We had a request for a milk punch cocktail in our live stream, so I decided to go crazy and turn it into a clarified milk cocktail.

I normally put milk punches in two categories. There are probably more but at this point in my education in the world of cocktails I’m going to stick with two.

The first one is what I think most people think of as milk punch and that’s, simply, a drink with milk in it. These are really popular in Louisiana and I think of New Orleans during the holidays when I picture them. Imagine brandy with some half and half. It’s sweet and boozy and a great holiday drink.

The other kind is a traditional English milk punch, or clarified milk punch. It was all the rage back int the 1700s and 1800s, maybe a little before my time. Back then, liquor was a little more harsh than what we’re used to today. By clarifying it, you could soften those edges and make a smoother drink. But what does it mean to clarify a drink with milk?

Magic. It means magic.

The short version is that by making an acidic punch or cocktail and adding it to milk, you start a chemical reaction that completely changes the character of what you’re drinking.

The acid in the drink, usually lemon or lime, causes the milk to curdle. Those curds then bind to the tannins and other astringent chemicals in the drink. Once they bind it all up, you filter out the curds and you’re left with a sparkling clear cocktail.

Like I said… magic.

One of the great things about making this is while traditionally a clarified milk punch uses rum, you can use any base spirit you like. The key is in making it acidic. Having said that, if you really want to experience the magic, don’t be afraid to use an aged drink to really get the effect of the milk washing. Imagine that aged whiskey suddenly turning into a brilliant champagne color while still keeping those subtle flavors you love so much.

I always get excited about the science in making cocktails and this is one of those times when I really go crazy. It really is gratifying to see and taste the change after you’re done milk washing the drink. I feel like a kid playing with a chemistry set, except this tastes great when you drink it instead of causing a trip to the emergency room.

Having gotten my excitement out of the way, I will say that this isn’t the easiest process in the world. There are a lot of variables that go into making this work and it is time consuming. You’ll still get a nice cocktail if you fudge a little here and there, but there are some tips that will help you in the long run.

For example, pour the liquor into the milk, not the other way around. It doesn’t sound like it makes a big difference but from my experience it really does. I consistently get a smaller size curd when I do that and it seems to get a better filter on the cocktail.

I can’t take all the credit for this insight though. There’s a great article from Cooks Illustrated as a guide on how to do things and so far all of their recommendations have been spot on. I used them as a base to experiment with and instead of rehashing them here, you should go check out the original article and see why and how they do things.

So here’s the first drink I ever really made with a milk wash, The Snowy Moon.

The Snowy Moon

I've always wanted to try my hand at a milk washed cocktail and it's as amazing as it sounds.

Ingredients

2 oz. Bahnez Mezcal
1 oz. lime juice
1 oz. Dolin Rouge vermouth
1/2 oz smoked cinnamon simple syrup
6-7 dashes angostura bitters
1 oz whole milk

Instructions

Put all the ingredients except the milk in with ice and shake well.
Slowly add the mixed cocktail into the milk and let it set for around 15 minutes or more.
Strain it through a coffee filter until it filters completely through. (You may need to filter twice if some of the curds get through the filter).
Express a lemon peel across the top.
Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

If you want to make a large amount for punch, use the same ratios but increase the totals for however much you want. Remember that after you filter you won't have quite as much drink as you started with. In this recipe I ended up with about 3/4 oz less of the finished drink than the amount I started out with.

I have every intention of revisiting this at some point and using rum instead of red vermouth to add sweetness to the drink. I’m curious how that will affect things. But this is a great drink as it stands.

I also want to congratulate our good friends Bo and Amanda on their new daughter, Moon. This one’s for you. Hope you enjoy!

The Snowy Moon – Clarified Milk Punch Home Cocktail