opinionated alchemist

So folks, a lot of time past, since I participated the last time a Mixology Monday. And honestly - even this time, I am impossible late with my contribution. Well - rest assured, it will be an unique one! Let's first of all get to the topic. Craig over at A World of Drinks  is hosting this MxMo - please follow his explanation: For this month’s challenge I would like to take us back to the humble beginnings of the cocktail bar, the days when bartenders didn’t have the luxury of daily deliveries of ingredients from around the world. In these times bartenders would have been uncertain when they would again have the privilege to work with special ingredients so would naturally try to make the most of them… Such methods of preservation such as syrups and preserves have been staple ingredients behind the bar ever since, while others such as shrubs and sherbets were relatively short lived. The aim of the challenge is to go back to the days of the preserve, pick an ingredient, seas...

We talked about the current trends, which will be definitely see a widespread adaption in a lot of bars in the next months and years. But there is one "next thing" which will be definitely interesting, as it is unique. And this time, no Jeffrey Morgenthaler comes up with it before me. I am for the moment fascinated of fermentation. No - not necessary the alcoholic fermentation [via yeast]. But fermentations via more complex microbiological cultures. This is definitely nothing new. We are talking about sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented pickles - and we are talking about kombucha and kefir and well - the original ginger beer. Instead of relying on the mono-culture yeast [I know - there are thousand of different yeast varieties - but usually only one - or maximum very few are used in one brew], these ferments are relying on a symbiosis of yeast, probiotic bacterias [like lacto-bacterias], sometimes even fungus. And it is not a "accidental" process - but these microo...