Ingredients

  • 2 ozBrown butter-infused bourbon(fat-washed)
  • ¼ ozMaple syrup
  • 2 dashesAngostura bitters
  • 🍋Orange twist(garnish)

🔧 Tools

mixing-glassbarspoonstrainerjigger

Instructions

  1. To make brown butter bourbon: Brown 2 oz butter until nutty and golden. Mix with 750ml bourbon while warm. Let sit 4 hours at room temperature, then freeze overnight. Strain through cheesecloth.
  2. Add brown butter bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice.
  3. Stir for 25-30 seconds until well chilled.
  4. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.
  5. Express an orange twist over the drink and drop it in.

📜 History

The Brown Butter Old Fashioned emerged from the fat-washing technique popularized by Don Lee's Benton's Old Fashioned. Brown butter—butter cooked until the milk solids caramelize—creates a rich, nutty, caramel flavor that infuses beautifully into bourbon. The technique involves mixing warm brown butter with bourbon, letting it sit for several hours, freezing to solidify the fat, then straining. The resulting spirit maintains bourbon's character while adding layers of nuttiness and depth. This variation has become popular at craft bars, particularly during fall and winter when its warming, indulgent character is especially appealing.

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