Barrel Aged Williams Sour

Shaking is violent, quick and forgiving: ten seconds with almost any ice makes a good drink. What matters is foam-making ingredients, a dry shake for egg white, ice with its surface water flicked off and a careful strain.

Egg white mellows astringent spirits without adding foam, so washed booze can be carbonated. Dave Arnold gives the 20:1 ratio, the stronger 8:1 wash, a Cognac and cabernet recipe and a quick chitosan and gellan wash for a carbonated whiskey sour.

Dave Arnold explains why you need two scales, how to choose and not misuse a Brix refractometer, and gives his 35-item shopping list, from the seven things for good drinks to centrifuge and rotovap.