addition of savory flavor to mixed drinks. The infused alcohol can be sipped but is typically used in mixed drinks such as the Bloody Mary or bacon martini.
![](../I/m/Bacon_bloody_mary-Kaitlin_Lunny.jpg)
History and commercial availability
Meat-infused beverages are not new to the cocktail world; one example is the "Bull Shot", a favorite of Ernest Hemingway, at Harry's Bar, in Venice, Italy, in the 1940s.[2] These type of drinks have been referenced by writers as far back as the 17th century, including by John Locke and Samuel Pepys, who imbibed and wrote about savory-infused ales.[3] A handful of bars and mixologists have been making bacon or other meat-infused cocktails for years, including the Double Down Saloon in Las Vegas and New York, which makes a Bacon Martini[4] and PDT (Please Don't Tell) in New York City, where the Benton's Old Fashioned was introduced in 2008.[5]. Smirnoff introduced bacon-flavored shots on a limited basis in selected bars and pubs. Unlike some, these were vegetarian-friendly. Mainstream interest in bacon vodka has been further driven by a pop-cultural interest in bacon, often called bacon mania.
In April 2009, Seattle-based Black Rock Spirits released a commercial vodka with a simulated bacon flavor, named "Bakon Vodka".[6] Bakon contains no actual bacon or animal product of any kind, and is vegetarian.[7] Following the trend, Heritage Distilling Company of Roslyn, Washington produced a bacon vodka that is, like Bakon, vegetarian, though distilled from grapes instead of potato.[8]
Homemade versions
Bacon-flavored spirit infusions can be made by adding liquid rendered bacon fat, stirring, freezing and then removing the solidified fat off the top. The process is known as 'fat-washing'.[9]
See also
- Bacon soda
- BLT cocktail
- Mitch Morgan
- 2010s in food
References
- Stein, Joel (April 12, 2010). "Cocktails for Carnivores: Drinks Infused with Meat". Time.
- "Meat in a Glass: The Carnivore Cocktail – Los Angeles Restaurants and Dining – Squid Ink".
- Spirits, Black Rock. "Bakon Vodka". bakonvodka.com.
- "Double Down Saloon – Shut Up & Drink!".
- "Scientists With Cocktail Shakers". New York Times.
- Marianne. "Bakon Vodka". Royal Bacon Society. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
- Futterman, Lisa. "Holy pigs in a gimlet! It's bacon vodka". Chicago Tribune.
- Distilling, Heritage. "Bacon Flavored Vodka". Heritage Distilling.
- http://blenderbooze.blogspot.com/2011/02/fat-washing-process-for-bacon-infused.html Foodie Gossip: Fat Washing Process for Bacon-Infused Liquor