Rinse

Technique

A rinse coats the inside of an empty glass with a small splash of strong spirit, such as absinthe, before the drink goes in.

Also called: glass rinse · absinthe rinse

Amount: about 0.25 oz (7 ml), excess tipped out
With an atomizer: 2 to 6 sprays

What rinse means

The Sazerac is the classic absinthe-rinsed drink. The glass gets the absinthe, and the drink goes into a rocks glass without ice. You notice the absinthe in the nose before the first sip, because the coat sits on the glass.

Recipes call for a rinse when they want the scent of a strong spirit without the full pour. The spirit stays on the glass, so the drink itself keeps the balance the recipe intends. Pastis, mezcal, Scotch and green Chartreuse also make a useful rinse.

Most beginners assume a rinse is a measured ingredient that goes into the drink. It is a thin coating instead. Most bartenders tip out the excess, so the rinse adds aroma more than taste. The coat is so thin that the amount barely changes the drink.

How to rinse a glass

You need about 0.25 oz (7 ml) of absinthe, or another strong-flavored spirit, and an empty glass.

1.Pour about 0.25 oz (7 ml) of absinthe into the empty glass.
2.Tilt and turn the glass so the spirit coats the inside all the way round.
3.Tip out the excess, or keep it to serve on the side.
4.For an even coat with less waste, use an atomizer and give the glass 2 to 6 sprays.
5.Pour the finished drink into the rinsed glass with no ice, the way a Sazerac is served.

Rinse compared

LayerA float sits on top of the finished drink, while a rinse coats the empty glass before any drink goes in.
Express a peelExpressing puts citrus oil over the top of a drink. A rinse puts a spirit's aroma on the glass itself.

Related terms

Ingredients

Put it to use in your next drink

Garçon explains every step as you make the drink.