Versatile Solution

Apr 11

Rising Star Bartender Andon Whitehorn hatches a plan for an egg-free foam for his cocktail program at Alewife in Richmond, VA.

Whether by Sherry Flip or Boston Sour, lush and frothy egg cocktails are an age-old tradition. But the luxurious addition of raw egg presents a whole slew of challenges. With modern mixology comes a host of alternative techniques, such as aquafaba and hydrocolloids, but these options have their own issues (short shelf life, unpleasant smell, lackluster texture). So, we continue on in the search for the perfect froth.

Versawhip 600k has entered the chat. Though the name might sound more like a ‘90s infomercial product or AOL screen name, Versawhip 600k is a modified soy protein typically used in baking and molecular gastronomy as a foam stabilizer. But at Richmond’s Alewife, Rising Star Bartender Andon Whitehorn takes the ingredients from bakery to bar. After spending his early years working as a cook, the application seemed obvious: The same ingredient that provides pillowy structure to sauces and baked goods can be incorporated into cocktails to build texture, replicating the signature froth and body of an egg white cocktail.

What sets Whitehorn’s application apart is the combination of 4 percent Versawhip 600k with water and 0.2 percent xanthan gum in a solution he aptly calls “Versatile”. “This is something I came up with bartending,” he explains. “I feel like this gives a cleaner product and foams up like crazy.” The neutral, shelf-stable foam makes for a consistently fluffy cocktail and holds its structure until the last sip—so dense that it can support small garnishes. At around $.10 per gram, the amount of Versawhip 600k going into each cocktail is a fraction of the price of an egg. “We are trying to find more room at the table for other ingredients and flavors to step into the limelight.”

Full Recipe: Woodland Hunter