How to Make Fluffy, Frothy Cocktails Without Eggs

From Whiskey Sours and Pisco Sours to fluffy Ramos Gin Fizzes, numerous cocktails call for whole eggs, yolks, or just egg whites. Yet, as egg prices ratchet higher, bar pros are discovering creative egg alternatives that still add desirable richness and light texture.

While these options may help those who seek substitutions due to scarcity or higher prices, they’re also worth a look to vegans and others who want to cut back on egg consumption. The options that these bartenders have fashioned often could be faster or better ways to emulsify drinks, with less mess or waste.

Related: 12 Fluffy, Foamy Egg White Cocktails That Look As Good As They Taste

Aquafaba

The leftover brine from a can of chickpeas is often the secret weapon to make vegan-approved drinks. It can be shaken to a frothy consistency that approximates egg whites, and can add “a beautiful creaminess” to a drink, says Ryan Garrison, head bartender at Brooklyn’s Bitter Monk.

Garrison claims that there’s a bonus: “It’s also a sustainable practice to use this leftover product from the chickpeas in the kitchen, costing us nothing.”

That said, “it doesn’t work for everything,” he says. “Aquafaba has a strong aroma and slight taste,” so it works best in a drink that has a strong flavor profile. For example, Bitter Monk showcases it in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, made with four different amari and finished with a sprig of smoked rosemary.

Ms. Better's Bitters Miraculous Foamer

Cited by several pros, each four-ounce blue bottle claims that it holds the equivalent of 400 egg whites. The ingredient list includes alcohol (40% ABV), natural flavor extract, botanical extracts, and herbs.

Danielle Peters, bar director for San Francisco’s Che Fico, says it’s “my hands-down favorite egg alternative,” because it’s plant-based, shelf-stable, and “doesn’t impart any unsavory aromas.” When she wants a make a drink a little creamier, she adds a teaspoon of whole milk powder.

Will Patton, co-owner and managing partner of Press Club in Washington, D.C., says Ms. Better’s Foamer is cheaper when compared to fluctuating egg prices, “but also has better consistency and versatility.” He uses it to fluff up a Lychee Martini variation, but he cautions that “using too much can make the cocktail’s texture too fluffy.”

Fee Foam

Better known as a purveyor of bitters, Fee Brothers also makes Fee Foam. Alexander Sieck, bar manager at Sous Terre in Raleigh, North Carolina, says he uses the foam “to enhance the mouthfeel” of a Daiquiri made with fresh raspberries, yuzu and a blend of rums. “It coats the mouth and feels luxurious,” he says. It works harmoniously with the pectin in fresh fruit to “really froth up.”

Sieck also appreciates that the product is simple to use, is readily available, and doesn’t require a “dry shake” without ice. A dry shake is used to emulsify an egg drink, before a secondary “wet shake” with ice chills the drink.

“You don’t get quite as dense a head as with an egg, but it adds visual and textural interest,” says Sieck. “And the texture doesn’t die. It holds well.”

Active ingredients include propylene glycol, polysorbate 80, and potassium sorbate. Here’s a full ingredient list.

Hydrocolloids

Some pros employ science to create a better foam. They will use hydrocolloids like agar agar, xanthan gum or gum arabic, gelatin, and methylcellulose. These thickening and gelling agents are utilized commonly in molecular mixology and gastronomy.

Super foam and super syrup, popularized by Slovenian bartender Kevin Kos, are go-to options for many pros. (Modernist Pantry is a good option for finding these ingredients for home use.)

It’s not the most accessible option, but it has the most neutral aroma and flavor, and it can be tweaked to suit a specific drink. At French bistro Pasjoli in Santa Monica, California, bartender Matthew Brodbine modifies the super syrup template with caramelized honey and ginger syrup to froth a white rum-based sour.

Heavy cream

Heavy cream is not a vegan option, but it can be a satisfyingly rich, home-friendly alternative to eggs.

For an Espresso Martini riff at Brooklyn’s Mesiba, head bartender Sebastian Corredor swaps out an egg yolk-enriched foam topper, similar to the foamy collar floated over an Irish Coffee. “By hand-whipping the heavy cream with condensed milk, we find a new blend of sweetness and frothy cream that seamlessly sits above the cocktail and now has a smooth, velvety texture,” he says.

What’s in your bar or kitchen?

Certain common bar products will provide a great foamy top to cocktails without the need for special ingredients, says Ryan Ota, beverage director of Eos & Nyx in San Jose, California. “Cold brew/espresso, pineapple juice, and amari all do a great job of creating a creamy texture,” he says. “If used in combination with each other, the results can be a better foam collar than even egg white can produce.”

Read the original article on Food & Wine