Earth Day Snacks

Bacon in a cocktail sounds like a dare, doesn’t it? Then you add maple syrup, bourbon and orange peel, and suddenly it sounds a lot like the best bits of a lazy Sunday breakfast served in a glass.

The inspiration for this drink came from a 2010 account by Taylor of Taylor Takes a Taste, who tried a Bacon Old Fashioned at The Patterson House in Nashville. Taylor described a drink made with bacon fat-washed bourbon, maple syrup, house-made coffee pecan bitters and an orange garnish. I love the idea of a cocktail that makes you pause after the first sip and work out where that smoky flavour is coming from.

This home version keeps that sweet, smoky and citrusy combination. You don’t need to put a strip of bacon in your glass, and you don’t need any specialist cocktail equipment. The bacon flavour comes from fat-washing the bourbon: briefly infusing it with rendered bacon fat, then chilling it until the fat can be removed.

Make the bourbon ahead of time and the cocktail itself takes only a minute or two to stir.

What Does a Bacon Old Fashioned Taste Like?

Think of a classic bourbon Old Fashioned with a gentle savoury, smoky note in the background. Maple syrup adds sweetness, bitters give it balance, and orange peel brings a fresh scent as you lift the glass.

The bacon should be an interesting little surprise, not the only thing you can taste. That is why I’d start with a small batch of infused bourbon and a light hand with the maple syrup.

Ingredients

For the bacon-infused bourbon

• 250 ml bourbon
• 1 tablespoon rendered bacon fat, cooled slightly but still liquid

For one Bacon Old Fashioned

• 60 ml bacon-infused bourbon
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 2 dashes aromatic bitters
• 1 dash coffee bitters, optional
• 1 large ice cube
• 1 strip of orange peel

Coffee bitters are a nod to the coffee pecan bitters Taylor described in the Nashville drink. Regular aromatic bitters are enough to make a lovely cocktail if that is what you have in the cupboard.

How to Make Bacon-Infused Bourbon

1. Cook the bacon and collect the fat. Cook a few strips of bacon until the fat has rendered. Pour 1 tablespoon of the clear liquid fat through a fine sieve to remove any browned bits. Let it cool slightly so it is still liquid but no longer piping hot.
2. Combine it with the bourbon. Pour the bourbon into a clean, sealable jar. Add the bacon fat, close the lid and shake gently.
3. Let the flavour develop. Refrigerate the jar for about 2 hours, then place it in the freezer until the fat forms a firm layer.
4. Remove the fat. Lift off the solid fat layer. Strain the bourbon through a coffee filter to catch any remaining flecks.
5. Keep it chilled. Store the strained bourbon in a clean, covered container in the fridge and use it promptly.

Take your time with the final strain. Fat left floating in the bourbon won’t make for a particularly appealing cocktail.

How to Make the Bacon Old Fashioned

1. Add the bacon-infused bourbon, maple syrup and bitters to a mixing glass.
2. Add ice and stir until the drink is well chilled.
3. Strain into a short glass over one large ice cube.
4. Twist the orange peel over the glass to release its oils, then drop it into the drink.

Taste before making a second glass. If you like a sweeter Old Fashioned, add a little more maple syrup next time. If you want the bourbon and bacon to lead, keep it to a teaspoon.

Tips for Getting the Balance Right

Use the bacon fat, not bacon pieces. The fat-washing step gives the bourbon its smoky, savoury flavour while allowing you to remove the fat before serving.

Start with a bourbon you enjoy drinking. There is no need to use your most expensive bottle, but the bourbon remains the main ingredient, so choose one you like.

Don’t skip the orange peel. It gives the drink a fresh finish that helps balance the bacon and maple.

Make a small batch first. Cocktail experiments are much more enjoyable when you haven’t committed an entire bottle of bourbon to finding out whether the flavour is for you.

A Bacon Old Fashioned is an adults-only drink for someone who likes a classic cocktail with an unexpected twist. Set out the big ice cubes, stir a glass, and see whether your guests can guess the secret ingredient.