10. The Daiquiri: The Balance

Online School of Cocktailory

For drinking #alonetogether

Section 103: The Daiquiri (and other sours)

Fresh squeezed fruit. Not always available to pirates, but usually in stock at ye ol’ grocer.

Since each piece of fruit you buy can vary significantly from sweet to sour, bitter or tart, the proportions you use and how much sweetener you add will vary a little for each drink as well. (oh darn, taste testing again) The flavor of juice will also change if you’re using a citrus hand press, which extracts the sweet/tart juice, vs. using a conical hand juicer, which adds more of the bitter pith from under the peel. Some fruits have more or less pith, so the juicing method is less important for a satsuma, but you’ll want to avoid it for pomelos and grapefruits. The more bitter fruits are also typically mixed with another mild fruit juice so the bitter fruit doesn’t feel like it’s fighting with the alcohol in your cocktail like cranky pirates. Remember the goal here is balance where everything’s calm and nobody’s fighting.

This week’s experiment is to use the same white rum in each of 3 cocktails again, but vary the juice/syrup proportions to find your favorite. You’ll want to prep your ingredients first so your chilled cups don’t get warm while they’re waiting for you. Start by juicing your limes to measure 2.5 oz. juice in one container, and then make 2 oz. of simple syrup in another. Whisk 2 fluid oz. of filtered water (aka 60 grams on a gram scale) with 1/3 cup of white table sugar (aka 60 grams on a gram scale) until the sugar dissolves. Ok now you’re ready.

-A Classic Daiquiri-

is 2oz. white rum, 3/4 oz. lime juice, and 3/4 oz. simple syrup shaken and strained into a chilled coupe with a lime wedge garnish. No 7-11 slurpy machines required. You can skip the garnishes this week since they’re not really vital to the experiment.

-A Less Sweet Daiquiri-

2oz. white rum, 3/4 oz. lime juice, and 1/2 oz. simple syrup shaken and strained into a chilled coupe.

-Daiquiri with More Juicey Flaverz!-

2oz. white rum, 1 oz. lime juice, and 3/4 oz. simple syrup shaken and strained into a chilled coupe.

You can always try this experiment again with different fruits to see how each balances with more or less syrup too. (cocktail recipes from pg. 119 of the Cocktail Codex)

*Virgin Bonus Round*

Try the recipes above but sub 6oz. of plain seltzer water in lieu of the rum and add a pinch of salt (and stir ingredients on ice. Please don’t shake a bunch of soda everywhere and blame me for your mess) Voila, you just made your own San Pellegrino! Now you can adjust the sweetener, sub with stevia, or swap the juices at will to make your personalized favorite recipe whenever you want!

Bon Appétit