Damien mixes: "Bittersweet Symphony" with Coconut

© Damien Guichard

Damien Guichard shows us with the new Community Cocktail how to get the best out of coconut and that coconut can do much more than just Piña Colada. 

 

If you like Piña Coladas... No - coconut doesn't necessarily have to relate to Piña Coladas (although they are delicious). 

Coconut: not an easy flavour

Coconut is a tricky flavour to impart into cocktails. The biggest challenge is the fact that what we commonly know as coconut aroma is generally synthetically produced for industrial purposes and any derived coconut flavoured product simply hasn’t seen a coconut in its entire life.

Use of organic coconut oil

As you know by now, I am a big fan of fat washes. That technique was made popular by Don Lee at PDT in 2008 with his world-famous Benton’s Old Fashioned where he mixed Blenton’s bacon fat with bourbon, let it sit in the freezer until it reached a solid form again and strained it to get rid of fat residue. This technique is one that I’m fond of using for four reasons:

1. It imparts flavour very efficiently.

2. The mouthfeel is incredible.

3. The yield is extremely efficient (basically 100%).

4. The result is completely clear. 

 

In the case of coconut oil, you’re dealing with a product that has a solid form at room temperature. You want it liquid as the more surface tension you get, the better it will infuse. So, first things first, place your coconut oil jar in a pot with hot water to get it to melt. Once that’s done, mix 15 percent of coconut oil to spirit ratio. I find that using too much of the oil counteracts the intended effect to add flavour. You would be left with too much oil and little aroma - which is a big no go.

 

Once you have mixed your coconut oil with your spirit, let it sit for a few hours at room temperature before you place it in a freezer overnight - the oil will freeze again which will allow you to separate the fat content from the liquid while keeping the amazing fragrant aroma of coconut. Take it out of the freezer and filter it through a coffee filter et voilà! You now have coconut spirit! 

Now let’s get mixing:

For this month I will be a making a fresh and light highball using coconut oil washed gin and a new product by Empirical Spirit from our country of honour Denmark called ‘Symphony 6’ that just begged to be enjoyed on a hot summer day. It’s citrusy, aromatic and malty and works wonders in this cocktail.

 

Bittersweet Symphony

·        20ml Coconut Gin

·        15ml Clarified Citrus Cordial

·        10ml Symphony 6

·        5ml Raspberry Eau de Vie

·        1bsp Adriatico Roasted Amaretto

·        1bsp 1:1 Simple Syrup

·        1 drop 20% Saline

 

Just top up with soda and garnish with a grapefruit peel - Cheers!