Mixing It Up: Using Unconventional Ingredients in Your Cocktails
Cocktails are no doubt one of the most popular drinks across the globe. They come in various flavors, colors, and mixtures. However, if you are a cocktail enthusiast, you may start to feel like you are having the same drinks repeatedly at various bars. One of the ways to spruce up your cocktail game is by using unconventional ingredients.
Here are some examples of unusual ingredients that can add depth and flavor to your cocktail:
Beet Juice
Beet juice is a great way to introduce a unique color to your cocktail. Not to mention, it's packed with nutrients and offers an earthy-sweet taste that pairs wonderfully with vodka or gin.
Cocktail Recipe: Beet It Gimlet
- 2 oz Gin
- 3/4 oz Fresh Beet Juice
- 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 3/4 oz simple syrup
- Shake with ice and strain into a chilled glass.
Egg Whites
While egg whites are not necessarily an unusual ingredient, they are not commonly used in cocktails. Using egg whites in your cocktail adds texture and creaminess, and softens the harshness of certain alcohols.
Cocktail Recipe: Whiskey Sour
- 2 oz Whiskey
- 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
- 1 egg white
- Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass.
Smoke
Using smoke as an ingredient in cocktails gives them an extra dimension of flavor and aroma. Smoke is not typically added to a cocktail directly, but rather by smoking the glassware. This technique is often used in whiskey or tequila-based drinks.
Cocktail Recipe: Smoked Old Fashioned
- 2 oz Whiskey
- 1 tsp Simple Syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- Orange Peel
- Smoke the glass with wood chips, then stir the whiskey, simple syrup, and bitters in a separate glass. Pour over ice in the smoked glass and add the orange peel.
Rosemary
The rosemary herb is a great ingredient to jazz up your cocktail. Its pine-like aroma pairs well with gin, whiskey, or vodka, and adds an earthy flavor to your cocktail.
Cocktail Recipe: The Rosemary Gin Fizz
- 1 sprig of fresh Rosemary
- 2 oz Gin
- 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
- Club soda
- In a shaker, muddle the rosemary with the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake with ice and strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a rosemary sprig.
Vinegar
Using vinegar in cocktails may sound unusual, but it offers a pleasant tangy taste that cuts through sweetness and enhances the flavor of certain spirits.
Cocktail Recipe: The Shrub
- 2 oz Gin
- 1/2 oz Raspberry Vinegar
- 1/2 oz Lime Juice
- 1/2 oz Honey
- Club soda
- Shake gin, raspberry vinegar, lime juice, and honey with ice, then strain over ice. Top with club soda.
In conclusion, using uncommon ingredients in cocktails is a creative and fun way to take your cocktail game to the next level. Whether it's a smoky aroma, earthy flavor, or creamy texture, there are endless ways to turn a simple cocktail into a memorable, one-of-a-kind drink.
