How to use a cocktail smoker

As cocktail culture continues to grow and more bartenders look for ways to create an exciting experience for customers, a cocktail smoker kit with torch has become an increasingly popular technique. In this comprehensive 1900 word guide, I'll walk you through everything you need to know to use a cocktail smoking kit and add a touch of drama to your drink recipes.

The Rising Popularity of Cocktail Smoking

Over the past decade, as mixology has evolved into a sophisticated craft, smoking cocktails have gone from an avant-garde molecular gastronomy technique to a mainstream trend found in craft cocktail bars across the world. Food and drink trends often start in cutting-edge restaurants and bars, then trickle down to the mass market over time. Such has been the case with cocktail smoking. Early pioneers like Grant Achatz and Dave Arnold were some of the first to experiment with tableside drink smoking at their restaurants. This novel technique dazzled diners and allowed them to perceive the aromas of smoke interplaying with the flavors of the cocktails.

As the equipment became more affordable and accessible, more bars adopted the practice of smoke-infusing old fashioneds, Manhattans, bloody marys and other spirit-forward drinks as part of their repertoire. Handheld smoking guns that could be purchased for $100 or less allowed bartenders to start experimenting with smoking at neighborhood bars, not just high-end cocktail lounges. Following in the footsteps of these early adopters, smoke-infusion is now common at craft cocktail bars in most major cities. Whiskey wood smoker has been featured in publications like Imbibe Magazine and The New York Times, reflecting its popularity and intrigue. Whether they are looking to add new layers of flavor or just put on a show for guests, many mixologists now keep a smoking gun on hand for preparing select smoked cocktails.

What Does Cocktail Smoking Add to the Experience?

So what exactly does smoke bring to a cocktail? And why has this trend taken off? Cocktail smoking provides several advantages:

It allows bartenders to rapidly infuse drinks with smoky flavors like hickory, applewood and mesquite. This adds a nuanced, barbecue-smoke taste profile to cocktails without needing to fat-wash spirits over several days. The smoke flavors intermingle with the tasting notes of the bourbon, scotch or mezcal in the drink.

The smoking process introduces compelling aromas that enhance the overall sensory experience. Customers perceive the evocative smell of the wood smoke as they sip, which builds anticipation and excitement.

The visual drama of seeing billowing smoke cascade over the top of a cocktail or get trapped under an overturned glass is visually arresting. This modernist presentation captures customers' attention and makes the drink more Instagrammable and shareable on social media.

Smoking a drink tableside adds a flair of molecular gastronomy, food science and chef-like showmanship to the bar experience. Bartenders demonstrate cocktail artistry with this technical technique that diners can observe.

The nostalgic scent of the wood smoke can remind imbibers of sitting around a campfire or a cozy fireplace. This adds a feeling of hygge and comfort to balance a sophisticated cocktail program.

In summary, smoke adds theater, aroma, flavor and visual beauty to cocktails for a multi-sensory drinking experience. Let's now look at the essential gear you need to start smoking cocktails at home.

Gearing Up: The Cocktail Smoker Kit

To infuse drinks with smoke yourself, the essential tool is an affordable wood whiskey smoker. Most all-inclusive kits contain the following components:

A handheld smoking gun. This wand-like device has a chamber to hold wood smoking chips, a tube, and a pump lever to blow smoke out the end of the tube. Quality stainless steel models allow you to carefully control the amount of smoke produced.

Various flavors of wood chips. Popular options are hickory, applewood, mesquite, tea leaves, and sometimes botanicals like rosemary or lavender. Different woods provide distinct smoke flavors.

A butane torch lighter. This provides the flame needed to ignite the wood chips and produce smoke. Long nose torch lighters work best.

Metal tongs. These help you handle the hot smoking chamber of the gun.

A protective carrying case. This is used to store all the pieces neatly in one portable package.

Detailed instructions. Quality kits include an informational booklet or card with tips on usage and cleaning.

Popular smoker kits like the Spextreme SPR-15 and the Smoking Gun Pro usually cost $60-100 depending on the number of accessories included. This provides an affordable all-in-one toolkit for home bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts ready to try their hand at smoke infusion. The smoking gun design makes the process easy and foolproof.

Mastering the Cocktail Smoking Technique

Learning to use a cocktail smoking kit proficiently involves practicing a bit. Here are the basic steps professional bartenders follow to smoke drinks:

Chill your glasses. Serving drinks in icy cold glassware keeps the smoke from dissipating too quickly when you add the cocktail.

Load the smoking chips into the chamber of the gun. You want about 1 tablespoon of material. Wood chips work best when finely ground.

Ignite the smoking gun by holding the butane torch flame under the nozzle for 30-60 seconds until the chips ignite and produce thick smoke.

Insert the smoking tube into your mixing glass or vessel, then invert it and cover with a cloche, snifter or Mason jar to trap the smoke inside.

Pump the bellows steadily for 30-45 seconds to fill the vessel with wisps of smoke.

Remove the tube and carefully pour your cocktail into the smoke-filled container. Stir gently to infuse.

Serve immediately before the smoke dissipates. Garnish your smoked cocktail with citrus peels, herbs or edible flowers.

When you remove the glass cloche, the captive smoke billows out providing drama and flair. The key is to serve the cocktail fast so the drink absorbs the smoke's aromas and flavors. It may take some practice to achieve the right timing and motion. Whiskey smoker kits works best with spirit-forward drinks in a chilled glass.

Inventive Cocktail Recipes to Smoke at Home

Once you have mastered the smoking process, it's time to dream up your own signature smoked cocktail recipes. Here are a few suggestions to get started:

Smoked Maple Old Fashioned - Infuse bourbon or rye with hickory smoke and use smoked maple syrup instead of plain sugar.

Smoked Paloma - Use your smoking gun to infuse mezcal and grapefruit juice before combining in a salt-rimmed glass.

Smoked Bloody Mary - For a nice twist, smoke your tomato juice with applewood chips before making Bloody Marys.

Smoked Negroni - Perform an absinthe rinse in the glass, then fill with smoke to create a Green Smoked Negroni.

Smoked White Russian - Lightly smoke vodka and coffee liqueur before blending with cream for an inventive White Russian.

Smoked Rosemary Gimlet - For an herbal twist, smoke gin with fresh rosemary sprigs and shake with lime juice.

The possibilities are virtually endless for crafting unique smoked cocktails. You can riff on time-tested recipes by substituting smoked syrups or smoking certain components like citrus juice or ginger beer. Let your creativity run wild!

Purchase a Cocktail Smoking Kit Today!

Now that you understand the concepts and techniques behind smoking cocktails, it's time to buy your own smoker kit online. Prices typically run from $60-120 depending on the specific accessories included. Top-rated brands are Smoking Gun and Spextreme. Investing in one of these kits can elevate your home mixology program and allow you to wow and entertain guests with smoky cocktail demonstrations.

For purchasing inquiries about bulk orders of high-quality smoked whiskey cocktail kits, please contact sherry@zyxwoodencraft.com to discuss pricing and wholesale opportunities. ZYX Woodencraft is a leading manufacturer of bespoke smoking guns designed especially for busy bars and restaurants.

References

1. https://www.cocktailchemistrylab.com/home/how-to-make-smoked-cocktails

2. https://www.foodandwine.com/drinks/how-to-make-smoked-cocktails

3. https://www.liquor.com/articles/smoke-liquor-mixology-without-a-ton-of-effort/#:~:text=To%20add%20smoke%20to%20a,on%20fire%20for%203%20seconds.