Tools Of The Trade: How Bartending Equipment Shapes Cocktail Flavour And Texture
While blending a thoroughly delicious cocktail, along with the spirits, mixers and garnishes, what stand as a solid mixology backbone are the bar tools or essential bartending equipment which perform a number of different significant functions. Each of these contributes to shaping the taste, flavour profile and aromas of the cocktails so much so that they can even enable a mixologist to construct the final experience of a drink.
A breakdown of some of the functions of these bartending tools and their impact on the flavours and textures of cocktails can in fact become quite revealing for a mixology novice dabbling in the art of preparing drinks. Knowing about this science provides a glimpse into the processes of aeration, dilution, clarity control, temperature adjustment and more – all of which is brought about by the equipment that is used to prepare varied cocktail mixes.
Read on below to know more about the science behind the effect of several bartending tools on the flavours and textures of the cocktails they are used to blend:
Masters Of Aeration And Dilution
While blending cocktails, one important aspect is aeration which ensures that all the flavours present in the drink are being brought out thoroughly. The other critical element is dilution and its speed which chills the drink and softens the more robust flavour notes in the blend to bring about a fine flavour balance. The equipment which performs this critical function is the cocktail shaker, which is especially used for drinks that contain juice, eggs or syrup and even ingredients like cream and milk. Shakers also build cocktail textures such that a well shaken drink achieves a thick bubbly foam and a silky composition.
Filtering Out The Fuzz
What lenzs cocktails their signature smooth mouthfeel are fine strainers that keep textural interruptions out of the drink. A Hawthorne strainer for instance, keeps out ice shards in shaken cocktails whereas fine mesh strainers catch tiny pieces of herb bits and pulp leading to the creation of really fine, clear mixes. Another type of strainer, the julep, which is well-suited for straining stirred cocktails also plays a significant role in preventing a drink from becoming too rough on the palate.
Precision Makers
Precision is one of the most important elements in mixology. And the bar tool which enables a mixologist to bring this into cocktail making is a jigger. This perfection is essential because even a few millilitres off the mark can make or break a drink – too much citrus can make a blend too sour and too much of a spirit can make it too robust. So, the science behind using jiggers is all about working to build precise flavour combinations into cocktails that lend the drinks a perfect balance.
Blending Matters
Blending cocktails using a simple bar spoon brings together all the ingredients in the drink into an integrated, uniform blend of flavours. While making drinks like a martini cocktail, another important function that such stirring equipment performs is that it ensures the mix comes together without creating bubbles or visual disruptions. With this, the drink remains clear and also acquires a chilled temperature without over diluting or over blending the cocktail ingredients.
Modern Drama
In modern mixology, many bar tools have come up that perform certain intricate and advanced functions that lend flavour depth and textural elegance to cocktails. This modern visual and olfactory drama in the form of cocktail smoke or aromatic mists are given to cocktails using cocktail smokers, atomiser sprays and even certain infusion kits. Inevitably, adding these flourishes to cocktails is one of the most significant roles that bartending equipment plays in order to level up straightforward blends.
Also Read: 6 Essential Tools To Have In A Bartending Kit
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
