Kitchen Konfidence logo

menu icon
subscribe
search icon
×

99 Cocktail  |   Jump to Recipe

Brown Butter Old Fashioned + 4 Years

Kitchen Konfidence is officially 4 years old!!!  And I’m celebrating with a cocktail.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Brown Butter Old Fashioned

A Brown Butter Old Fashioned to be exact.  This recipes starts with a rapid infusion of bourbon and nutty brown butter.  And by rapid, I mean 24 hours.  In the infusion world, that’s fast.  Toasty, aromatic brown butter is added to smokey bourbon, forming, quite possibly, one of the best things EVER.  The smell is incredible, and the taste is just as good.  I had a hard time keeping myself from drinking it straight up.

An Old Fashioned cocktail is typically made with bourbon, sugar, and bitters; served over ice; and garnished with an orange slice.  The first sip of an Old Fashioned is usually quite strong; however, as the ice melts, the drink becomes pleasantly diluted.  Here, I’ve tweaked the ingredient list just a bit to compliment the Brown Butter Bourbon base.  Black Walnut Bitters are added with Angostura Bitters to add some depth of flavor, and a few drops of liquid smoke compliment the smoky notes found in bourbon.  I’ve also garnished with a slice of blood orange peel, but you can use a regular orange if you can’t find a blood orange.  Continue reading for the recipe, plus my thoughts on 4 years of blogging.

Brown Butter Bourbon Animation

I can’t even believe that I’ve been blogging for 4 whole years.  A few months ago, I remember thinking to myself, “How long have I been blogging for?  3 years!  Yes, 3 years.  No wait.  4 years?  Have I been blogging for 4 years??”  Many people ask me how I can maintain my blog while also working a demanding full-time job, and to be honest, the answer is simple:  I love it!  I love cooking, I love photography, I love writing, and I love interacting with other foodies around San Diego and across the globe!  Food exploration and experimentation makes me happy.  I live for that “yum moment” after taking the first bite of a new recipe.  I love sharing my food with friends and family.  Blogging can definitely be challenging, and it is a lot of hard work, but in the end, I just love it.  And that’s how I can do all the things that I do (while maintaining my sanity).

A big thanks to all my fellow foodies, home cooks and food porn enthusiasts who interact with Kitchen Konfidence daily.  You’re another main reason why I continue along this blogging journey.  It’s all the questions, comments, likes and love that make sharing these recipes all worth it.  So thank you.  I’m looking forward to another exciting year.  Cheers!

Brown Butter Infused Bourbon

Brown Butter Old Fashioned

Brown Butter Old Fashioned

by Brandon Matzek
Adapted from here.
4.72 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Add simple syrup, bitters, liquid smoke and bourbon to a short tumbler filled with ice. Stir for 20 seconds until the mixture is well-chilled. Spritz the blood orange oils from the peel over the drink, then rub the peel on the rim of the glass, and add it to the drink.

Notes

* Please don't buy simple syrup. It's very easy to make at home. Place equal parts sugar and water in a small saucepan (for example, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar), bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and let boil for 1 minute. Take the saucepan off the heat, and let the simple syrup cool to room temperature before using. Done! How easy is that? Simple syrup can be store in the refrigerator for many weeks.
Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!
Brown Butter Infused Bourbon

Brown Butter Infused Bourbon

by Brandon Matzek
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 16 ounces

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 16 oz. of bourbon (I used Jim Beam)

Instructions
 

  • Warm butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. The butter will melt, then foam and bubble, then start to brown. You will notice little brown bits forming at the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently during this process and keep your attention on the pot. The butter can go from wonderfully brown to burnt in just a few moments. You will know the butter is done when it gives off a nutty aroma and turns a golden brown. Let brown butter cool a bit.
  • Place bourbon in a clean jar, and add cool brown butter. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator, and let infuse for 1 day. Pour infused bourbon through a damp paper towel-lined strainer into a clean jar. You could also use a coffee filter, but a damp paper towel is a cheap, easy solution. Store bourbon in the refrigerator for a few weeks or in the freezer for several months.
Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!
99

More Cocktail Recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. caninecologne says

    Hello there! Saw your blog on my friend Kirbie’s sidebar. Congrats on your 4 year “blogaversary”! I’ve been reading bits and pieces of your blog. You have the most gorgeous photos for your posts. Can’t wait to explore your recipes. : )

    Reply

  6. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

    Happy Birthday to KK! It’s been awesome knowing you I think nearly the entire 4 years, Brandon! My blog turned 5 and I know, it’s hard to believe how fast time goes! I love the drink you chose for your blogiversary…browned butter, and bourbon. Say no more 🙂 pinned!

