A truly great cocktail has many facets above and beyond flavor. The flavor must be balanced and walk the line between sweetness and acidity, bitter and sour, and so on. However, texture, temperature, and dilution all play major roles as well. Jeffrey Morgenthaler believes (and I agree) that to make a great cocktail you must have the right recipe, the right technique, and the right ingredients.

 

There is a correct method for the way a cocktail is shaken or stirred to ensure perfect temperature, texture, and dilution. A cocktail properly shaken for 12 to 15 seconds, should finish between 19 and 23° F, and ideally be diluted 25 to 40%. A cocktail properly stirred for 30 to 45 seconds should finish between 23 and 32° F and ideally be diluted 20 to 25%. Stirred cocktails tend not to be quite as cold or diluted as shaken drinks, but shaking adds texture to a drink in the form of tiny air bubbles. These air bubbles don’t last forever, so it is best to keep shaken drinks small for quick consumption and get them out fast. Because of the textural component, a drink that would normally be shaken tends to fall flat when put on draft and poured directly into a glass or over ice.

 

When deciding whether a cocktail should be shaken or stirred, simply consider the ingredients. Any drink that contains juice, cream, or eggs will be better shaken due to the foaming effect of those ingredients and therefore fall flat when put on draft. Any drink that is composed entirely of spirits, like a Manhattan, Negroni, Martini, or Old Fashioned should be served crystal clear, ice cold and free of ice chips and air bubbles. These types of cocktails are far superior when batched and served on draft.

 

To batch, simply scale up any recipe by ratio (always testing to ensure balance was maintained and adjusting when necessary) and then dilution is all that needs to be calculated. Dave Arnold has a formula for calculating estimated dilution in his book Liquid Intelligence:

 

Dilution ratio for stirred drinks = -1.21 x abv2 + 1.26 x ABV + 0.145

 

A simpler method is to weight a single cocktail before and after stirring to determine how much water was added during the dilution/chilling process. Do this a few times and find the average. Determine the ratio of the water volume in the recipe and scale up with the rest of the recipe by ratio.

 

Any recipe generated by this method, using the right ingredients and dilution ratio can also be used in individual or large bottled/batched cocktails to increase the speed of pickup and throughput. Bear in mind that due to the lower alcohol content of these drinks, refrigeration is important in preserving their integrity.

 

I recommend serving these drinks over a large “rock” (large ice sphere or cube) to achieve the perfect temperature without compromising the dilution ratio. Large rocks have enough surface area to be inefficient for dilution but are perfect for maintaining just the right temperature. Serving “up” is an option as well but this will cause the drink to warm more quickly as it is already starting out slightly above the ideal temperature range of 23 to 32 degrees F, so smaller portion sizes are preferred for this application.

 

Follow these guidelines and any cocktail connoisseur will be thrilled to belly up to your bar for some delicious draft concoctions.

Mike is a Certified Cicerone® beverage expert and all-around restaurant guy. He lives in the Midwest but works all over the country as an Operations and Beverage Consultant for SYNERGY Restaurant Consultants.

We are fortunate to be exposed to a broad range of research and strategic marketing strategies that enable our clients to out maneuver the competition. This year the focus seems to be on the Gen Z’s–the population of those 21 and under who tend to be dreamers, consumers and world saviors. What is fascinating about this generation is that they’re obsessed with all things culinary.

The research is telling us that Generations Z demands WOW food and beverage presentations as a form of indulgence, and they’re are using eye-catching food and beverage offerings and onsite experiences to express their creativity and distinguish themselves from their peers. While Millennials do share this passion for food, the Z’s are taking this trend to the next level.

If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out how to grow top-line food sales you might consider connecting with this overlooked market of obsessed foodies.  Gen Z’s want restaurants to WOW them with new indulgences and over-the-top food presentations to they can share them via social media. They want epic food that they can talk about and with the rise of video-based sharing platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, they now enjoy taking videos of presentations being made tableside.

 

 

If you’re not attracting this generation it’s a huge missed opportunity that could be remedied. Don’t let menu fatigue drive this generation of spenders to your competitors. Don’t forget about Gen Z– they enjoy

Synergy offers affordable menu development and culinary support that can help you raise the bar on your food and beverage strategy.

Do you think the music you hear, aromas you smell and lighting you experience in a restaurant matters? And if so how much does it matter?

I am always surprised that so many restaurant operators don’t appreciate the importance and value in these critical sensory opportunities to improve the overall guest experience.

I am also a big fan of aroma and I love walking into a restaurant and inhaling captivating aromas that warms my heart and bring a smile to my face. I also like great lighting that creates a warm, inviting and comfortable environment that makes me feel welcomed.

While aroma and lighting are critical elements to creating a memorable guest experience I really feel strongly that the music is what creates the vibe and energy of a restaurant. Whether you realize it or not, sound guides our choices every single moment.

Great background music can make or break the dining experience and yet it’s oftentimes overlooked as part of the restaurant design strategy. Your music should always support your brand positioning and be a focus not an after thought.

From my perspective I think the Hillstone Restaurant Group really gets it right. When you’re in any of their dining rooms you will see speakers positioned in the ceiling at every four feet so it’s not blasting. Also the music programming is spot on and supports their brand strategy. They do not allow staff members to share their favorite playlists.

There are numerous interior design strategies that are vital for any successful restaurant regardless of the dining segment. Lighting, seating layout, materials, and colors all combine to deliver a great customer experience to bring a restaurant to life.

Is your restaurant is experiencing softer sales and fatigue? From our perspective a restaurant should get some form of a face-lift every 8-10 years to remain relevant and competitive. If you need some professional help give us a call.

-Dean Small