Bloody Mary too spicy? Of course, guests in this predicament can order a glass of milk. In any other case, however, he should not be surprised at the raised eyebrows of bartenders and other guests if he wants to celebrate the working week with a "UHT straight up" on a Friday evening. Milk Punch is a different story. The elegant acidity, the incomparably smooth mouthfeel and the first-class aesthetics - is there anything that speaks against Milk Punch? Certainly not the coolness. If there is, it's just the time it takes.
The technology
For milk punches, a mixed drink (with acid) is mixed with milk. The mixture is filtered and the result is the milk punch. That's the simple explanation. The long explanation requires a digression into the production of cheese (or tofu), but it is also worth taking a brief look back in history. To make cheese, milk is mixed with lactic acid bacteria or enzymes, with the result that the milk begins to separate (which can also happen with fondue). Instead of the solids, however, milk punch collects the liquid - in cheese making, this is known as whey. Incidentally, this is a component of Rivella.
The unofficial Swiss national drink can therefore be described as the most popular non-alcoholic milk punch. The production of cheese has been known for thousands of years. According to David Wondrich - whose mention of Milk Punch in his 2010 book "Punch" catapulted it into the 21st century - the first records of Milk Punch date back to the 18th century. The most frequently cited recipe from 1711 by housewife (and apparently amateur mixologist) Mary Rockett combines 3.84 liters of brandy, the zest and juice of 8 lemons (which is too little), 4.8 liters of water (recommendation: 3.8 liters), 900 grams of sugar, 2 grated nutmegs and 1.9 liters of milk.
"Punch to the Milk" and not "Milk to the Punch"
The important part of the process is that all the ingredients are mixed and then poured into a container with the milk - and not the milk into the container with the ingredients. If you want to find out why, we recommend the YouTube tutorial "What's Eating Dan?" from the "America's Test Kitchen" channel. Milk Punch is time-consuming to prepare and cannot be made à la minute. It is therefore worth making it in larger quantities. When filtering, we recommend using a straining cloth, a coffee filter or other options that can be found in brewing and smoking stores or other specialist stores.
It is important to pass a few centiliters of Milk Punch through the filter before you start to collect it, as the first drops are always cloudy. If you're going to go to all this trouble, then do it properly! After bottling, various cloudy substances settle at the bottom of the bottle after a few days. If you want to keep Milk Punch for longer, it is best to decant it. A sweeter, more alcoholic recipe is also recommended. According to Wondrich, Milk Punch prepared in this way can be stored almost indefinitely.
The sense and nonsense of all this effort
Before subjecting a cocktail to milk clarification, you should consider these three things.
Firstly, what is the point of filtration?
If the mixture tastes the same but looks unappetizing, then a pottery drinking vessel and a straw might be the simpler option. Is it just about the mouthfeel? Maybe a gum arabic syrup or a fat wash is the solution. I once came across a Milk Punch that was still shaken and topped up with sparkling wine. I still don't know why, but I'm sure the texture could have been achieved more easily.
Secondly, do milk punches suit my concept?
Milk punches are suitable for all cocktail bars with high standards, but especially for smaller ones with less manpower. The clear advantage is that a state-of-the-art cocktail can be served within seconds during opening hours, even if a large group has just entered the bar. This basically applies to all pre-batched drinks. With Milk Punch, however, it should be noted that the effort involved in pre-batching is higher - and that it cannot be remixed à la minute. Milk punches have also not yet reached all sections of the population and potentially require a little more explanation.
Thirdly, for whom (and with what) do I make Milk Punch?
There are bars that have non-alcoholic Milk Punch - yes, it does exist - on the menu. You can also clarify a drink with some plant-based milks. Personally, I have already tried coconut and cashew milk. The filtration worked, but took a long time because the filter clogged. This also happened to me with rice or oat milk - although the coagulation didn't work the way I wanted it to. Soy milk works fantastically well. (I was even able to save the unsuccessful samples with it). Filtration was even more efficient with soy milk than with whole milk, even though the latter had a softer mouthfeel. As an experiment, I also tried organic full cream (fantastic taste, but no usable filtration) and double cream from Freiburg. Although the latter is somewhat slower to filter, it is unbeatable in terms of mouthfeel and taste.
This article appeared in
issue 5-2024
BAR NEWS magazine as single issue
