From time to time, a mixologist has the honor, no the pleasure of organizing a tasting or developing a drink for the beverage industry. The following is a 5 cocktail tasting we recently had for an employee incentive dinner for Ketel One. I am going to list them as they appeared on the menu (pretty much) and then give a small commentary on each one, to explain aesthetics and whatnot.
I wanted to highlight the craft behind my particular brand of mixology, so Ketel and Ketel Citron are the only ingredients that are found behind the bar. The rest comes from the kitchen and uses culinary techniques. To me, the two are interchangeable. There are molecular techniques, but only those that are practicable serving 30 portions at a time. I lessened the impact on the bar by premixing all ingredients except sodas (they will die.) We portioned by ladle. It went surprisingly smooth...
'Strawberry Basil'
Ketel One Citron, Strawberries, Sweet and Sour Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar, Aloe Vera Juice
A perfect segway into the meal. They toasted Veuve initially. Champagne and strawberries, is there no better???
Pro: The second biggest fave of the night
Con: I added a splash of soda at the end, concerned about texture. I think a little water to the mix would have given us a better texture.
'Bloody Dirty'
Ketel One, Bruschetta Consomme', Olive Caviar
Worked exceptionally well with one salad, but not the other...
Pro: The caviar (sorry Ethan, you're gonna kill me!) was from macerated tapioca pearls. They worked great! We drained them and macerated them for the last 2 hours in soy sauce, for coloring and nuance.
Con: The least fave of the night. Dirty martini appreciation is definitely an acquired taste.
'Deconstructed Martini'
Super- chilled Ketel One, Bouquet- Garni (Sage, Rosemary, Sichuan Peppercorns)
This drink had a table-side application. Ice was formed around the bottle (Pepin,) and then it was placed atop a plateau of dry ice. We added hot water to the moat around the ice, making it smoke. The guest was asked to bruise the aromatics in the bag and then to enjoy their vodka in the fashion of the old world... on steroids.
Pro: They really enjoyed the play on senses. Using the sense of smell as a sense of taste is a great exercise in gastronomy, methinks.
Con: A few of them, knowing what 'bouquet garnis' means in the culinary world, dipped their satchels in the vodka. A better term should be found...
'Smoked Collins'
Ketel One Citron, Smoked Stone- Fruit and Clementines, Thompson Grapes, Mango Nectar, Soda
We showed them smoke, now let them taste smoke! This was an extrapolation of a concept we learned from Jason Crawley, an Australian mixologist recently. Evidently, they developed a whole line of BBQ cocktails that relied upon grilled fruits.This was a new technique. We have shown them smoke, now let them taste it!
Pro: The host was most intrigued by this application.
Con: I didn't explain this drink to the party, unlike all the other drinks, and this was the most challenging of the group. They were having so much fun, I didn't want to interrupt. When I should have. It was also undersweetened...
'Root Beer Exploration'
Ketel One, Espresso, Basil, Root Beer Syrup, Soda, Orange Vapor
This was a continuation of the idea of using non- traditional sodas in cocktails. By turning the soda into a simple syrup, we can now build on the base flavor. They also store for a longer period, and use less space. We built upon these flavors by adding high- notes and low- notes.
Pro: The crowd fave of the night
Con: None. I was truly happy with this one. A perfect aperitif that was enjoyed by all...
If you would like more detailed instructions, PM me...