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What Is Bacon Vodka?

Kathy Heydasch
Kathy Heydasch

Bacon vodka is a fusion of vodka and bacon flavoring. It is easily confused with the brand Bakon Vodka, which is the brand name of a potato vodka with bacon flavor. Bacon vodka is part of a trend of adding flavors to alcohol, either to shoot them straight or add them to mixed drinks. It is also part of bacon mania, a pop culture trend which has been sweeping the food industry in the early part of this century.

So-called carnivorous cocktails are able to satisfy a meat-craver at the bar. Reports have been made of a ham-and-cheese cocktail and drinks made with foie gras and lamb. There is a drink called a B.L.T. cocktail, which contains clear tomato water, bacon vodka and ice cubes made of lettuce water. One of the more common drinks made with bacon vodka is a bloody mary.

Two strips of fried bacon.
Two strips of fried bacon.

There are historical references to savory-infused ales as well. John Locke wrote in the 1600s of meat-infused beverages, and Ernest Hemingway made the “bull shot” famous at his favorite bar in Venice in the 1940s. Even the bacon martini, made with bacon vodka, has been around for over a decade.

Beer is often used as a marinade for meats. Now bacon vodka and other meat-infused alcohols can easily be used as marinades. Simply soak the meat in a mixture of alcohol and other flavors, or use a brand of alcohol which already has savory flavors added to it. Another combination with food is the bacon vodka oyster shooter, in which the bacon vodka is imbibed straight.

Bacon vodka.
Bacon vodka.

Adding flavor to vodka is called vodka infusion. They can be homemade or bought commercially. Flavored vodkas can contain anything from traditional citrus and berry flavors to newer trends such as bacon flavor. Sugar is not added to flavored vodkas or else it is called a liqueur.

Just as home breweries are becoming quite a trend for creating alcohol, one can also experiment with adding flavors to spirits. Making bacon-flavored vodka simply requires bacon and vodka. Soak the bacon in vodka for four to five hours, stirring at room temperature, and then freeze the mixture to skim the fat. This is known as fat-washing.

A shot of bacon vodka.
A shot of bacon vodka.

Those who experiment with adding flavors to drinks are called mixologists. The term implies a level of professionalism in creating customized cocktails, and is not just a bartender experimenting with various mixtures. One of these mixologists created the now-famous bacon martini.

Discussion Comments

kylee07drg

@wavy58 – Vodka will not freeze in a regular old freezer. Alcohol has a really low freezing point, so that is why you will be able to scoop the fat off the top.

Personally, I use just the grease. I don't like to ruin good bacon, so I simply pour the grease into the vodka and eat the bacon myself. The grease will solidify for easy removal after a few hours, and since the fatty grease is where most of the flavor is, you get the desired result.

If you are going to be feeding your friends as well, might I suggest serving the bacon vodka with a salad or some grilled shrimp? The bacon flavor goes very well with both.

wavy58

I am curious about making homemade bacon vodka. If you stick it all in the freezer, doesn't the vodka freeze around the fat?

Is the trick just to leave it in there a short amount of time, so you end up with slushy vodka that can still be strained? I just wonder how this would work.

I would like to try making this drink, because I have friends coming from out of town for a party at my house. Any advice you can give me would be appreciated.

seag47

@Perdido – I suppose it would make some people sick, but it just made me hungry! I had a couple of bacon vodka drinks at a party last year, and especially since I hadn't eaten anything in hours, they made me crave bacon so badly!

The party started an hour and a half before the food was to be served. I caught myself ordering another drink, just to experience the flavor of the bacon and perhaps trick my mind into thinking I was eating it!

Once the appetizers came out, I grabbed everything that had a hint of bacon on it. Real bacon goes very well with the flavored vodka, it turns out!

Perdido

Has anyone here tried a bacon vodka drink? To me, it just doesn't sound appetizing.

One of the best things about eating bacon is getting to chew it and savor the flavor, along with the satisfaction of ingesting meat. Drinking something bacon-flavored would take away all the fun of eating it.

Also, if you are drinking, it is easy to become nauseated. Wouldn't the meaty flavor of your drink make you sick fairly quickly? I don't think I could tolerate more than a sip or two!

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    • Two strips of fried bacon.
      By: Viktor
      Two strips of fried bacon.
    • Bacon vodka.
      By: Roman Sigaev
      Bacon vodka.
    • A shot of bacon vodka.
      By: violetkaipa
      A shot of bacon vodka.
    • A Bloody Mary is a common drink to make using bacon vodka.
      By: Jim Mills
      A Bloody Mary is a common drink to make using bacon vodka.