Fee Brothers Bacon Fat Wash 5OZ

Fee Brothers Bacon Fat Wash 5OZ is a water-soluble, shelf-stable cocktail ingredient that instantly replicates the flavor and mouthfeel of bacon fat-washed spirits in a 5-ounce bottle at 0% ABV. As the first commercially available product of its kind, this liquid eliminates the hours-long process of traditional fat washing while delivering the same smoky, savory depth bartenders have chased since the technique first gained popularity.

Quick Facts: ABV: 0%  |  Origin: Rochester, New York, USA  |  Category: Cocktail Ingredient  |  Manufacturer: Fee Brothers (est. 1864)  |  Gluten Free

Production & Heritage

Fee Brothers has operated from Rochester, New York since 1864, building a reputation as one of America's most prolific producers of bitters, syrups, and specialty bar ingredients. The Bacon Fat Wash is manufactured at the company's Portland Avenue facility and represents a category first — according to Fee Brothers' CEO, "nobody else in the world has this product." The formula uses water, glycerin, and a bacon flavor base built on corn maltodextrin, natural flavor, and corn modified food starch. The result is a water-soluble liquid that integrates cleanly into spirits and cocktails without the oiliness, separation, or waste associated with the traditional fat-washing technique, which typically requires hours or days of infusion, freezer space, and careful straining.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Immediately pungent with cured-meat richness, recalling Jamón Ibérico and smoky breakfast bacon. The scent is assertive and unmistakably savory.

Taste: The flavor lands squarely on meaty, smoky, and salty notes. Three to five dashes stirred into a spirit deliver a pronounced bacon-umami character that rounds out the palate without overwhelming the base spirit's profile.

Finish: A lingering impression of salty, smoky bacon stays on the palate, providing the kind of savory persistence that traditional fat washing achieves. The mouthfeel is notably velvety — adding textural weight without any greasy residue.

How to Use Bacon Fat Wash

Add three to five dashes directly into a spirit or finished cocktail and stir to incorporate. No infusion time, no freezing, and no straining required — the water-soluble formula integrates immediately. The Benton's Old Fashioned is the definitive application, the Don Lee classic that put bacon fat-washing on the map, and this product delivers that same profile with zero prep time. A Bloody Mary gains an extra layer of meaty depth that complements the tomato and spice base. A savory Whiskey Sour benefits from the smoky-salty counterpoint to citrus and sweetener, creating a more complex, full-bodied drink.

Best For

• Home bartenders who want fat-washed cocktails without the multi-day infusion process
• Professional bar programs looking to add savory cocktails without the waste and labor of traditional fat washing
• Gifting a cocktail enthusiast who already owns the standard bitters and syrups
• Brunch service — adding savory depth to Bloody Marys, micheladas, and whiskey-based morning cocktails

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Fee Brothers Bacon Fat Wash taste like? It delivers a meaty, smoky, and salty bacon flavor with a velvety mouthfeel. The aroma is pungent and cured-meat forward, reminiscent of Jamón Ibérico and smoky bacon.

How does Bacon Fat Wash compare to traditional bacon fat washing? Traditional fat washing — the technique popularized by Don Lee's Benton's Old Fashioned at PDT in 2008 — requires infusing spirits with rendered bacon fat for hours, then freezing and straining off the solidified fat. Fee Brothers' product achieves a comparable smoky-savory flavor and velvety texture in seconds with just a few dashes, and it produces no waste or separation in the glass.

Is Bacon Fat Wash good for cocktails? It was designed specifically for cocktails and works best stirred directly into spirits or finished drinks. Three to five dashes add measurable smoky, bacon-umami flavor and a noticeably richer mouthfeel.

Where is Bacon Fat Wash made? It is manufactured by Fee Brothers at their Portland Avenue facility in Rochester, New York. Fee Brothers has been producing bar ingredients in Rochester since the company was founded in 1864.

What foods pair well with cocktails made with Bacon Fat Wash? A bacon fat-washed Old Fashioned pairs well with grilled or smoked meats, where the cocktail's smokiness mirrors the char on the protein. Eggs Benedict or a full English breakfast complement the savory, cured-meat notes. Sharp aged cheddar echoes the salty umami character. Maple-glazed dishes create a sweet-savory interplay that mirrors the classic bacon-and-maple combination.

What sizes does Bacon Fat Wash come in? The standard offering is a 5-ounce bottle, consistent with Fee Brothers' dosing-style bar ingredient format.

Is Bacon Fat Wash worth the price? As a specialty cocktail ingredient with no direct commercial competitor, it occupies a unique position in the market. For bartenders and home enthusiasts who would otherwise spend time and ingredients on the traditional fat-washing process — including spirit loss during straining — the convenience and consistency of a shelf-stable, ready-to-use product represents strong practical value.

Why Bacon Fat Wash?

Fee Brothers' Bacon Fat Wash is, by the company's own account, the only commercially available product that replicates the full fat-washing experience — flavor and mouthfeel — in a shelf-stable, water-soluble format. Traditional fat washing has been a staple of the craft cocktail world since Don Lee introduced the Benton's Old Fashioned in 2008, but it has always required significant labor, time, and ingredient waste. This product removes every barrier while preserving the smoky, salty, umami-rich depth and velvety texture that define the technique. For any bar program or home setup where savory cocktails are on the menu, it fills a gap that, until now, had no off-the-shelf solution.