Move over, martinis and spritzes: Come fall, it’s all about ordering a fat-washed cocktail. While the mere phrase “fat-washed beverage” might conjure visions of a creamy, glutinous piña colada, the reality is sleeker, more refined, and totally taking over the West Coast bar scene. According to Scott Baird, beverage director of Starlite at the Beacon Grand in San Francisco, fat-washing is a relatively easy and efficient technique to “add more flavor with a low barrier to entry.”
“You start with a fat that has an obvious flavor, then you end up with an even more delicious cocktail without requiring too much effort or crazy technique,” he explains. Some bars might keep their fat-washing processes hush-hush, but you can generally create the rich magic by adding a little bit of a fatty liquid like bacon grease or olive oil to a spirit. Baird says five parts alcohol and one part fat is a great ratio. Once you let your mixture sit at room temperature for a few hours, place in the freezer until the fat solidifies at the top. From there, you should be able to skim off the solid layer of fat and enjoy the infused spirit.
The result, Baird says, is lots of flavor and a “silky” texture. It’s that richness that gives fat-washed beverages a cozy, comforting edge that feels on-brand for fall. “Fat-washing is a way that no other process can replicate,” says Michelle Morin Nishina, beverage director at 33 North at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach. “It is another tool in a bartender’s tool box to add flavor, richness, a silky texture, and complexity. It can add that fifth component of taste, umami.”
Butter and oil might be some of the most common ingredients of a fat-washed cocktail, but the coolest thing about this trend is its versatility. “Once you begin fat washing, you realize that the options are limitless,” he says. “Anything that is fatty that you enjoy the flavor of is easy to put into a cocktail, so now people are just having fun and beginning to play with it even more.”
Need more proof that we’re entering a fat-washed fall? Below, a few standout sips you can enjoy along the West Coast.
Claricolada
Another round of a beachy, boozy beverage? Look no further than Flores. The Bay Area-based Mexican eatery serves up the Claricolada, a coco-washed rum with pineapple, lemon, and tiki bitters. In fact, Ramon Alvarez, the hotspot’s bar lead, calls it “a tropical breeze in a glass.” “From the sweetness of the pineapple to the creamy embrace of the coconut cream, it’s an escape to the beaches of Cancun or Puerto Vallarta in every sip,” he says.
The Sometimes Old Fashioned
When George Chen opened Cold Drinks in San Francisco, he liked whiskey but wasn’t setting out to create a whiskey-centric bar. However, he struck cocktail gold with the Sometimes Old Fashioned, which features a blend of George Dickel rye and Peking duck fat-washed Glenmorangie X. Hints of black pepper, mushroom as well as angostura and lemon bitters give the sip some oomph. “I was skeptical, but the drink was unique and iconic now and they convinced me a Scotch-centric bar might work,” Chen says. “The Sometimes Old Fashioned was born and named cocktail of the year in 2017 and now and forever, the founder’s cocktail.”
El Chamuyero
For a martini with a twist—no, not that kind—try Lolinda’s El Chamuyero. “It is a classic cocktail with sweet notes of bianco vermouth, dirty with a little bit of olive brine and strong as a martini has to be,” explains Pedro Mario, Lolinda’s bar lead. “The olive oil fat-washed gin adds texture and complexity.” As for the name? “‘Chamuyero’ refers to people who have a way with words and like to flirt, and well, I think that after two of these cocktails we can all be chamuyeros,” he says
Cyclades Martini
Don’t worry, Southern Californians: You can get a fat-washed martini at The Bar at Studio Mediterranean, which is located at the Montage Laguna Beach. Inspired by the Cyclades islands, this savory martini (pictured on the left) features a Greek, olive-based vodka called Kastra Elion that is fat-washed overnight with kalamata olives, extra virgin olive oil, as well as a blend of Greek herbs including rosemary, thyme and oregano. “Bright and herbal with rich kalamata olives notes, the Cyclades Martini is the perfect drink for those who enjoy dirty and savory martinis,” says Niko Santana, lead bartender at Studio Mediterranean. The ultimate finishing touch? Cocchi Americano and lemon bitters, of course.
Mama Dut’s Gimlet
Consider Hey Love PDX’s Mama Dut’s Gimlet, which was made in collaboration with Thuy Pham of Portland’s now-closed Mama Dut’s, a drink that tastes good and does good. A menu staple since 2021, the libation is a thoughtful mix of coconut fat-washed Roku gin, pandan-saline, and lime cordial, served with a fresh Thai basil garnish. “Toasty, nutty, and slightly floral pandan ties in beautifully, while the lime cordial provides that bright, zippy balance of sweet and sour,” says Emily Mistell, owner and beverage director of Hey Love PDX. “It’s a simple build, but the technique and ingredients give it incredible depth.”
Bonus points: It’s a gimlet that gives back. “From the beginning, our goal was not just to make a delicious drink, but to appreciate rather than appropriate the culture that inspired it, and to give back to our community,” Mistell adds. “A portion of sales has always supported the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), and to date we’ve raised over $20,000.”
Chicome
Food and beverage work together in perfect harmony with Montage Los Cabos’s Chicome, which boasts Buffalo Trace bourbon, nixta liqueur, and fat-washed quesadilla. Really. “It is a liquid inspiration to the abundance, life and cultural heritage that corn represents,” shares Ezequiel Huerta, the property’s head mixologist. “The corn brings its earthy and sweet notes, while the manchego cheese introduces a delicate lactic texture, rounding out the power of the grains of the bourbon.”
Highball Garibaldi
Highball PHX might be based on the West Coast, but its namesake Garibaldi was inspired by Dante in New York City. “We took a simple two-piece cocktail and added a subtle tropical flair by incorporating un-toasted coconut flake into our own proprietary blend of a few of our favorite red bitters, which includes Campari, Aperol, Cappelletti, and Bordiga Bitters,” explains Libby Lingua, who oversees Highball’s cocktail program with Mitch Lyons. For this sip, coconut flake is weighed out and sous vide into the blend for an hour, and then strained off and then sub-zero frozen overnight to solidify any residual coconut fat for further straining. If you ask Lingua, the most important part is the “fluffy” orange juice. “We peel whole oranges and juice them fresh to order in a centrifugal vegetable juicer,” she adds. “The use of a centrifugal juicer perfectly aerates the orange juice, making it fluffy.” An orange slice and coconut dusting complete the cocktail, offering a toast-worthy moment.
Mocha Pisco
Thanks to Mocha Pisco by Raymond Rojas, favorite at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, you don’t have to choose between sweet and savory. Here, fat-washing the pisco with cocoa butter adds all the flavor of chocolate along with a silky lush texture and layers of flavor. Meanwhile, a sprinkle of salt offers a touch of umami.
