Master the Art of Cocktail Smoking with Crafted Barware's Ultimate Kit
Cocktail smoking has become a popular trend in mixology, and it creates unique flavor profiles by infusing smoky flavors into drinks.
And nowadays, a home party or business event is only complete with cocktail smoking. However, not all cocktail smokers are the same, and the flavors differ with the different tools used.
At Crafted Barware, we know it all too well. For this reason, we prepared this guide to provide a beginner's approach to cocktail smoking, discussing why you should try it and the tools you need.
What Is Cocktail Smoking?
The Cocktail Smoking technique generally involves introducing smoke into a cocktail glass to infuse the drink with the aromas of wood, herbs, spices, or other botanicals.
The smoke-filled environment serves to amplify the cocktail’s flavors as they interact with the smoky aromas.
As a result, this method brings out more complex and nuanced flavor profiles that can add an extra layer of depth and complexity to any drink.
What Is a Cocktail Smoker?
A cocktail smoker is a device used by mixologists to infuse smoky flavors and cold smoke into a drink.
It consists of a glass dome, a smoking gun, and a metal plate, and it creates smoke to add to a cocktail, adding an aesthetic appeal and an interesting experience for guests.
How To Use a Cocktail Smoker?
You start the process by adding smoldering wood chips into the cocktail smoker and lighting it.
Then, you place the cocktail on the metal plate and seal it with the empty dome lid. The smoking gun is then used to fill the dome with smoke, which penetrates the drink and adds flavor.
The result is a perfectly balanced cocktail with an irresistible depth of flavor that even the most discerning taste buds will appreciate.
The Wood Chips Needed For a Smoking Gun
Other than a complete cocktail smoking kit, you will need to choose the right type of smoking agent for different cocktails.
The wood chips that we use to light the smoking gun come in different varieties, such as:
- Oak
- Hickory
- Mesquite
- Applewood
- Cherry
All of these add a unique flavor profile.
Herbs and spices like rosemary or peppercorns can also be used to provide subtle hints of flavor to drinks and food. In addition, other ingredients such as lavender, rosemary, or sage may be used depending on the desired flavor profile, although they do not always need to be smoked with a gun.
The Tools Needed For Cocktail Smoking
You will need a cocktail smoker kit and a few specialized tools to start creating divine smoked cocktails. The essential equipment for cocktail smoking includes smoking guns, glass domes, and cloches.
As mentioned previously, a smoking gun is a device that uses a battery-powered fan to draw air through burning wood chips or pellets and into your drink or chamber.
This creates a smoky flavor with minimal effort. They are easy to use and do not require any special setup, making them a great choice for beginners.
Glass domes are another essential piece of equipment for cocktail smoking. These bell-shaped glasses act as a chamber for capturing the smoke from the smoking gun before it’s released into your drink.
Finally, special cloches designed specifically for cocktail smoking will elevate the experience even further.
These stainless steel lids fit onto the glass and feature an enclosed compartment where wood chips can be burned safely out of sight while still allowing smoke to escape into the glass below.
Better Results With Cocktail Smoking Kit
Crafted Barware’s “Cocktail Smoking Kit” is the perfect solution for taking cocktail smoking to the next level. The kit includes all of the essential tools mentioned above - a smoking gun, a glass dome, and wood chips - as well as an array of special wood chips and a funnel for easy refilling.
Plus, all of the tools are packaged and stored neatly in a high-quality wooden box, making them easy to take with you on your travels for smoking any cocktail - anywhere.
Using a Glass Cloche For Cocktail Smoking
Our Glass Cloche is the perfect addition to any home bar setup. Its sleek stainless steel lid creates a dramatic effect when placed over drinks, trapping in all of the smoky aromas for an even more intense flavor experience.
The cloche also features an enclosed compartment where you can insert the smoking gun’s lid and safely burn your wood chips without having to worry about any smoke escaping.
How To Smoke Cocktails Step By Step
Here's a step-by-step guide for smoking your own cocktails at home or at your business event.
- Preparing the cocktail Ingredients: Start by gathering and preparing all the ingredients for your desired cocktail. This includes spirits, mixers, bitters, syrups, fruits, and herbs.
- Get your Crafted Barware cocktail kit, with your smoking gun and wood chips, as well as a glass cloche dome so that smoke won't escape during the infusion process.
- Capturing the smoke inside the glass: After igniting the wood chips, quickly place Crafted Barware’s Glass Cloche over the top of your glass – this will help trap all those delicious aromas while infusing them right into the cocktail!
- Allowing the drink to infuse with the smoke: Depending on the cocktail and how strong you want the aroma profile to be – this could take anywhere between 2 and 4 minutes before removing the cloche from the glass.
- Removing the cloche and serving the cocktail: After allowing flavors from the smoky agent infused with the cocktail, it is now time to remove the dome slowly to add to the drinker’s experience. Enjoy!
The Best Smoked Cocktails To Try
Cocktail smoking is an art form that can take any drink to the next level and with the best cocktail smokers, a few drinks become simply must-try.
Certain types of spirits pair better with smoked cocktails than others. For example, whiskey has a natural affinity for smoke because of its caramel notes. The best-smoked cocktails you can try are:
- Negroni
- Margarita
- Manhattan
- Old Fashioned
- Rum and Smoke
Once you've chosen the spirit for your cocktail, it's time to consider what type of smoking wood will best enhance its flavor profile.
Different woods impart different notes into your drink; hickory adds sweet and smoky notes, white oak has a bolder smokiness, and cherry is light and fruity.
As you experiment with different combinations, keep in mind that some woods might overpower lighter drinks, while others might be too subtle for heavier drinks.
