Know Your Acids
Citric Acid
Citric acid occurs naturally in lemons and limes, so it’s an obvious choice when boosting, or approximating, citrus flavor.
Malic Acid
Malic acid, which is found in berries, grapes and stone fruit, is sour, yet milder than citric acid, often described as crisp, and offers the tang of a Granny Smith apple.
Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is formed through fermentation and is the compound that gives yogurt its tanginess. Mixing with this acid brings a creaminess to drinks and makes them feel rounder and fuller.
Tartaric Acid
Tartaric acid, similar to the cream of tartar used in culinary applications, occurs naturally but also forms in the winemaking process. In cocktails, it can add brightness without the flavor of citrus.
In recent years, acid-adjusting—the method of adding powdered acids to cocktails—has followed in the footsteps of clarification and fat-washing: It’s not just for the most high-tech bars, and it’s everywhere now. Though powdered citric, malic, lactic and tartaric acids are not exactly pantry staples, they can be easily acquired online and take a lot of the prep out of home bartending. With a few in your arsenal, you can make a Daiquiri pop, easily brighten a batched drink or impart a rounder, silkier texture to sweeteners. To get started, here are three ways to use them in your home bar, and the recipes to try them in.
Acid-Adjusted Juice
While acids can stand in for lemon or lime in a pinch, some bartenders feel that replacing them altogether in citrusy drinks yields a cocktail that feels too thin. Instead, to achieve the right viscosity, combine powdered acids with less-tart juices to make them pop in a drink. For example, to make the Multiverse, a revamped take on the Universe from the 1970s, Shannan Lynch calls on acid-adjusted pineapple and orange juices to up their tanginess, while Garret Richard’s Daiquiri-inspired Isle Delfino adjusts bittersweet grapefruit juice with citric acid. The technique can work for noncitrus juices, too, like cherry, watermelon, or lychee to balance fruit-forward recipes.
