Fat washing exploits the fact that fat is soluble in alcohol — fat-soluble flavor compounds transfer readily into a spirit. You combine the spirit with a fat (butter, bacon fat, sesame oil, coconut oil — whatever flavor you want to add), stir or shake to combine, then freeze the mixture so the fat solidifies on top. You strain away the solid fat, leaving behind a spirit that carries the fat's flavor without the greasy texture. The technique was popularized by bartender Don Lee with his peanut butter-washed bourbon and has become a staple of craft cocktail menus.
Why It Matters
Fat washing adds flavors that are otherwise extremely difficult to get into a cocktail — the flavor of browned butter, toasted sesame, bacon, coconut, or any other fat-based ingredient. It's complex, produces unique results, and is one of the few advanced techniques that genuinely changes what's possible.
Where You'll Use It
Batched cocktails, menu development, and any application where you want a fat-derived flavor in a liquid format.