When it comes to creating unique cocktails, mixologists seem to have no trouble conjuring up their next unexpected star ingredient. From chia seeds to kombucha, squid ink to barbecue sauce, there’s really no shortage of unexpected boozy beverage additions. The latest ingredient on that list of surprising mix-ins is here, and it’s burrata water—and that’s not a typo. What is burrata water, you ask, and why would you ever add it to a cocktail? Let’s find out.
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What Is Burrata Water?
So what the heck is burrata water, anyway? The process of making cheese, including burrata, involves adding some sort of acid to milk and curdling it, resulting in a separation of the whey and curds that make up the calcium-rich beverage. The curds go on to become cheese, while the whey is either discarded, made into protein powder, or used to store cheese—as is the case with burrata juice. Some also call this liquid burrata water.
This water is rich in carbohydrates, protein, acid, and oftentimes salt and helps to keep delicate burrata—a semi-soft cheese combining mozzarella and cream originating in Italy—fresh, soft, and protected during storage and transport.
What Is the Burrata Cocktail Trend All About?
But how does burrata juice go from a storage medium to a drink addition? Well, like many cocktail trends, it all started in Brooklyn, New York. In 2019, Oxalis restaurant’s beverage director, Piper Kristensen, came up with the idea as a way of repurposing the flavorful liquid that their head chef would have otherwise poured down the drain. She found it created an egg white-level foaminess and interesting flavor in their signature cocktail featuring the cheesy byproduct, the Breakfast Martini.
BRIE GOLDMAN
When shaken with just the right amount of alcohol, the protein found in burrata water slightly denatures, creating an impressive foam. Getting the ratio of burrata juice to alcohol just right is key here, however, as too much will result in more of an “egg drop soup” texture as opposed to the desired creamy, foamy one. Adding burrata water is an alternative to those who are either allergic to eggs, can’t stomach the idea of drinking raw egg whites, or don’t subscribe to the aquafaba trend. (Aquafaba, the resulting water from cooking chickpeas, provides a vegan foaming alternative for cocktails in the same upcycling vein as that of whey-rich burrata juice.) The foam burrata water creates is impressively stable, allowing you to leisurely sip on your cocktail without it disintegrating in front of your eyes.
Burrata juice provides a creamy texture without the cream as well as a gorgeous milky, cloudy appearance. In terms of flavor, this liquid tends to impart a slightly salty, savory, almost briny taste due to its salinity as well as a touch of brightness due to its acidity. This can pair well in drinks that already lean in that direction, like a dirty martini.
Is a Burrata Cocktail a Must-Try, or Should You Skip?
So, is this a trend that you should try your hand at for your dinner party guests this weekend? Well, if you’re an adventurous drinker, more power to you: There’s certainly no harm in experimenting with this often-tossed liquid in your cocktail.
Not only are you helping to prevent food waste by jumping on this bandwagon, but fans of the craze share that burrata water imparts a distinct flavor that is hard to come by elsewhere. As long as you get the proportions right, burrata water can serve as the perfect textural, visual, and flavor element in a smartly-crafted cocktail.
Burrata juice can pair nicely in a frothy sour, playful martini, or even a white Russian. And, hey, if you don’t like it, that’s okay—there’s always fun to be had experimenting behind the bar, no matter the outcome. The worst that can happen is an unfinished drink.
While the latest fad in mixology may seem like a strange one, burrata juice can add so much to your cocktails from multiple angles, plus it gives you a reason to go out and buy some delicious burrata! If you’re a curious, adventurous drinker and lover of the creamy Italian cheese, this may just be your next must-try trend.