Clear cocktails are trending across the country, and the Miami scene is no exception. Known as “clarification,” the technique arose during the eighteenth century, when the world was devoid of refrigerators and bartenders needed a way to keep their punches shelf-stable for months. The earliest recipe in history dates back to 1711.
Wondering how it works? The science behind these clear cocktails is surprisingly complex, but to sum it up, clarification helps trap matter from a liquid, changing the flavor and appearance of the drink completely and morphing it into something else. Think of curdled dairy that gets mixed into acids and juices and then filtered and strained.
These days, some bartenders are doing it to enhance the richness and mouthfeel of a drink. Others use clarification to thin out what would be a viscous ingredient, like tomatoes. I do it at home because it's just that cool to see the end result: a crystal-clear cocktail full of mysterious flavor you can’t begin to guess until the first sip.
There are many ways to clarify, from prosumer centrifuges to agar-agar/gelatin clarification, to simple at-home filtration. The result is usually a magical, deceptively complex transparent tipple. If you’re curious to try out the trend, keep reading for some of our favorites in Miami right now and drink up, 'cause clear is in!
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1. Suavemente, Fresame at Finka Table & Tap
Haku Vodka, Licor 43, cherry vanilla bark bitters, strawberries, basil, lemon juice, yuzu juice
Made with Haku Vodka, there’s a slight sweetness from fresh strawberries, fresh basil, sweet cherry bitters and Licor 43, but then some acid from lemon juice and yuzu. This delicate drink dances (hence the name) as it's charged with CO2, adding some sparkling effervescence.
2. Le Petit Croissant at Le Jardinier
Macallan 12 Double Cask, Lillet Rosé, earl grey tea, croissant, salt
A drink so good, I caught myself laughing and ordering a second one right away. Macallan 12 Double Cask here has been fat-washed with a buttery croissant, earl grey tea and Lillet Rose are mixed and then clarified, served in a delicately elegant rocks glass over a big cube, garnished with a mini croissant floating above a thin chocolate disc for what can only be described as pure bliss in a cocktail.
3. Tomate Mi Paloma at La Cumbancha
Contraluz Mezcal, Amaro Santoni, tomato water, Hagave, grapefruit-rosemary tonic
At the heart of Miami Lakes, this Latin restaurant has blended what can only be thought of as a spicy Paloma meets a savory Bloody Mary. Tomato juice has been clarified using Pectinex along with other red ingredients like Amaro Santoni and grapefruit tonic with rosemary with spice and sweetness coming from Hagave for a refreshingly transparent red highball. A dehydrated tomato snack sits on the rim, made from the pulp from the juiced tomatoes and sprinkled with black pepper and Tajín.
4. Rodan at Bar Kaiju
Mezcal, peppers, cilantro, Hagave
This mezcal-based margarita draws inspiration from volcanoes with spicy pepper notes adding some heat enhanced by earthy, vegetal notes from cilantro. A spicy lollipop made from Hagave, a spicy agave mixer, accompanies the drink as an edible garnish that changes the drink's flavor as you lick and sip, back to back.
5. White Sands at Sereia
Coffee-infused vodka, sherry, hazelnut syrup, white cacao
A transparent Espresso Martini with foam. Let that thought marinate for a minute. How the wizards at Sereia clarified the classic is a secret they are keeping for themselves. The drink is everything you expect and want from an espresso martini with hazelnut and cacao notes rounding off a truly extraordinary drink that’s topped with a foam and three espresso beans as if you were imbibing the original, “wake me up and mess me up” cocktail.
6. JP’s Milk Punch at Sweet Liberty
Grey Goose vodka infused with Jojo Mao Feng green tea, sake, yuzu curaçao, goat milk, kiwi cordial, white soy, Lallier Champagne
From Miami’s favorite Sweet Liberty comes JP’s Milk Punch. A playful and wonderful drink that’s reminiscent of the historical “punch” with a combination of green tea-infused Grey Goose, kiwi, white soy, yuzu and sake, all clarified through goat’s milk and topped with champagne. The green tea aroma mixed with elderflower envelopes your nose as you sip this drink in its clear tea cup with saucer, doily and dried kiwi to snack on.
7. Martini Colada at Kaona Room
Havana Club Blanco rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut
Rupert Holmes’ Escape is the piña colada song everyone knows from the 1980s. Fortunately for us in 2024, the hidden tiki Kaona Room has turned the overly indulgent cocktail born in Puerto Rico into something elegant and sophisticated that you can easily drink a few of without a bikini. Here, the cocktail becomes a martini thanks to the clarification process, the silky smooth and not sweet colada is served ice-cold with a vintage coconut sidecar decanter.
8. Orphée at LPM Miami
Bombay Sapphire East gin, mastiha, Greek yogurt, clementine and orgeat cordial
Here comes a cocktail from a team of mixologists whose beverage repertoire always makes me shudder. The Orphée is another clarified homerun. Here, Bombay East is infused with black peppercorns and lemongrass, mixed with clementine, nutty orgeat, greek Mastiha liquor and clarified with Greek yogurt for a combination of flavors and fragrances that transports you to the Mediterranean coast. Orphée is served from a jar into a hand-painted white cup reminiscent of how one once drank in the symposiums of Ancient Greece. Like they say, “Yamas!”