Science World turns on the liquid nitrogen taps for another edition of Science of Cocktails

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Science of Cocktails

When: April 11
Where: Science World, 1455 Quebec St., Vancouver
Tickets: $185-289 at scienceworld.ca (tickets include open bar with multiple stations, activities, tastings by local chefs)

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If an Old Fashioned sounds too old fashioned, Science of Cocktails has potions to make your head spin. At 30 stations local mixologists prepare and serve libations enhanced by helium, nitrogen, and cocktail gummies, to name a few of the drinkable scientific wonders that will be on display. We talked to director of bar and beverage, Trevor Kallies, about the annual event, which raises funds to help people access Science World and its programs.

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Q: How has the event evolved over its seven editions?

A: We’ve gotten a lot more efficient. Some of our cocktail ideas have worked extremely well and have an excellent wow factor for the guests. But we also want to make sure that everything that we’re doing is towing that science front line of being on the sustainability side, on the safety side, on the overall enjoyment and fun. We could do a lot of things where the science has been applied, but the impact to the attendees has been lost a little bit, because most of the time when you’re working with science it has to be done ahead of time to make sure that it’s all sorted out. But our goal when it comes to the Science of Cocktails is to make sure that the drinks are delicious. And that the impact on the guests is visual, enjoyable, and playful.

Q: You must repeat yourself to some extent from year to year.

A: Yeah, we have our favourites. We love to work with liquid nitrogen. There’s this process where we freeze fresh herbs and crush them up into a very fine powder that blends quite easily into a cocktail. If you think about a mojito, where you’ve got mint leaves floating around looking like wilted soggy spinach, the process of nitro muddling will turn that into a bright, vibrant green colour, as opposed to a soggy mash.

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Q: Have there been any cocktails that have crashed and burned? Set the place on fire or opened up a rip in the multiverse?

A: Yes and no. I mean, obviously, I don’t like to boast about the losses. But over the years we’ve had some things that we’ve wanted to attempt and we’ve either had to make a last-minute pivot or we’ve had to abandon the entire concept. You can’t just make a batch of 1,500 sample-size clarified milk punches overnight. There’s a lot of time that goes into it. This year, we were looking at a concept using isomalt, a very fine powdered sugar that when heated up will melt and turn into liquid very, very easily. But then once the heat comes off of it, it will immediately harden, almost like cracked candy. We looked at how it was going to turn out when we tried to serve 1,500 cocktails using that process and just decided that it would be a bit more savvy if we didn’t.

Q: Are any scientists harmed in the course of this event?

A: No, but we do harness their intelligence to make our events successful. We actually had a science teacher take part last year as one of our volunteer bartenders.

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Q: Is there a particular cocktail this year that you’re looking forward to seeing people’s reaction to?

A: This year we’ve got a machine that pulls nitrogen out of the air and makes a nitrogen-infused cocktail without using any gas tanks or cylinders. It’s like when you go to Starbucks and you get a cold brew and it comes out of the tap. It’s exciting to see. It’s typically the bright, fruity citrus-forward cocktails that people are drawn to at this event. But anything where they can see the process being applied, people really like it.

Peanut Butter Old Fashioned

2 oz. (120 mL) Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey

2 dash aromatic bitters

0.25 oz. (7.5 mL) Demerara Syrup (brown sugar)

Cold Brew Smart Ice

Stir all ingredients together with Cold Brew smart ice (see note). Add additional Cold Brew smart ice cubes into a rocks glass. Strain the cocktail into the glass over smart ice. Enjoy.

How to Prepare Smart Ice: Make or buy cold brew coffee. For a more intense coffee flavour use cold brew concentrate (non-lengthened with water). Pour cold brew into an ice mould tray and allow to fully freeze. Use the ice to stir the cocktail as well as enjoy the cocktail over smart ice.

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Note: The use of flavoured smart ice allows to chill and dilute a drink without adding extra water, resulting in a more intense cocktail flavour. Try preparing smart ice with many different ingredients, such as juices or teas.

Serves 1.

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