Blending creativity with nostalgia, cereal infusions are having a moment right now. They’re showing up on cocktail lists all over the country, whether it’s Fruit Loops changing the color and flavor of a clear spirit of treating whiskey to some Honey Nut Cheerios. It’s a cocktail bar trend we can’t argue with.
Quintin Scalfaro is the beverage director at The Love Shack in Portland. The bar specializes in inventive cocktails and small bites, often with a tropical accent. Lately, the crew has been working with cereal infusions and we reached out to see what all the fuss is about.
“It’s definitely a combination of complementary flavors and a playful nostalgia,” Scalfaro says. “I love a cocktail or dish that instantly transports me to a time or a place, and if that place is the innocence of our youth but we’re enjoying it in a very adult way, that’s even better. That being said, I think when it comes to practical applications, we have to be doing things because they truly add something to the drink. Making a milk punch just for the sake of putting a milk punch on your menu doesn’t make sense if it doesn’t work for that specific cocktail.”
At The Love Shack, you can get an Old Fashioned given the cereal treatment. “It’s a classic milk punch as far as preparation goes,” Scalfaro says. “We build a large batch of the drink, add milk, enough acid to curdle the milk, and then filter out the solids. The difference here is that we allow the milk to steep with Honey Nut Cheerios for 24 hours before we strain it. To double down on the Cheerio element, we make a toasted barley-honey syrup that we then use in place of a more traditional demerara syrup for the sweetener.”
But as you might imagine, it’s not as simple as just throwing a scoop of Raisin Bran in a bottle of vodka and hoping for the best.
At home and NA applications
If you’re going to try this at home, as you should, Scalfaro advises that you not rush things. Great things come to those who wait. After all, we’re dealing in infusions, which involve imparting flavors from one ingredient to another. “My number one tip is patience,” he says “You have to wait for the flavors to infuse and then again for your punch to strain. If you want a lush, flavorful, and crystal clear cereal-milk punch for your next party, start it a few days ahead of time. Once you’ve done all of the requisite steps it will stay good in your fridge at home for weeks.”
That, and give into the playful aspect of it all. Go for that cereal you loved as a kid or always wanted but your parents didn’t let you. Who knows, it could be the ideal companion for a certain spirit. “I’ve done a Fruit Loops milk punch with gin before,” admits Scalfaro. “Although I would really like to do something with Trix as it’s one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoon cereals from my childhood.”
Obviously, alcohol acts as a good solvent for infusions but dairy can do much the same, without the booze. That means there are countless non-alcoholic drink angles for this trend too. I’ve done an NA milk punch before, but never with a cereal element. It’s actually a perfect format for an NA drink,” says Scalfaro.
“Typically, when infusing we use liquor as the binding agent to pull flavors out of something, but the milk fat has a similar effect without adding booze to the drink. The only issue I foresee is that without the booze, you’ve taken out one of your preservatives so the shelf life won’t be as long, but if you make a tasty drink I doubt it will be around for too long anyways,” says Scalfaro.
Need some inspiration? We’ve found some decidedly cool menu items on bars from Los Angeles to Philadelphia. For example, a Corn Pops-infused mezcal used in an adaptation of the Old Fashioned. Or, a Boulevardier cocktail recipe wherein every ingredient is infused with Cocoa Puffs.
There are non-dairy options to be infused as well, should your diet or interest require such a thing. Just keep consistency in mind and try to match those oft-nutty flavors with a like-minded cereal. If at first you don’t succeed, try again.
And on that note, if you’re looking for ways to inject your favorite liquors in other manners, check out our infusing spirits guide. It’s the result of some wisdom from a longtime bartender operating out of San Francisco. Overall, the process is easier than you think and can add some serious extra layers to even average bottles of bourbon, rum, or vodka.
Get those creative juices flowing and head to the cereal aisle for a spark of ingenuity.
