Known among lovers of fine cocktails, The Aviary bar in Chicago “opened to much ballyhoo in 2011,” The New York Times notes in a preview of the team’s NYC outpost, which opened in 2017. The following year, the same culinary stars published The Aviary Cocktail Book (The Alinea Group, 2018), which was nominated for a 2019 James Beard Foundation Book Award.
A toast-worthy member of this group is beverage director Micah Melton, who was named to both the Eater 2015 Young Guns and the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30: Food and Drink lists. The man behind such creations as an everything-bagel scented take on a Manhattan is also a sous vide fan. “Sous viding keeps all the flavors and punctuates them,” Melton told Sous-Vide magazine. “The purpose of sous viding the cocktails is that they’re perfect every time, when the recipe is used accordingly.”
Recently, Melton demonstrated how to prepare three cocktails using sous vide: the gin-based Cream of the Crop, the bourbon cocktail Pit in the Middle, and the egg-foam-topped A Sour in the Key of Raffi. Watch Melton prepare these cocktails below.
Related RecipesView All Recipes
Micah Melton's Cream of the Crop
IntermediateThe Aviary's Micah Melton shares a favorite sous vide cocktail recipe exclusively with Sous-Vide.
Micah Melton's Pit in the Middle
IntermediateThe Aviary's Micah Melton shares a sous vide cocktail recipe exclusively for Sous-Vide readers.
A Sour in the Key of Raffi
AdvancedThis gin or rum-based cocktail from Chicago's The Aviary combines a kicky sous vide banana-curry syrup with a thick, creamy egg foam and nutmeg finish.
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