In our postmodern take on this Margarita-adjacent classic, we call on fake lime juice and clarified tomato grenadine for a savory riff on the original. Similar to milk punch, you’re relying on proteins, in this case the egg albumen, to coagulate via heat (as done traditionally in case of consommé clarification) or acidity (much like the milk punch). But this makes it very simple to strain and results in a crystal-clear liquid.Īnother protein that can be used for clarification is egg white, which is an old technique developed by the chefs to clarify stock or consommé. The origins of this classic drink date back to the 1800s, when milk was added to acidic cocktails to make them “easier on the stomach.” It didn’t quite work as intended: When milk is added to an acidic liquid, its proteins will coagulate and curdle, separating from the mixture. One of the most popular examples of this method is the milk punch. Like agar-agar and gelatin, proteins, like milk or egg whites, can also trap unwanted particles in your cocktail. It can also be time consuming and often lowers the yield of your cocktail if a few different filtration levels are required. For clarifying, it’s best to start with the coarsest filter (sieve or muslin cloth) to get the big particles out of the way and then gradually move on to the finest type of a filter (paper coffee filter) this method will work for any type of a cocktail, but does not always provide a crystal-clear appearance. Simple filtration can also yield a clear cocktail. This method will work even for delicate juices and higher-ABV cocktails. After it’s all done, whisk the gel to break it down and let the liquid seep out of the gel over a paper filter. Let it set into a gel, which will take about an hour or so when the mixture reaches room temperature. All you need to do is disperse the activated agar-agar (see above) into your liquid our recommended dosage is 0.02 percent of your total liquid weight. To clarify a juice or a cocktail using the “quick gel” method, opt for agar-agar versus gelatin. Stick to lower-ABV stirred drinks or sours. It’s good to remember that this method may not be suitable for higher-ABV cocktails (21 percent and up), as alcohol has a lower freezing point. If using agar-agar, thawing can be done at room temperature if using gelatin, the gel should be thawed in the fridge. Remove from the freezer and allow it to slowly melt over a paper filter, being careful not to agitate the liquid. You then move the mixture into a freezer and wait until it’s thoroughly frozen, ideally overnight. It you are using agar-agar, make sure it’s “activated”: let the mixture come to very low boil, turn off the heat and let it sit at this temperature for about five minutes to trigger agar-agar’s gelling properties. To clarify a juice or an entire cocktail using the “freeze and thaw” method, you need to blend your hydrocolloid of choice into the liquid. There are two ways you can use agar-agar or gelatin: The “freeze and thaw” method or the “quick gel” method, as described in Dave Arnold’s Liquid Intelligence. Gelatin is a collagen derived from various animal parts that requires refrigeration to set. Agar-agar is a jelly-like substance obtained from algae it has higher gelling properties, which means it will set at room temperature. While agar-agar and gelatin tend to be used interchangeably, there are few differences between these substances. You then use syneresis, a fancy word for extraction of liquid from a gel, to get your crystal clear drink this happens when the gel gets disturbed either by freezing, or simply breaking the structure of the gel. These molecules will intertwine again upon cooling of the liquid, creating a semi-solid mixture. Both substances consist of long chains of molecules that can be “detangled” in hot water. Both agar-agar and gelatin will clarify your drink by trapping all of the solids that make your cocktail cloudy in a gel.
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