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Yay!! Yes, it’s been fun following along with Averie Cooks as well. So much awesome growth over the years! Thanks Averie 🙂

      Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Thanks Holly :)! Yeah, seriously. I have so many brown butter recipes on this blog. Love it 😉

      Reply

  11. J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says

    Congrats on your blogging milestone!! Love the idea of brown butter bourbon. Bacon bourbon can be a little too much some days but the nutty toastiness of brown butter sounds very nice. Is the filtering step supposed to get most of the fat out of the bourbon or do you still want some butter in the bourbon afterwards?

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Thanks JS! You’ll want to filter out the fat, but it’s fine if some of the caramelized milk solids remain. Just store in the freezer, because those solids can go bad.

      Reply

  12. Kirbie says

    Happy Four Years! Loving it is really important. It seems like a lot of the time when people fizzle out or stop doing it, it’s because they never enjoyed writing, or hated editing photos, etc.

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Thanks Kirbie :)! Yeah, I’ve managed to continue blogging through some major times of craziness (UTC Grand Opening to name one). Sometimes it’s a struggle, but I always come back. It’s because of the love!

      Reply

  13. San Diego Decorator says

    Congratulations on your anniversary! Keep ’em blogs coming. I would love to try this Brown Butter Old Fashioned. Have you tried adding some fruity flavor?

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Thank you! Haven’t tried adding fruit just yet. A spoonful of jam might be a fun addition instead of the simple syrup.

      Reply

  15. Alanna says

    The flavors here – smoke, brown butter, black walnut and bourbon – sound absolutely phenomenal! Wishing your blog a very happy (belated) birthday!

    Reply

  16. Graham @ Glazed & Confused says

    This combination of flavors is SO important. Seriously, props to you for pairing all of those badass flavors together so nicely. I could see myself throwing back one too many of these bad boys and doing embarrassing things on social media.

    I’ve followed you on insta for a while but today I stumbled along your blog. Never turning back. Congrats on 4 years!

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Thanks Graham!! And I’m glad you’ve made it over from Instagram. This drink is super tasty. Definitely give it a try!

      Reply

  19. Daniel says

    4 years and only now I find this wonderful blog. I can’t wait to try this bourbon at home! I love infusing bourbons (like you I use Jim Beam) and your cocktail sounds intriguing (especially with the liquid smoke).

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Awww, thanks Daniel! I like to use Jim Beam as well. I get a big (and cheap) jug of it at Costco. Perfect for infusing!

      Reply

  20. Janine says

    5 stars
    Love this cocktail! Never had a bourbon drink before! Dangerously delish (I did use more syrup)! Thanks for beautiful pix! New to site. As fellow foodie and mom of chef, love , & will subscribe!

    Reply

  21. Shayla says

    I tried a regular old fashioned at red lobster and it was SO STRONG!! ITt calmed down after the ice melted a little and I added more sugar but would this version maybe be more my speed as far as taste goes you think? It was good after I added more sugar but I’m not sure a regular one is my thing. I would love to find a recipe that is though so I’m not overwhelmed from the bourbon punch! Lol!

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Hey Shayla!! Old Fashioneds are definitely spirit forward/boozy drinks (this one included). But I find that the drink mellows as the ice melts. So it’s got a bite at first and then gets sweeter as the ice melts. You could certainly add a bit more simple syrup to taste. Please let me know if you try that and how it works out for you!

      Reply

    • Le says

      Thank you for sharing this easy to follow recipe!!! I just made a batch. It’s been in the fridge for 1.5 weeks but it looks like I won’t finish it anytime soon. Can I put it in the freezer? Will I last months? Thank you!!!

      Reply

      • Brandon Matzek says

        So glad you enjoyed this Le! You can store it in the fridge for a few months or in the freeze for longer. It will last a while!

        Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating