The world of cocktails is fast evolving and expanding. As bartenders are trying out a variety of ingredients, more and more cocktail lovers are falling in love with the minimal and subtle philosophy of mixing. Here are the trending cocktails of 2019, and what goes into them.
Draught cocktail
Draught cocktails like Nitro Mai Tai are dispensed using the same technology used to provide beer and wine on tap. At the pull of a lever, gas pressure forces batched and kegged cocktails held in cold storage into a waiting glass.
NITRO MAI TAI (ON TAP)
Recipe
Courtesy: Comorin, Gurugram
Light rum: 2,250ml
Dark rum: 2,250ml
Spice tea water mix: 1,500ml
Nut orgeat syrup: 1,200ml
Lime juice: 1,360ml
Milk: 3,500ml
Fresh pineapple juice: 1,500ml
Method
Pour all the ingredients, except lime juice and milk, into a big container and refrigerate overnight for infusion. In a separate bowl, add lime juice to warm milk to make curds. Once the curds set, combine it with the infused mixture. Pour the mixture into a super bag (a net bag with fine holes) until it is full. Do not agitate it too much or let it dry out, until you finish pouring all the liquid through. Strain overnight and store the clear liquid in a corny keg for two to three days.
Mushroom Cocktail
Born out of the demand for healthy cocktails, the mushroom cocktail has a distinct taste and a lingering aroma.
SHIITAKE HAPPENS!
A refreshing take on the classic Margarita. The savoury cocktail has unusual ingredients like shiitake mushroom, truffle oil, rosemary and lime juice.
Recipe
Courtesy: Pa Pa Ya, Bengaluru
Tequila: 60ml
Agave nectar: 15ml
Truffle oil: three to four drops
Rosemary: one sprig
Lime juice: 30ml
Method
Shake all the ingredients together and garnish with shiitake and rosemary.
NUTSHROOM
Recipe
Courtesy: Oi LatAm Kitchen and Bar, Mumbai
Bourbon whiskey:30ml
Homemade almond liqueur:30ml
Shiitake infused brandy:10ml
Lemon juice: 20ml
Egg white:10ml
Method
Shake all the ingredients together. Garnish with almond crust.
Zero-proof cocktail
Zero-proof = zero alcohol. The idea is to make complex drinks without alcohol.
SMOKE SCREEN
Recipe
Courtesy: Svami
Smoked pineapple juice: 90ml
Fennel syrup: 20ml
Lime juice: 20ml
Aquafaba or egg white: 15ml
Svami Indian tonic water
Method
Shake the juice, fennel syrup, lime juice and egg white in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour the contents into a glass filled with ice, top up with tonic water and garnish with dried rose buds.
Sustainability cocktail
Imagine sustainability meeting mixology in a bar. In an effort to reduce wastage, bars like Social makes tepache, cordials and bitters with leftover cuts of fruits and vegetables.
SHIMLA MIRCH MARTINI
Recipe
Courtesy: Social (pan India)
Pineapple and ginger tepache
Bell pepper cordial
Mint bitters
Vodka, white rum or gin (any one)
Method
Mix all the ingredients in a mixing glass over ice and serve it in a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with mint sprig and a drop of any cooking oil.
Simple and subtle cocktail
The trend is to keep the ingredients to a minimum, and have a presentation with understated garnishes. It is a trend that follows the popularity of classic cocktails such as the Sazerac and Negroni.
GINGERINO
Recipe
Courtesy: CinCin, Mumbai
Gin: 55ml
Ginger jam: 3 spoons
Fresh lemon juice: 40ml
Fresh lime juice: 20ml
Sugar syrup: 5ml
Rose water spray
Method
Shake all the ingredients and double strain into a glass. Garnish the cocktail with a lemon wedge. Spray some rose water around the rim of the glass for a floral aroma. The ginger jam gives the cocktail a distinct flavour which is both spicy and sweet.
Blue pea extract cocktail
The blue pea flower’s earthy flavour provides a great base for other flavours. Graffiti, a complex but elegant take on a vodka tonic, is an example.
GRAFFITI
Recipe
Courtesy: The Runway Project by PizzaExpress, Mumbai
Blue pea extract: 45ml
Tanqueray gin:15ml
Lime green: 20ml
Tonic water: 60ml
Monin elderflower syrup: 5ml
Sugar syrup: 5ml
Method
Shake the ingredients together, except the tonic water. Double strain the drink over ice into a highball glass. Top it up with tonic water and give it a light stir. Garnish with olive dust and orchid.