Cocktails Undergoing a Metamorphosis

With the use of modern equipment and tools as well as the availability of quality ingredients, the cocktail scenario in India is going through a transformation like never before. Yangdup Lama, Co-Founder, Sidecar, Cocktails & Dreams, Speakeasy, takes a look at what is happening in the high-end bars where patrons are being fussed over with new flavours and styles.

The mixology world is like an open blue sky. Here one can go the traditional way of fermentation and pickling in flavour extraction and preservation or use all sorts of modern techniques like distillation and sous vide to derive flavours either to use them directly into the cocktails or in a subtle way. “Technology does play a very important role in doing so because of the quality that it gives in terms of texture, smoothness, clarity and cleanliness. It is absolutely wonderful that these days this is a never-ending game and bartenders and mixologists are pushing boundaries in every sense of it from being innovative and unique in the creations,” asserts Yangdup Lama.

Redefining the Balance

Minimalistic cocktails are the way ahead because they give a clear definition to the drink. The moment it is less, there is clarity in what the drink stands for in terms of its serve and its flavour profile, and hence when it is minimalistic it is surely about quality ingredients, quality techniques and quality serves. There has also been a clear shift from the classic cocktails to the curated ones. “However, classics cannot go out of fashion but they keep revisiting in a different avatar because of their strong foundation and the fact that they have stood the test of times,” says Yangdup. Curated cocktails take inspiration from the classics but bring about an absolutely refreshing experience to the modern-day cocktails with innovation, storytelling and presentation. Meanwhile, fat washing is contributing to the cocktail segment in a big way, helping enhance the savoury f lavours in cocktails. Yangdup explains that the enhancement of the flavour depends upon the understanding of the mixologist as regards what intensity he or she wants of the ingredient into the drink. “Fat washing is purely about extracting flavours from fatty or oily ingredients by simply infusing for a while and then freezing to separate the fat while retaining the flavours of the fat into the spirit. The enhancement of the f lavour depends upon the understanding of the mixologist about what intensity he/she wants of the ingredient into the drink,” Yangdup elaborates. He thinks some bartenders and mixologists indulge in fat-washing out of understanding while many may do it because it gives them a feeling of being in tune with the trend of the present times. Similar is the case with savoury drinks and the concept of umami bombs which have changed the traditional cocktail experience. “I wouldn’t say that it has really changed the traditional cocktails but has given another extension of going beyond sweet, bitter and citrus. It only adds a different complexity to the modern day cocktail and allows bartenders and mixologists to experiment further and create something that is full-bodied yet unassuming,” Yangdup emphasises. He believes “Balance is the real thing in cocktail mixing and it purely comes from practice, practice and practice and doing it as mindfully as possible.”

The Path Forward

Yangdup feels innovations and techniques surely define the future of the bar but a lot depends on how well they are being used by the concerned people and their understanding of the process. Bars in India, he says, are coming of age and we don’t seem to be far behind in implementing and mastering this art. Yangdup believes cost does have its implications because it is about investment on quality gadgets and ingredients. Yet, the high-end bars are taking the leap, placing their faith in the way things are moving and churning. Speaking of new and unusual ingredients that are used in creating innovative cocktails, Yangdup says that he personally likes to use edible camphor which is “nice and fun.” And among the bars that are forging new journeys, Home Bar, Lair, Bar Spirit Forward, Soka and Ekaa are the ones that Yangdup counts as among his favourites.