The techniques and equipments used in molecular gastronomy to create some amazing representation of food are being adopted by mixologists to create very interesting cocktails. Science is being used in bartending to create different textures, new flavours and fantastic presentations making some cocktail experience completely out of the ordinary.

Some molecular mixology courses teach these techniques.

There are myriads of varieties of molecular drinks. You will find cocktail spheres and caviars that explode in the mouth; edible cocktails, multi layered cocktails, cocktails with bubbles and foams, cocktails flavoured with the essence of cigar and leather, paper cocktail, cocktail gums and many more. The imagination and creativity of the molecular mixologists are endless.

Although sophisticated equipment required for molecular mixology is very expensive, a lot can be achieved with more reasonably priced kits which include things from simple blowtorches to vacuum chambers, ISI Whips, cotton candy machines, liquid nitrogen, dehydrators, rotary evaporators etc.

Famous chefs Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adria are credited with being the pioneers of molecular mixology. They were the first to adapt their theories of molecular gastronomy and create molecular cocktails. But it was taken a step further by innovative mixologists like Tony Conigliaro.

Some examples of molecular cocktails are the following:

• Spheres or caviars (Caviar of Cointreau): These little spheres can be added to champagne, margaritas, cosmopolitans and many other traditional drinks to make them more interesting.
• Cocktail gels (Blueberry martini gel): Half spheres of blueberry martini with a blueberry suspended in the centre.
• Edible cocktails (Ramos gin fizz marshmallow): This delicious cocktail was created by Eben Freeman of the Tailor restaurant
• Hot infusion (Siphon cocktail): Lavender, jasmine, galangal and lemon: The dry ingredients are infused in a gin base using the hot infusion siphon and served hot. Great for a cold evening.
• Paper cocktails (Quince sour): Mixologist Freeman created thin paper like sheets using whiskey, quince and lemon.
• Cocktail gums (Whiskey gums): Created by Heston Blumenthal, the whiskey gums are made from different kinds of whiskeys. Gin and tonic and wine gums are also popular
• Cocktail popsicles (Martini popsicles): These are colourful and can be made in any flavour like apple, sour cherry, watermelon
• Frozen nitro cocktails (Caipirinha nitro): This delicious cocktail can be frozen at the table using liquid nitrogen resulting in a high alcohol caipirinha slush
• Cocktail gel filled fruits and vegetables (Gin gel filled cherry tomatoes): Scooped out cherry tomatoes filled with a gel created with gin, Tabasco, Worchester sauce and salt
• Suspension cocktails (White Sangria suspension): Created by Adria, the liquid of the sangria is thicken with Xantham gum so that it can hold the herbs, fruits and spherical caviar in it without them sinking
• Foams, airs and bubbles (Cranberry bubbles cosmo): A classic cosmopolitan topped with cranberry bubbles made by using an air pump
• Cotton candy cocktails (Magic Mojito): A cocktail glass filled with cotton candy onto which the cocktail is poured making it disappear as it dissolves.
• Smoked cocktails (Bacon vodka Bloody Mary): A ‘smoking gun’ is used to infuse cocktails with unusual flavours without the use of heat.

The list goes on.

If you are interested in mastering this technique enroll yourself into Spirit Lab molecular mixology course and help yourself become a pro.