Molecular mixology is the process of creating

cocktails A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as tonic water, fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely across ...

using the equipment and techniques of

molecular gastronomy Molecular gastronomy is the scientific approach of nutrition from primarily the perspective of chemistry. The composition (molecular structure), properties (mass, viscosity, etc) and transformations (chemical reactions, reactant products) of an ...

These methods enable the creation of greater intensities and varieties of flavour, flavour combinations and different ways of presenting drinks, for example using

gel A gel is a semi-solid that can have properties ranging from soft and weak to hard and tough. Gels are defined as a substantially dilute cross-linked system, which exhibits no flow when in the steady-state, although the liquid phase may still di ...

s, powders,

foam Foams are materials formed by trapping pockets of gas in a liquid or solid. A bath sponge and the head on a glass of beer are examples of foams. In most foams, the volume of gas is large, with thin films of liquid or solid separating the reg ...

s, atomised sprays etc., as well as affecting the appearance of the cocktail

Equipment

The equipment used in molecular mixology can range from comparatively simple items such as

blowtorch A blowtorch, also referred to as a blowlamp, is an ambient air fuel-burning gas lamp used for applying flame and heat to various applications, usually metalworking. Early blowtorches used liquid fuel, carried in a refillable reservoir attache ...

es (frequently used in restaurant cooking) to more specialised items such as a vacuum sealer, a device for combining and infusing ingredients in a vacuum and thus preserving their flavours and enhancing the finished product. These infusions allow unexpected combinations of flavours in cocktails, including flavourings from non-edible substances, such as tobacco and leather (found in the Smoked Old Fashioned cocktail) and perfume (as in the Champagne No.5). Another machine which is used by mixologists is the Rotavap. This is a

vacuum A vacuum is a space devoid of matter. The word is derived from the Latin adjective ''vacuus'' for "vacant" or "void". An approximation to such vacuum is a region with a gaseous pressure much less than atmospheric pressure. Physicists often dis ...

rotary

distillation Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separation process, separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distilla ...

setup, which allows the extraction of aromas, low temperature reduction of juices and the production of flavored spirits.

Techniques

The techniques used by a mixologist are mostly bound to the new equipment which is provided by the

. They are, for the most part, adaptations of new techniques for food preparation. Some techniques originally created for food applications can nowadays be commonly found in

cocktail A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as tonic water, fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely across ...

bars.

Spherification

Spherification Spherification is a culinary process that employs sodium alginate and either calcium chloride or calcium glucate lactate to shape a liquid into squishy spheres, which visually and texturally resemble roe. The technique was documented by Unilever i ...

, one of the techniques applied to molecular mixology, is the culinary process of shaping a liquid into spheres. They can be small like caviar or as large as an egg yolk.

Suspension (thickening)

Suspension is the technique of thickening the drink's liquid, often with Xanthan gum to allow objects, such as fruit, micro herbs and caviars to be suspended (hence the name) inside.

Emulsification

Emulsification is the technique of converting a liquid to a foam. Soy Lecithin is often used in this process along with a hand blender.

References

{{reflist Bartending