A technique that creates visually special and artistic cocktails, creating layered cocktails has its secrets… we tell you more here.
Instead of floating…let’s sink. Creating layered cocktails by adding the ingredient at the bottom of a glass instead of floating to the surface will give us a more concentrated taste sip after sip. In other words, not only will we have a visual effect that will catch our attention, but also our palate will enjoy a different experience.
Numerous classic cocktails have adopted this technique, among them the well-known Tequila Sunrise and the Bramble. Both add syrup or viscous liquor at the bottom of the drink. But some bartenders also opt to sink their own preferred ingredient, such as Jelani Johnson of Clover Club in Brooklyn. Johnson sinks a measure of lemon juice instead of syrup for her Black Bolt cocktail.
“As long as it’s not added to the shaker, it won’t integrate with the rest of the drink, and it will settle to the bottom in an indiluted form. As a result, the lemon is brighter and shines more,” Johnson explains of his recipe that comprises heavy, concentrated ingredients.
Every bartender has his or her technique… and so, there are multiple ways to sink that ingredient you’re looking to highlight in your cocktail. Creating layered cocktails by sinking an ingredient also creates other effects, such as the drink transforming as it is consumed.
While bartenders tend to favor this technique in shaken drinks, where aeration offers a slight advantage by allowing the mixture to float above the sunken ingredient, it can also work with stirred drinks. As with any layered cocktail, the weight and viscosity of the sinking ingredient must be taken into account to ensure that it sinks.
Regardless of how the liquid reaches the bottom of the glass, it is a useful tool for delivering small doses of flavor. The key, however, is not to disturb the layers once the drink has settled. “If you sit there with a straw and stir it, it doesn’t do any good,” Johnson says. “You’re better off stirring it.”
Layered cocktail recipe
Recipe The Bramble
60 ml of gin
22.5 ml lemon juice
15 ml simple syrup
7.5 – 15 ml crème de mûre (to taste)
Type of glass: rocks
Garnish: slice of lemon, blackberry
Preparation: add gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with a handful of crushed ice. Shake briefly to aerate and incorporate the ingredients. Then, pour the contents into a rocks glass. Add more crushed ice to the top and splash the crème de mûre over the top. Garnish with the lemon slice and a blackberry.