Homemade Liqueurs and Infused Spirits: Innovative Flavor Combinations, Plus Homemade Versions of Kahlúa, Cointreau, and Other Popular Liqueurs (28 page)
Authors: Andrew Schloss
Tags: #liquor, #cofee, #home cocktails, #cocktails, #liqueurs, #popular liqueurs, #spirits, #creamy, #kahlua, #unsweetened infused, #flavored alcohol, #bar recipes, #sweetners, #distilled, #herbal, #nutty, #creative coctails, #flowery, #infused spirits, #clones, #flavorings, #margarita, #home bar, #recipes, #cointreau, #cocktail recipes, #alcohol, #caramel, #homemade liqueurs, #fruity, #flavoring alcohol
Of the four basic constituents of cocktails — spirits, sugar, water, and bitters — we dealt with the first two in part 1 (see
page 1–27
). Now let’s talk about water and bitters.
Water is the secret ingredient in just about every cocktail. Whether it is in the form of ice, seltzer, juice, or a splash of branch water, H
2
O mixes easily with ethanol (CH
3
CH
2
OH), which is the main alcohol in distilled spirits.
When first combined in a mixed drink, the water forms visible waves due to the difference in density between ethanol and alcohol. Eventually the two combine completely, lowering the percentage of alcohol (ABV) in the drink and allowing your palate to pick up more of the aromatic flavor molecules in the spirit.
Although this phenomenon is noticeable in all cocktails, it is most pronounced in simple mixtures like Scotch on the rocks or a dry martini. A dry martini (one with barely a whisper of vermouth) is little more than gin or vodka mixed with ice. The ice chills the booze, but more important, it gradually melts into water, which bonds with the alcohol and releases its innate flavors. That is why it is necessary to let a martini rest for a minute during shaking or stirring, to give the ice a little more time to turn into water.
Bitters are concentrated flavoring agents used to season cocktails. As their name implies, they typically contain a bittering ingredient, most commonly cinchona bark (quinine) or gentian root; others include angelica, artichoke leaf, bitter orange, thistle leaves, wormwood, and yarrow.
The mixtures that are now sold as cocktail bitters were originally patent medicines. For example, Angostura bitters was first compounded as a treatment for seasickness and stomach distress. Originating in Venezuela in 1824, it was used as a medicine by the British Royal Navy, administered in gin. Pink gin became a popular nineteenth-century digestif cocktail in the United Kingdom.
The addition of bitters is one of the elements that defines early cocktail formulas, and rightly so. It forms the fourth leg in the flavor platform of cocktails. Distilled spirits naturally have a balance of sugar, acid, protein, and salt, from the wine and beer used for distillation. Bitterness is the only major taste that is missing. Bitters are not included in all cocktail recipes, and are more common in brown liquor mixtures like Old-Fashioneds and Manhattans.
Cocktails can also be categorized by the glasses in which they are traditionally served.
Brandy snifter.
The short stem allows the bulb-shaped bowl to fit in the palm comfortably so that the hand can warm the contents of the glass.
Champagne flute.
The elongated narrow bowl showcases the bubbles, and the long stem allows the drinker to grasp the glass without touching the bowl and warming the bubbly.
Cocktail glass.
The long stem allows the drinker to hold the glass without warming the contents, while the wide, cone-shaped bowl shows off garniture.
Collins glass.
The tall narrow column highlights drinks mixed with carbonated water.
Cordial or sherry glass.
The small, tapered bowl and short stem are ideal for sipping unadorned fortified wines or liqueurs.
Goblet or wineglass.
The spherical or tapering bowl captures the aroma of a fine wine or liqueur; the stem allows the drinker to grasp the glass without touching the bowl.
Highball glass.
This all-purpose tapered column is suitable for many mixed drinks.
Margarita glass.
The “classic” design is the sort of champagne glass known as a coupe but it’s hard to pin down why it is preferred. It could be that the wide rim holds more salt and the two-tiered shape gives volume while allowing the salt rim to stay dry.
Mug.
This thick-walled cylinder has a handle for hot drinks.
Old-Fashioned or rocks glass.
A short glass that holds low-volume cocktails served on a few cubes of ice.
Shot glass.
Available in many shapes, this 1- to 4-ounce glass is used for quick gulps of straight spirits or for measuring spirits for mixed drinks.
