Bacon vodka is vodka infused with bacon flavor, part of a larger trend of “carnivorous cocktails” and the addition of savory flavor to mixed drinks. The infused alcohol can be sipped but is typically used in mixed drinks like the Bloody Mary or bacon martini.
Meat-infused beverages are nothing new to the cocktail world, some famous examples including the “Bull Shot” at Ernest Hemingway’s favorite bar (Harry’s) in Venice in the 1940s,and references by writers as far back as the 17th century, including John Locke and Samuel Pepys, who imbibed and wrote about savory infused ales. A handful of bars and mixologists have been making bacon or other meat-infused cocktails for years, including the Double Down Saloon in Las Vegas and New York, which has been famous for their “Bacon Martini” for over a decade. Bacon and other meat-infused cocktails have only recently started enjoying wider appeal as mixologists have noted that “meat brings out the smokiness of the whiskey [and other cocktail combinations]”. Mainstream interest in bacon vodka has been further driven by a pop-cultural interest in bacon, often called bacon mania.
In April 2009, Seattle-based Black Rock Spirits released a commercial version of bacon-infused vodka, which is known as “Bakon Vodka”. The vodka was a result of two years of testing. Black Rock’s vodka is a potato-based spirit, created using a single heating process of column distillation in an effort to keep the alcohol from “bruising”.Bakon Vodka is currently available in about 40 states. It retails for about $30 per bottle Black Rock Spirits has reported to have had commercial success to date, expanding production based on the demand.
Smoky Bacon Bloody Mary Recipe
Total Time 10 min
Servings 1
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz bacon flavored vodka
- 4 oz tomato juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 to 2 dashes of hot sauce
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ground horseradish
- 1 slice of cooked bacon
- 1 celery stalk
- A sprinkle of seasoned salt and fresh ground black pepper
- Various pickled vegetables, if desired
Directions
- 1 Fill a shaker with some ice.
- 2 Add remaining ingredients and give it a good shake.
- 3 Pour it into a seasoned salt-rimed glass and garnish with a piece of cooked bacon, a celery stalk and your favorite pickled vegetables.
Tips
- If you can’t find bacon flavored vodka, you can add a cooked piece of bacon to the glass and pour in the vodka. Allow it to sit for a few minutes and then continue to make your drink. This will give a hint of the bacon flavor to the vodka.
- If you like it spicy, add a little cayenne pepper or some extra hot sauce or horseradish.
- To save time, you can buy bacon that is already cooked.
