Meet Kevin Chen from @chenaholic and check out how to make his delicious raspberry negroni milkshake
Name:
Kevin Chen
Location:
Born in Arizona but lived in the San Francisco Bay Area my whole life
Go-To Cocktail:
Bourbon and coke when I want something quick. Boulevardier when I’m feeling fancy
Instagram:
@chenaholic
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into mixology? Who/what/where taught you what you know?
Before I got into mixology, I had never had a proper cocktail (wouldn’t count your typical college mixed drinks). When I had my first sip of a Hurricane cocktail from a work event, I instantly fell in love. I wanted to explore more, and I wanted to try making my own. So I bought my first shaker, a couple of bottles and mixers, and went to town. I started learning most methods through watching YouTube videos and looking up recipes online. My main source for learning eventually became Instagram, with its vast selection of beautifully crafted recipes and large community of other home bartenders. Today, I am still learning new things about the cocktail world, through the inspiring content on Instagram, and exchanging knowledge with many friends whom I’ve made in the cocktail community. I am constantly challenging myself to experiment with new techniques and flavor combinations, and overall, just having fun with it. Because that’s what mixology is all about!
What are you excited about in the world of mixology right now?
I love that making a cocktail is so much more than just throwing a few ingredients into a shaker and calling it a day. It’s become an art, where everything you do, from your choice of ingredients to what kind of ice you use, is all carefully thought of in order to make the best tasting drink. Not only that, the presentation nowadays is next level, with crazy garnishes and flamed citrus peels. Mixology has become more than just making a drink, it’s making an experience.
What is one cool thing you’ve learned that you can teach our community?
One of my latest obsessions has been making Clarified Milk Punch, a process that has existed for many generations but more people need to know about! You are basically combining a citrus-y drink with milk to intentionally curdle it. The curdling process pulls out the color and the tannins and when you filter out the milk solids, you’re left with a clear and dangerously delicious drink. Probably one of the most time consuming and laborious ways to make a drink but so worth it. There’s a lot of different recipes that use clarified milk and I highly recommend trying one out!
What is one recipe that you created on your own that you’re really proud of?
One recipe I’m really proud of was a riff on the classic Negroni because of how much time went to making it and how delicious the result is. It’s a Raspberry Negroni Milkshake, and what I did was first mix equal parts Gin, Vermouth, and Campari, and infused it in a jar with raspberries for a few days. I then took the infused negroni and blended it with vanilla ice cream. Served in a classic milkshake glass and topped with whipped cream, this is one tasty milkshake you don’t want the kids to find. The bitterness from the Campari balances nicely with the ice cream and the raspberry infusion gives it a nice touch of fruitiness.
Raspberry Negroni Milkshake
- 1.5 oz. Gin
- 1.5 oz. Campari
- 1.5 oz. Sweet Vermouth
Infuse ingredients above with half a cup of fresh raspberries in a mason jar. Leave in fridge for 5 days, giving it a gentle shake daily before straining out the solids.
Blend 3 oz. of the infused Negroni with 4 scoops (1.5 cups) of vanilla ice cream. Serve in a chilled milkshake glass. Top with a generous amount of whipped cream. Garnish with raspberries and a red swirly straw.
