The Ramos Gin Fizz was a perfectly creamy, frothy drink – then Charlie went and made it better with yuzu.
About the cocktail
If there is a single cocktail that inspires both fear and awe in bartenders, it’s the Ramos Gin Fizz. Known for its protruding creamy head, the Ramos and its variations are tricky to get right, and require a lot of manual labour. But that’s why this author (it’s one of her faves) and bartenders like Charlie Lehmann, love it. He loves it so much that he’s created a yuzu twist on this revered drink for us – the aptly named Yuzu Gin Ramos. Who’s this Charlie bloke we’re talking about? If you’re a Sydneysider, chances are you probably already know him, but if not, Charlie is hospo pedigree. “I started bar-backing at The Marble Bar in the Hilton Hotel at the tender age of 18 while I studied at UTS,” explains Charlie. Since then he’s worked across the industry and is now the successful co-owner of two of Sydney’s most-loved venues: Double Deuce and Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern. In short, Charlie knows his stuff, so get excited about his Yuzu Gin Ramos. Reading out the list of ingredients may not inspire a lot of hope for this cocktail: cream, egg, yuzu… What’s going on? But trust us, the result is almost Pavlova-esque. “It’s a creamy velvet and citrus cocktail that balances the sparkling water to lift the gin's botanicals,” explains Charlie. “It’s basically a frothy, booze-forward milkshake.” To taste, it’s sweet and creamy with a pleasing and full mouthfeel offset by the citrus and sparkling water. “It’s the Kitty Foreman [That 70’s Show] of cocktails,” says Charlie. “Sparkly, hilariously deceiving, complex and will give you the giggles.” The Ramos family looks spectacular with their foamy frothy heads, but it does require a bit of skill and manual labour. “It’s a bloody hard drink to execute,” says Charlie. “But when you do, it’s bloody delicious.” So, if you feel like giving this kingly drink a go, have a squiz at Charlie’s tips below.
Watch: How to make a Yuzu Gin Ramos
Ingredients
40mL gin 20mL fresh yuzu liqueur 10mL sugar syrup 15mL cream 1 egg white (30 mL) 10mL lime juice 10mL lemon juice Sparkling water, to top
Method
Add all ingredients, except sparkling water, to a Boston tin and whip-shake with a couple of large cubes of ice for several minutes (see our top tips below for how to execute a perfect whip shake) Strain into a Collins glass and place in the freezer for 30-45 seconds to let it set Remove from freezer and slowly top with sparkling water
Dan’s top tips
All bartenders have their own method for executing this stunning frothy head, and we’re going to let you in on Charlie’s, which is a little different to the method in our Ramos. It’s not too scary, we promise. It just requires a bit of whipping. The whip shake is all about achieving the most amount of froth imaginable, in as little time as possible, without over-diluting the cocktail. So, how do you do it? By using minimal ice.
Add just two small ice cubes to your shaker and vigorously whip the mix back and forth (after sealing the tins, obviously) until you can’t hear those cubes clacking anymore – usually around two minutes. “Slap on the Arctic Monkeys ‘R U Mine’,” says Charlie. “You gotta shake this cocktail for the whole duration of the song, so get down into it.” You want to use a short back-and-forth motion until that ice is completely melted.
The extra room in the shaker from the lack of ice is what allows for a lot more aeration of the cocktail. You’ll find that this method garners the greatest froth, while still chilling the drink down. The whip shake technique was popularised in the early 2000s and, man, are we glad. Traditional recipes sometimes call for as much as 15 minutes of shaking to achieve the same outcome.
Got weak noodly arms and unsure you can whip the cocktail for two minutes? Not an issue. “Use a hand blender or Nutribullet,” explains Charlie. “It’ll get the froth going much faster than hand whipping in a cocktail shaker. Plus, then you can just enjoy the Arctic Monkeys.”
Other than that, make sure you’re slow and patient with adding the sparkling water. Too fast and you’ll ruin the head you’ve worked so hard for.
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