The Double Strainer Journal

Freezer cocktails are more than simply pre-batched drinks kept cold. Learn how dilution, final ABV and actual freezer temperature work together to create balanced, consistent cocktails that can be poured straight from the bottle.

Shrub is a sweet and tart syrup made with fruit, sugar, and vinegar. It is used like a flavor concentrate. Add a small amount to soda for an instant non-alcoholic drink, or use it in cocktails as a fast way to build fruit, acidity, and aroma in one ingredient.

The name is a playful nod to the drink’s carrot identity and its look: carrot sits at the core of the recipe, it’s served in a flute whose silhouette subtly echoes a carrot shape, and the orange liquid with a green foam cap mirrors a carrot with its leafy top. In other words, it draws guests into the “burrow” before the first sip, through colour, shape, and flavour.

In the field of modern bar innovation, the search for unique, concentrated flavors has led many beverage programs to adopt artisanal seasonings and custom rim blends. Orange Salt is a functional fusion of dehydrated citrus zest and quality sea salt.

Saline solution is a simple mix of salt (sodium chloride) and water. In beverage work, it is commonly prepared at about 18–22% salt by weight, because that strength lets you use it drop by drop to enhance flavor without making the drink taste obviously salty.