According to Food52, women (see: 17th century baddie Aphra Behn) were at the very forefront of clarified milk punch, the somewhat elusive yet fascinating element that’s used to make clarified cocktails. Popping up exponentially in boutique city bars, it’s time to face what a clarified cocktail *actually* is. Hint: it’s just like your favorite cocktail, except with a science-y twist. If you want in on what all the home bartenders are shakin’ and sippin’ up, read on to learn more.
What is a clarified cocktail?
A clarified cocktail is the result you get from a bartending process called milk-washing.
Simply put, milk-washing is mixing your favorite high-acidity cocktail with full-fat cold milk, which (because science) curdles the milk. The filtered-out curdles absorb the bitterness and the acidic punch (caused by compounds called polyphenols) of the alcoholic mix. Instead, your drink is crisp and clear – literally.
Why do you clarify cocktails?
Clarification reduces the, well, alcohol-y taste of cocktails for a more pleasant sipping experience. Sometimes it’s all about balancing out each flavor note in the glass, which is why bartenders love it – aside from its aesthetically-pleasing crystal-clear appearance.
What does a clarified cocktail taste like?
Abandon any expectations for a clarified cocktail to taste like the one you typically order. Clarification can really affect the flavors of spirits, for better or for worse. Lighter notes (like florals) may get lost in the sauce… erm, milk, but can create something magical. There’s still no denying that, as Joanna Carpenter for Food52 put it, clarified cocktails are “significantly boozy.”
Liana Oster, bar director of Nomad London told Club Oenologique that “there’s something intriguing about looking at a crystal-clear drink knowing that there’s a bank of flavour in there – you can’t tell what’s actually going on inside until you taste it."
What is the best way to clarify cocktails?
- Use whole milk. For more technical reasons, use full-fat milks only. It’ll yield the clearest result, as the milk’s casein proteins bind better to the cocktail’s polyphenols. Sorry to all the plant-based milk stans.
- Use *cold* milk. Some recipes for clarified cocktails call for warm milk, but most bartenders find using cold milk is more successful.
- You’ll want or use an acidic cocktail. Think of using repelling liquids for making clarified cocktails – the acid from your cocktail mixture will repel the milk’s fatty proteins, resulting in a clearer drink. Hello, sours!
- Let it sit. Approaching milk-washing with patience (simply letting the mixture sit overnight) will give it time to become more clarified, which is what you want for a smoother, more enjoyable cocktail.
How To: Milk-Washing + Clarified Cocktails
According to Diageo Bar Academy, there are a few different ways to clarify cocktails, but I’ll present the easiest method here.
- Prep a larger batch of your fave acidic cocktail (sours, margs, anything lemon-y or lime-y) in a pitcher.
- Using a 4:1 ratio of cocktail to cold whole milk, pour milk into a large bowl.
- Slowlyyyy pour the cocktail mixture into the bowl, over the milk.
- Stir gently, then let the combination sit at room temp for anywhere from 1 to 24 hours. You should see the milk curdling.
- When ready, filter the mixture into a bottle using a funnel and a fine coffee filter, colander, or metal strainer. Voila!
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Header photo by Valeria Boltneva / PEXELS
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