Top Level Cocktail Foam & Air Recipes
Introducing cocktail foam or airs can elevate the visual appeal and taste of your cocktails for guests. They are also great techniques to show off your advanced skills and creativity.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
FOAMS vs AIRS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Foam and airs each play a role in creating an innovative finish to your cocktails, however, there is a lot that sets them apart. A key difference between foams and airs is that a foam will have a denser, creamier consistency similar to frothed milk, while an air will be similar to the bubbles created like soap in a bathtub. The size of the bubble depends on the stabiliser that you are using, as well as the equipment used to incorporate air into it.
A cocktail foam will have a thicker layer that holds it shape for longer, adding visual appeal and volume. It also enhances the texture and mouthfeel of the drink, bringing a luxurious and layered drinking experience. Cocktails like whisky sours or espresso martinis lend themselves well to foam.
When it comes to cocktail airs, the consistency is much lighter and delicate, lasting for a shorter time on the drink. It primarily acts as another layer of aroma for the drink, drawing out distinctive flavours.
Our Master Cocktail Foam and Cocktail Air 101 articles provide more information and a step by step guide for creating cocktail foam and airs. In this article we're going to focus on how you can take these techniques further by adding flavour and decoration, including some inspiring recipes to try out.
EXPERIMENT WITH FLAVOURS
Choosing either similar or contrasting flavours in foam or air cocktails is a great way to make your serve stand out and elevate the guest experience. You can opt to balance flavours that harmonise naturally or introduce contrasting elements to create a unique and unexpected taste journey for guests.
HARMONIC FLAVOURS
Harmonic flavours are representative of flavour pairings that naturally work well together. Whether it’s a citrus foam on a gin cocktail or coconut foam on a Piña Colada, these are flavours that naturally come together, enhancing the overall cocktail experience.
A good recipe example would be topping off this Bloody Mary recipe with the Tomato Air recipe below. This adaption will draw out the savoury and umami flavours from the cocktail's base ingredients, while also making it more appealing to guests.
TOMATO AIR RECIPE
Ingredients
- 475ml tomato juice
- 5g soy lecithin
Method
- Juice the fresh tomatoes and let sit in a chinois with a coffee filter.
- Collect the clarified liquid and combine its total weight with 1% of soy lecithin (5g).
- Combine with an immersion blender.
- Use an aerator or frother to produce stable bubbles.
- Gently scoop out the bubbles out and place them on your drink - a julep strainer works great for this.
Quick Tip: Treat your foam or air as a cocktail in itself. A well-balanced foam or air will be the first thing your guest tastes before they get to the liquid, so getting the flavours spot on is key to making sure it adds to your creation rather than detract from it.
CONTRASTING FLAVOURS
Contrasting flavours in foam or air cocktails is a way to really set your serve apart.
It can transform a drink from ordinary to extraordinary by creating a dynamic taste that is unexpected yet welcomed by guests. By layering contrasting elements, you can craft serves that not only stand out visually but also showcase complexity and depth.
Take for instance this delicious Broken Land Sour recipe, topped with a prosecco air. The citrus notes in the sour are beautifully contrasted with the sweetness of the prosecco.
Prosecco Air Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 oz Prosecco
- 0.25 oz Rich Syrup (2:1)
- 1.5 oz Verjus
- 2g Soy Lecithin
Method
- Combine all ingredients in a round container.
- Whisk together using an immersion blender until fully combined.
- Turn on an aerator and place the air stone into the foaming liquid.
- The pumping air will produce more ‘soapy’ air bubbles which can be scooped and placed on top of the drink.
- Gently scoop out and place them on your drink - a julep strainer works great for this.
The two together can balance each other out and create a cocktail that can play with the sense of your guest’s palette.
COCKTAIL FOAM & AIR ART: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Design and create some impressive cockail art to take pride of place at the top of your foam or air cocktail creation, bringing added excitement to your serve.
You’ll need the following to get started:
- Blank stencil material
- A sharp X-ACTO
- A craft knife
- An atomizer spray containing bitters
1. GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR DESIGN
Firstly, decide on the design of your foam art. Try to avoid fine detail and keep logos or letters solid enough to be legible. You could maybe incorporate your bar’s logo, a cultural moment or simply opt for a more straightforward pattern or symbol. Depending on complexity, you can either design by hand or use a computer.
2. CREATE YOUR STENCIL
First measure the diameter of your serving glass and cut a section of your blank stencil material so it’s large enough to cover the top of the glass. You can then print your design onto standard paper, tape your stencil on top and then trace your design before cutting it out using a cutting matte and sharp knife.
3. SPRAY
To finish your foam art, simply place your stencil on top of your glass, making sure the stencil doesn’t touch the foam. Then add some bitters (or another contrasting fluid) to an atomiser and carefully spray over your stencil before removing.
QUICK TIP: Don’t have time to make a stencil? Why not use a pipette or dropper to drop bitters onto the foam and then use a toothpick to swirl in your pattern or design.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Use contrasting flavours in your foam or air to make a more interesting and unique cocktail.
- Decorative cocktail foam adds a touch of flair to your serve’s appearance that can tantalise your guests.
- Cocktail foam makes an excellent blank canvas to allow bartenders to get creative and let the appearance of the drink to stand out.
- Use a simple stencil and atomiser spray with some bitters or add your design with a dropper and style with a toothpick.