Some Drinks Require A Rinse — Dive Into This Cocktail Technique 101
Think cocktails like a sazerac, a smoky whisky sour or a smoky martini cocktail. Common to all these drinks is the technique of giving a wash to the serving glasses that are used to present them.
While stirring and shaking remain some popular cocktail making techniques, sometimes, giving a ‘spirit rinse’ to a glass can in fact make a huge difference to the flavours of a blend. And while the tasting note that something like a liqueur wash introduces into a cocktail is subtle, it is nonetheless present and quite effectively shapes the overall tasting experience.
So are you a mixologist with many questions, curious to know more about the rinsing technique? Let’s answer some of these doubts.
What does ‘rinsing a glass’ mean?
Put simply, rinsing is a technique when a bartender swirls or coats the inside of a glass with a small amount of a spirit or liqueur before serving the main drink. The excess is set aside and what is left behind in the glass is a thin layer of flavour and aroma that builds into the overall profile of the cocktail.
What is the difference between rinsing, washing and the in-and-out technique?
While each of these essentially builds subtle flavours into cocktails, there are nonetheless some differences in the underlying techniques.
– Rinse: This involves swirling or coating the inside of a glass with a spirit or liqueur.
– Wash: This is different and more subtle because a small amount of spirit is used to drizzle the serving glass.
– In And Out: This is an even subtler technique where a splash of spirit is added to the serving glass and is quickly swirled and immediately set aside.
What effect does the rinsing technique have on a cocktail?
A rinse can impact the following aspects in a drink:
– Aroma: When spirits like certain peaty Scotches are used for the rinse, they exude subtle but layered aromas when used in measured quantities.
– Balance: While flavours of some peaty whiskies can be too robust to be added to the cocktail itself, they can in fact lend a lot of balance to a drink when they appear in the form of a wash or a rinse.
– In Cocktail Culture: Many classic cocktails continue to be prepared using the wash or rinse technique to stick to a recipe that is rooted deeply in mixology legacies.
Also Read: Whisky Cocktails 101: A Definitive Guide To Crafting Timeless Drinks
Which are some of the cocktails that typically require a rinse?
One of the more well-known cocktails which benefits from a rinse is the sazerac. This drink has its origins in New Orleans where the glass would traditionally be rinsed with a spirit before adding rye whisky, sugar and bitters — ingredients required to build the cocktail.
Smoky martini cocktails are among some of the variations of the classic stirred drink which merit a Scotch or a mezcal wash. This introduces a light, smoky touch into the cocktails building into their overall earthy depth.
Whisky sour variations that are meant to carry a smoky and slightly peaty finish are also often given a wash with a smoky Scotch whisky. This adds some essential peaty undertones to the blend.
Can cocktails be rinsed with ingredients other than spirits?
Absolutely. Modern bartenders experiment with different liqueurs and flavour accents while applying the rinsing technique.
– Coffee liqueurs are used for adding depth to espresso cocktails.
– Italian bitter aperitifs are used for rinsing gin-based drinks to build herbal and bitter undertones.
– Flavoured oils or syrups are also used on occasion to faintly scent drinks.
Key Takeaways:
– Some drinks require a spirit rinse because it adds subtle flavour undertones to a cocktail glass before the actual blend is poured in.
– Rinsing, washing and the in-and-out technique are commonly used by bartenders to coat the cocktail glass with a small amount of spirit.
– Cocktails like the sazerac continue to be prepared using this technique.
– In contemporary mixology, bartenders are also experimenting with coffee liqueurs, Italian bitter aperitifs and flavoured oils or syrups as rinsing ingredients.
FAQs:
– What is the rinsing technique?
Rinsing is a technique when a bartender swirls or coats the inside of a glass with a small amount of a spirit or liqueur before serving the main drink.
– How does rinsing affect the flavours and aromas of a cocktail?
Rinsing with robust whiskies like a peaty Scotch lends subtle but layered aromas to cocktails. As well, pronounced whisky flavours become more balanced when they are introduced into cocktails using the rinsing technique.
– Which are some of the cocktails that are made using the rinsing technique?
Cocktails such as the sazerac, the smoky martini cocktail and smoked whisky sour variations can be mixed using the rinsing technique.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
