Midnight Oil

by ,

                                      M I D N I G H T   O I L

                                               INTRODUCTION

The Midnight Oil is a mouthwatering craft cocktail that was developed by Brett Esler, an award-winning mixologist from Austin, Texas. A fusion of two of Brett’s all-time favorites snack combinations, morning coffee and banana bread, the cocktail can easily be enjoyed either as a morning pick me up with a kick, or the perfect dessert after a full meal. Although this savory cocktail requires only a few ingredients, and on the surface appears straight forward to prepare, it is the process of combining the ingredients along with the flavorful garnish that leads to pure cocktail magic when constructed properly.

                                MATERIALS & METHODS

                                       Midnight Oil Recipe by Brett Esler (1)

Ingredients:

  • Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum – 1.5 oz (45 mL)
  • Cold-Brew Coffee – 0.75 0z (22.5 mL)
  • Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur – 0.25 oz (7.5 mL)
  • Giffard Banane du Bresil – 0.25 oz (7.5 mL)
  • Vanilla Extract – 3 dashes
  • Garnish: Skewered slice of Banana Brûlée

Directions:

  1. Prepare a skewered brûléed banana slice by coating a single banana slice with organic sugar and using a Crème Brûlée chef’s torch for 15 seconds to create the browning effect.
  2. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice.
  3. Vigorously shake all the ingredients in the cocktail shaker for 15 seconds.
  4. Double strain into a cocktail glass to remove any potential presence of ice shards.
  5. Garnish with skewered banana brûlée slice and enjoy!

                                         DISCUSSION

Origin

Pulitzer Prize-winning author John McQuaid once said, “We owe our existence and our humanity to taste.” Craft cocktails like the Midnight Oil are delicious and flavorsome and thankfully mankind’s evolution around taste has been a big contributor to their development. Our ability to enjoy a cocktail comes from the thousands of taste buds we are born with that are present in our mouth and throat. Each taste bud contains about 10-50 special sensory cells that are stimulated by the presence of tiny molecules released when we drink (2). And when drinking the Midnight Oil cocktail these sensory cells are really activated.  With the drink being inspired by banana bread, it possesses a very fruitful organic compound called isoamyl acetate which is an ester and the flavor compound primarily responsible for the banana flavor.  Combined with Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum and coffee, it is easy to see why the Midnight Oil is best enjoyed pretty much anytime of the day.

Flavor Profile

Rum

The Midnight Oil cocktail’s primary ingredient is Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, and the spirit is responsible for over fifty percent of the volume of the drink. Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum is 43% ABV (86 proof) and utilizes molasses from the Island of Barbados. Made from single column and double pot distilled, it is finished in heavily charred bourbon barrels before being bottled. The combination of the double pot distillates, which are highly concentrated, with the maturation process in charred smokey bourbon oak barrels is the source to the dark rum’s distinct and rich flavor profile. 

Additional Ingredients

Cold-Brew Coffee

Cold-brew coffee differs from hot-brew coffee because it is steeped in cold or room temperature water. Many people believe that besides temperature that another differentiator from hot-brew coffee is that cold-brew coffee is less acidic than hot-brewed coffee. Recent research by scientists at Thomas Jefferson University have proved that the pH values of cold and hot brew coffee were found to be comparable, ranging from 4.85 to 5.13 (3). Variables that do affect the flavor profile of cold-brew coffee are room-temperature preparation versus chilled preparation, the region the coffee beans are grown in, the roast level of the coffee beans and the type and length of filtration (4). 

Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur

Domaine de Canton is a delectable ginger flavored liqueur produced in France and available at 28% ABV (56 Proof). The liqueur contains a syrup that is made from crystallized Chinese baby ginger, Grand Champagne cognac, neutral spirit, orange blossom honey from Provence, and vanilla (5). Due to the ginger, the liqueur is slightly peppery and sweet, with a pungent and spicy aroma, and is a subtle additional sweetener to the cocktail.

Giffard Banane du Bresil Liqueur

Canary gold in color, Giffard Banane du Bresil Liqueur is used by bartenders globally as a versatile ingredient in many cocktails. The addition of the liqueur, which is made from the slow maceration of bananas, is 25% ABV (50 Proof) and is also a true dessert ingredient to any cocktail it is added too. 

Vanilla Extract

In its purest form, vanilla extract is a solution made by saturating and aging vanilla pods in a solution of ethanol and water. One of the most popular flavoring agents in the world, over 250 taste and aroma components have been detected in vanilla extract (6). 

                                           NUTRITION

The Midnight Oil may appear to be a dessert cocktail as it contains 55 calories per fluid ounce. However, the cocktail may not necessarily satisfy your sweet tooth cravings as it is remarkably low in sugar. The addition of the cold-brewed coffee dilutes the cocktail, and its sweetening ingredients are also diluted.  And while the coffee is acting as a dilutant, it is the presence of the cold-brew coffee where the Midnight Oil cocktail really lives up to its name. Cold-brew coffee is known to have a much higher caffeine concentration than hot-brew coffee as heat is known to extract some caffeine during the brewing process. The effect of mixing caffeine and alcohol is well-documented. When alcohol is mixed with caffeine, the caffeine can mask the depressant effects of alcohol, making drinkers feel more alert than they would otherwise (7).  

                                      NUTRITION FACTS

                                            (Amount Per 1 fl oz in a 2.75 fl oz Cocktail)

Calories:                        55.9    

Total Fat:                        0 g    

Cholesterol:                    0 mg    

Sodium:                          0.4 mg  

Total Carbohydrates:      2.6 g

Dietary Fiber:                 0 g

Sugar:                            1.1 g

                                       CONCLUSION

Breakfast, dessert or to be enjoyed as a cocktail treat, the Midnight Oil cocktail is pure liquid gratification. In addition, the construction process is almost as fun as sitting down and enjoying the cocktail itself. But it is indeed the sensory perception it provides that does make one feel like they are having the craft cocktail version of banana bread and coffee, which in my opinion I would have to agree with Brett Esler, is now one of my favorite snack time combos.

                                       REFERENCES

  1. Esler, B. (2016). Midnight Oil. Retrieved from:  https://www.liquor.com/recipes/midnight-oil/ 
  2. NIH. (2020). Taste Disorders. Retrieved from: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/taste-disorders 
  3. Rao, N. and Fuller, M. (2018). Acidity and Antioxidant Activity of Cold Brew Coffee. Nature. Scientific Reports volume 8, Article number: 16030. Retrieved from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34392-w#:~:text=The%20pH%20values%20of%20the,of%20their%20cold%20brew%20counterparts. 
  4. Ouellette, J. (2020). The Chemistry of Cold-Brew Coffee is So Hot Right Now. Ars TECHNICA. Retrieved from: https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/04/the-chemistry-of-cold-brew-coffee-is-so-hot-right-now/ 
  5. Domaine de Canton. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.domainedecanton.com/ 
  6. Kennedy, C.R. (2015). The Flavor Rundown: Natural vs. Artificial Flavors. Harvard University. Retrieved form: http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/the-flavor-rundown-natural-vs-artificial-flavors/ 
  7. CDC. (2020). Alcohol and Caffeine. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/caffeine-and-alcohol.htm#:~:text=When%20alcohol%20is%20mixed%20with,risk%20of%20alcohol%2Dattributable%20harms.