The Alchemy of Pineapple Foam

What does our Cold Pressed 100% Pineapple Juice have in common with a chicken egg? Bear with me, because this is not a set-up for a horrendous punchline.

Cocktail fans everywhere know the undeniable benefit of eggwhite to provide foamy, fluffy texture to cocktails from Pisco Sours to Gin Fizzes. Egg Whites have been added to cocktails since at least the 1860s, when famed bartender Jerry Thomas added the recipe for the Whiskey Sour to his classic cocktail bible “The Bartenders Guide”. Though sailors in the British navy had been drinking whiskey mixed with lemon to preserve it, Thomas pioneered the addition of the egg white that we know and love today. During prohibition, egg white cocktails became even more popular because the frothy layer on top of the drink made it easier to disguise the alcohol content. This allowed bartenders to serve stronger drinks without arousing suspicion.

But what does all of this have to do with us, or with pineapple? Beloved by Tiki cocktailers, Pina Colada drinkers, or people just plain sick of winter- our Cold Pressed 100% Pineapple Juice has even more tricks up its sleeve. Shaken thoroughly, the alchemy of our cold pressed pineapple juice can achieve the same delightful frothy texture as the eggwhites that have been used in bars everywhere for over a hundred years. Vegans rejoice! Not just any pineapple juice has this incredible power, however- canned and pasteurized juices lose their frothing potential.

Though we are big practitioners of alchemy ourselves, this seemingly magical addition is actually nothing of the sort. Pineapple is high in enzymes (this specific group of them is called Bromelain, in case you’re curious or somehow still in high school biology), which break down proteins and allow for more introduction of air. (These same enzymes are the ones behind the urban myth that pineapple has flesh eating powers, but we won’t get into that here.) As vegan selections become an asset to bar programs across the country, the pineapple cocktail foam will become a lucrative substitute to its classic egg ancestors.

Regardless of your level of experience, pineapple foam is an easy experiment for mixologists at home or behind the world’s most exclusive bars. Because I am someone that falls between the two, I decided to give it a shot in one of my favorite cocktails- the Pisco Sour. This drink is sweet, tart, and a little earthy and (spoiler alert) is incredibly elevated by the acidic addition of pineapple juice.

Pineapple Foam Pisco Sour

• 2 ounces Pisco
• 1 ounce Cold Pressed Lime Juice Sour Mixer
• 1/2 ounce Twisted Alchemy Simple Syrup (coming soon!)
• 2 ounces Twisted Alchemy Cold Pressed 100% Pineapple Juice
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
• Garnish with Twisted Alchemy Toasted Lime Wheel

Build ingredients in the smaller cup of your shaker. Flip into the larger cup of your shaker and shake without ice. Separate shaker, add ice, and then shake again quickly before straining.