Latest news with #IndiaBartenderWeek
Mint
15-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Understanding the science of sweetness in cocktails
With the rise in popularity of negronis, picantes and martinis in India, Indian bartenders are veering away from drinks that rely on sweetness as a flavour, even if they are fruit-derived. Once popular classics such as mojitos, caipiroskas and mai tais are rarely seen on drinks menus. 'This shift often stems from a growing focus on health and wellness. It's also part of a broader preference for more spirit-forward, bitter, or sour profiles that feel sophisticated. However, sweetness isn't going anywhere — it is essential," explains Vikram Achanta, founder & CEO of Tulleeho, and co-founder of 30 Best Bars India and India Bartender Week. Sweetness is the unsung hero that brings balance and harmony to a drink. It is essential for achieving the perfect balance in cocktails. 'You need to account for both perceived sweetness and actual sugar content, especially as consumers are now more aware of glycemic impact and dietary choices," explains Vaishali Mehta, co-founder, Swa Artisanal Syrups. There are technicalities integral to the composition of a drink—sugars (from sucrose or fructose) add structure to the drink, round off sharpness of other tastes such as acidity (often citric or malic acid), bitterness (from ingredients like quinine or herbal extracts), or alcohol burn—and provide a smooth mouthfeel and texture. 'When it's done right, you don't even notice the sweetness; you just notice the drink feels complete," says Manoj Padmanaban, co-founder of The Pandan Club in Chennai. The key to a well-balanced cocktail lies in getting the ratio of sweetener, citrus, and spirit just right. It is hard to imagine a classic mojito without the balance of sweet and sour. 'However, balance isn't just about ingredients; the technique used to build the cocktail also plays a significant part," adds Shelton Fernandes, beverage head at PCO, Mumbai. Whether a drink is stirred, shaken, or thrown, affects its dilution, temperature and texture. For instance, shaking introduces more dilution and aeration, while stirring results in a smoother, more spirit-forward drink. The common assumption and misconception with cocktails are that fruity means sweet, but fruits apart from fructose also come with acidity, tannins, or bitterness. 'Sometimes, a fruit might taste sweet on its own, but needs support from a syrup to round off the cocktail. It's about understanding the whole profile, not just the sugar content," says Mayur Marne, partner and head mixologist at Cobbler & Crew in Pune. Take a fresh guava or watermelon-based cocktail; it tastes sweet at first sip, but it also has acidity and astringency. To balance this, Marne usually adds a touch of honey, which softens the acidity and enhances the tropical roundness. The only way to address the challenge of balance is, like in the kitchens, to taste the drink as you go and evaluate the natural sugar and acidity levels of the fruits in use. Many bars have also taken to creating their own cordials, syrups and shrubs in the effort to gain more flexibility, and a tailored approach to balancing sweetness in relation to other ingredients, and help capture the intended character of the drink. 'It ultimately allows for more precise, balanced, and distinctive cocktails," Akshay Singh, head mixologist at Siren, Bengaluru. Bengaluru-based Swa uses heat from bird's eye chilli and nutty richness of salted pistachios to help enhance their syrups, making them flavour-building tools that give beverage professionals control while catering to today's health-conscious, ingredient-forward consumers. Sweetness can be adjusted to allow experimentation with acidity, and layer in complex flavours from herbs, spices, or aromatics. Swa also boasts eight times more fruit pulp than conventional alternatives, and 65% less added sucrose, helping maintain flavour integrity without over-sweetening the final drink. There are others, who are successfully integrating alternative sweeteners, in their beverages. Popular alternatives include honey water, jaggery reductions, agave syrup, maple syrup, muscovado, demerara, and pomegranate molasses. There are also isomalt or stevia blends. These also come with their distinctive flavour profile and Brix level (the concentration of sugar). Honey water adds a subtle floral or earthy depth depending on the variety, while maple syrup brings rich, caramelised notes and a beautiful body, and jaggery adds earthy, caramel tones. Agave nectar has also gained preference amongst bartenders because, despite being sweeter than sugar, it is easier on blood sugar levels. Choosing the right sweetener is just as important as knowing how much to use. The goal is to complement the other elements of the drink without overpowering them. Padmanaban compares sweeteners to spices, 'too much, and they hijack the dish." Sweeteners, traditional or alternative, should amplify the drink, not overpower it. Most importantly, without it, your favourite cocktail will appear flat or overly sharp. Sayoni Bhaduri is a lifestyle journalist based in Mumbai.
