Classics Revisited, Creative Mixology
Egg white in a cocktail: what it’s for and how to replace it
Oct
Egg white adds almost no flavour to a cocktail. It gives it something else: a white foam, a velvety texture and a softer acidity on the palate.
“The first time I was served a pisco sour, I thought it was whipped cream. It was just a well-shaken egg white. Since then, I’ve tried every way of making that foam… including without egg.”
— Your trend hunter
MIXOLOGY
The secret of frothy cocktails
Why egg white is there, and what to replace it with
The texture
The proteins in the white trap air during the shake: the drink becomes silky and is topped with foam.
The alternatives
Fee Foam, aquafaba or pasteurised white: three solutions depending on your guests, your service and your budget.
- Egg white is there for texture and foam, not for taste.
- Allow about 2 to 3 cl of white (a small white) per cocktail.
- Fee Foam, aquafaba and pasteurised white replace it very well.
What is egg white for in a cocktail?
During the shake, the proteins in the white unfold and trap tiny air bubbles. The result: a white foam floating on the cocktail, and a rounder, silkier drink. The white also softens the acidity of the lemon: a sour tastes gentler with it than without.
Finally, the foam is a canvas: a few drops of bitters, a zest… or a printed logo.
Classic cocktails with egg white
| Cocktail | Base | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Whisky sour | Whisky, lemon, sugar | The white is optional in the reference recipe |
| Pisco sour | Pisco, lemon, sugar | Garnished with drops of bitters on the foam |
| Amaretto sour | Amaretto, lemon | Sweet and indulgent |
| Clover club | Gin, raspberry, lemon | A pale pink foam |
| White lady | Gin, triple sec, lemon | Often served with a white |
| Silver fizz | Gin, lemon, sugar, soda water | The frothy version of the gin fizz |
| New York sour | Whisky sour + red wine | The wine floats between the cocktail and the foam |
How to replace egg white?
1. Fee Foam, the express solution
Fee Foam is an egg-free foaming agent: 2 to 3 drops in the shaker are enough. Neutral in taste and vegan, it gives a fine, consistent foam. It’s the favourite solution of bars that serve fast. Find out everything in our Fee Foam guide.
2. Aquafaba, the homemade plant-based trick
Aquafaba is the liquid from a tin of chickpeas. Used like a white (2 to 3 cl per cocktail), it foams surprisingly well. It costs next to nothing, but its quality varies from tin to tin and it can leave a slight legume note.
3. Pasteurised egg white, the original texture
Gently heated to limit the risks associated with raw egg, pasteurised white keeps the creamy texture of fresh white, with no eggs to crack. Our egg-white cocktail foam comes in a 230 ml bottle, with no additives or colourings. It still contains egg: avoid it for allergic or vegan guests.
| Fresh white | Pasteurised white | Aquafaba | Fee Foam | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dose per cocktail | ≈ 3 cl | 2 to 3 cl | 2 to 3 cl | 2 to 3 drops |
| Taste | Neutral (possible smell) | Neutral | Slight chickpea note | Neutral |
| Vegan | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Contains egg | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Convenience | Eggs to separate | Ready to pour | To drain | Ready to pour |
The technique for a perfect foam
- The dry shake: pour all the ingredients into the shaker, without ice, and shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds. This first shake builds the foam.
- The shake with ice: add a good handful of ice and shake again for 10 to 15 seconds, to chill and dilute slightly.
- Double straining: pour through the shaker strainer and a small fine strainer into a well-chilled glass. The foam will be smoother.
- Resting: let the foam rise and settle for about twenty seconds before garnishing.
Express a lemon or orange zest over the glass, or place a few drops of bitters on the foam: the smell disappears. With Fee Foam or pasteurised white, the question doesn’t arise.
Raw egg: precautions
Use very fresh eggs, kept chilled. For vulnerable groups (children, pregnant women, elderly or frail people), choose pasteurised white or an egg-free alternative, especially in mocktails.
Frequently asked questions
Does egg white have a taste in a cocktail?
Hardly any. It mainly changes the texture: rounder, silkier, with a foam on top.
How much egg white per cocktail?
About 2 to 3 cl, i.e. a small white. For two cocktails, one large white is often enough.
What is the best vegan substitute?
Fee Foam for consistency and speed, aquafaba for a homemade solution. Both are egg-free.
Can you make an alcohol-free cocktail foam?
Yes: the technique is the same. An alcohol-free sour made with lemon, syrup and fruit juice foams very well with a few drops of Fee Foam.
DÉLICE BAR SELECTION
Délice Bar foams
With or without egg, shaken or airy: everything you need to top all your cocktails with a foam that holds.
A beautiful foam, with or without egg
Pasteurised white for the original texture, Fee Foam for speed and vegan guests: choose the foam that suits your service.
See cocktail foamsKEEP READING
