The Raw Egg: 3 Ways To Use It In A Cocktail, and Why It Makes For Great Liquid Brunch

Exciting for the adventurous drinker and terrifying for the rest of us who've had to guzzle down Grandma's eggnog year after year, eggs in cocktails are a new trend in craft cocktail bars. But fear not the incredible egg. Not only does it impart unique flavor in cocktails, but also adds a protein kick to your drink that can revive even the worst of hangovers. Seasoned bartender and beverage enthusiast Sean Kenyon of Williams & Graham walked Eater through three cocktails that demonstrate the three best ways utilize eggs in concoctions that are anything but options at the family holiday party.

There are three ways to use an egg in a cocktail, says Kenyon. 1) Use only the whites, 2) use only the yolk, or 3) use the entire egg.

Use the whites in a cocktail like a Pisco Sour. "[Using the egg whites] adds texture, but no flavor to a cocktail," Kenyon explains. "An egg beaten in a cocktail shaker is like instant meringue."

Use the yolk in a cocktail like a Golden Fizz. "It's a spin on a gin fizz," says Kenyon. "The yolk gives a richness to the drink, a buttery vanilla-y flavor... it's a brunch drink. Have your eggs with a little bit of booze."

Where to find a golden fizz? "Go to a place that knows their shit and make a request," says Kenyon. "At Green Russell, Ace, Stuben's, or Colt & Gray."

Use the whole egg in a classic Flip cocktail. "I won the Domaine De Canton Bartender of the Year award in 2010 with a Flip," says Kenyon. "The competition was on the beach in St. Martin, and there was a giant table of exotic fruit and vegetables that everyone was using to make summer cocktails. The Flip is a wintertime drink. It comes off like a nog, spicy, rich. I looked at what everyone else was doing and I did the polar opposite."

Williams & Graham's Tom & Jerry, served in the winter from Thanksgiving to Christmas, cocktail employs both egg whites and yolk. Imbibe wrote up the Tom & Jerrys at Williams & Graham, which includes ginger and allspice berries.

Check out Colt & Gray beverage director Kevin Burke's Fernet Flip on the Denver Off The Wagon website.

Photo courtesy gigabiting.com

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