Brown Butter Old Fashioned
Bourbon fat-washed with brown butter — the technique Don Lee pioneered at PDT in 2007, caramelized milk solids adding nuttiness to the Old Fashioned framework.
- 2 ozbrown butter infused bourbon(fat-washed)
- ¼ ozmaple syrup
- 2 dashesangostura bitters
- Orange twistgarnish
- 1To 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.
- 2Add brown butter bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice.
- 3Stir for 25-30 seconds until well chilled.
- 4Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.
- 5Express an orange twist over the drink and drop it in.
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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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Everything you need to make a great Brown Butter Old Fashioned at home.
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