NDTV
17-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
World Whisky Day 2025: Experts Decode Why Whisky Will Never Lose Its Charm In India
On World Whisky Day today, we are celebrating the most loved alcoholic beverage in India. A glass of whisky is much more than just a drink. It's a symbol of status, legacy, culture, connection, and good times. In fact, many Indians are introduced to alcohol through whisky. I personally grew up watching my dad, uncle and grandfather sipping whisky with soda and water on Sundays, sharing jokes and snacks with a drink or two, and feeling absolutely delighted like it was the highlight of their entire week. The whisky bottle would be kept safe like a prized possession, treated with utmost care, and always promised a great evening. I believe this is true for many Indian households. But have you ever wondered why do we love whisky so much? This World Whisky Day, NDTV caught up with experts from the Indian beverage industry to find out why Indians are so loyal to whisky, and perhaps will always be. How Whisky Came To India And Never Meant To Leave "Scotch whisky still dominates the Indian market and it has to do with the fact that it was one of the first entrants as a spirit that came into India," says Minakshi Singh, CEO, Co-Founder at Sidecar, Cocktails and Dreams Speakeasy, Cafe Lungta, Bhumi Farms, The Brook, India Bartender Week. Explaining whisky's huge connection with India, Minakshi adds, "The British introduced Scotch whisky to India, and it was one of the first International spirits to be brought here. It became a symbol of status, success, good taste, discernment, and since then, it has stood by those pillars. Even today, our shelf is dominated by 60-65 per cent of whisky and the remaining are other spirits and liquors and wine and beer." Tequila Fad Is Here, But People Are Not Leaving Their Single Malts The No. 1 cocktail in the world is old-fashioned, made with whisky, shares Navjot Singh, Beverage Director at Lair New Delhi and Lair Gurgaon. "I think even with the rise of other spirits, India will never lose that charm of drinking whisky. The loyalty to whisky is still there, and people are not leaving their single malts, even if many are now moving to other spirits like aged tequila." Explaining the deeply rooted love for whisky in the heart of Indians, Navjot Singh says, "There is a lot of cultural legacy here as whisky has been associated with the status of celebration and tradition in India for decades. It is the go-to drink for a lot of people, especially the older generations." "I still remember people holding on to a whisky bottle which somebody had gifted, and they saved it for a special occasion in the future. I know a few clients and guests who say 'I am going to drink this bottle with my son or great-grandson.' Whisky is an emotion, which we cannot change." The Taste, While Important, Is Still Secondary Whisky has an inimitable charm. It doesn't have competition nor needs validation, notes Magandeep Singh, Sommelier, Writer and Beverage expert. "For Indians, their love for whisky extends beyond just the stuff in the glass. It's connected to freedom, Bollywood, family occasions, college times, vacations, important ceremonies and almost a rite of passage." Explaining the importance of whisky in Indian culture and society, Magandeep Singh concludes, "To this end, the taste, while important, is still secondary. What matters more is how one associates with a brand and feels connected to it, or rather, how one perceives that a particular brand represents them and their lifestyle choices. Which is why brand loyalty runs extremely deep with this brown spirit, thereby elevating it from being just an alcoholic drink to a symbol of many personally relevant elements." On World Whisky Day 2025, let's raise a glass to celebrate the drink that is undoubtedly the most loved alcoholic drink in India. Cheers!
