The Easiest Way to Make a Cocktail Without a Bar Spoon
Cocktails have gone out of fashion with flaming garnishes and steaming caps, but you can still explore the world of fancy drinks at home without any special equipment. Take, for example, a float. Simple yet elegant and obviously requiring some know-how, adding a float or layers to your libations is often done with a special tool called a bar spoon. Luckily for the rest of us ordinary people with a spoon, we can achieve the same effect with a simple pouring technique.
Additional liquids of different densities and colors are poured into the same glass to create a striking visual effect. If done correctly, the layers will not blend. The finished drink will have certain lines that make each addition stand out. The float, which takes the form of a thin layer on top of the drink, uses the same technique. This creates a dramatic presentation, and the drinker can enjoy mixing everything together before enjoying.
The bar spoon reminds me of the spoons that go with ice cream ice cream served in a tall glass – long and narrow. The handle is thin, curved, about 12 inches long. The bowl of the spoon is only about an inch in diameter. Sometimes he will even have a slob on the back end. The shape of the spoon captures the liquid in a sinuous path and spreads it gently over the surface of the drink, as opposed to plunging in a straight stream under the surface of the first pour. The swirl of the handle slows down the destructive effect of the jet, and the bowl distributes it, preventing mixing of liquids.
While regular teaspoons in your silverware drawer don’t have a twist-on handle, the bowl of the spoon will be enough to gently spread the liquid so the layers don’t mix. All you need to do is turn the spoon over so that the concave side of the cup is facing down and keep the spoon close to the surface of the previous layer of liquid so that it is barely touching. This is easier to do in a rocks glass or as a float in any other glass, as you want the spoon to be more parallel to the surface rather than tilted at a steep angle. If your angle sucks, try to get as close to the liquid as possible and press the spoon against the side of the glass. The wall will act as a second buffer to prevent mixing of the drink.
Ingredients I love for Dark and Stormy
Pour the layering liquid directly onto the rounded back of the spoon. I prepared my favorite layered drink Dark and Stormy, which you can see in the photo. Ginger beer is the main ingredient and dark rum is placed on top. The spoon has an umbrella effect and the rum runs off the edges.
The tricky part is finding the right angle for the spoon so that you stop the flow and the liquor doesn’t drip from the back of your neck. Unfortunately, I lost some rum.
Try this technique with layered drinks like Tom Collins Pineapple Passion Fruit , B-52 Cocktail , New York Sour , or if you’re a beer lover, try Black and Tan . Please note that the floating liquid cannot be heavier or denser than the previous one, otherwise the layer will not hold, no matter which spoon you use. Before experimenting with new creations, stick to proven recipes until you master them.