Summer Cocktails Mixology

Enjoying a refreshing summer cocktail is a perfect way to cool down and relax on a hot summer day. But the preparation process can make a big difference in how a cocktail turns out. Read the fun cocktail facts below to learn some great tips to ensure your favorite summer cocktail is as spectacular as it should be.

Pre-freeze Glasses
Cocktails should ideally be the perfect temperature immediately after they’re mixed. A freezer-chilled cocktail glass will keep the cocktail at this ideal temperature for a longer time than a room temperature glass will, and even a bit longer than a glass that’s only been chilled with ice water.

Salt
Salt suppresses bitterness, making us better able to perceive other flavors. By adding salt to a cocktail that contains both bitter and sweet components, the sweetness in the liquor will become more intense.

In very small amounts, salt can also enhance the perception of sourness, and therefore the flavor of drinks with citrus. You only need a tiny amount, as too much salt will suppress the acidity and make the drink taste less appealing.

Egg Whites
Egg whites are used to add texture to a cocktail, making it rich and creamy, without affecting the taste or aroma. Cocktails with egg whites typically include citrus juice and sugar syrup. When the egg whites, made of mostly water and proteins, are whipped or shaken with these ingredients and the liquor, the tightly wound proteins begin to unravel. At the same time, tiny air bubbles are being folded into the egg white and a beautiful foam cap begins to form.

Just be sure to use eggs that are clean, unbroken and as fresh as possible in order to minimize the risk of bacterial contamination.

Ice Blocks Vs. Ice Cubes and Crushed Ice
Ice can be the difference between a perfectly balanced cocktail and a mediocre one. Usually bigger ice blocks melt much more slowly and keep liquid colder for longer but this isn’t always the case.

When ice is exposed to air, it ends up cooling the atmosphere instead of the drink, resulting in a cocktail that’s more diluted without the benefit of being chilled more. Since small ice cubes and crushed ice tend to stay submerged as a drink is sipped, they’re preferable in cases where large ice won’t be fully immersed in the liquid.

Now that you’re equipped with some mixology science, get your blender ready and use this cool information to give your favorite summer cocktail more pizzazz. Need a few recommendations? Blue Plate’s cocktail, Rare Bird, is a wonderful summer treat!

Ingredients:
1 oz gin
2 oz peach lavender preserves
1/2 oz lavender simple syrup
1⁄2 oz lemon juice
2 oz sparkling white peach sake

Directions:
Combine ingredients and shake. Strain into a champagne flute and top with sparkling white peach sake. Garnish with a lavender sprig!