Backdraft (drink)
Encyclopedia
The Backdraft is a cocktail
that is noted for its elaborate preparation and potency. Named after the backdraft
which occurs in some fire situations, this drink produces a similar condition on purpose using flammable alcoholic drinks and an enclosing container, such as an upside down pint glass. Below is a typical procedure for producing one variation of the Backdraft drink. The combination of warm alcohol, followed by inhaling vaporized alcohol, and then finishing with a highly spiced warm alcohol, makes the drinking of this drink difficult, and while it tends not to have an immediate effect (since it is drunk quickly), the warmth of the alcohol and the vapor, make the concentration
and absorption of alcohol
into the bloodstream quicker than other drinks, and produces a more profound impact.
The procedure listed below is a typical illustration of how the drink is presented, and the steps used to produce the backdraft
effect. The alcohols listed can be substituted with others, as there are various recipes. However, the steps of this procedure are required to be taken in this order to produce what is known as a classic backdraft drink.
and Grand Marnier
into a snifter
. The mixture is set alight, and after a few seconds, extinguished by having the imbiber seal the top of the glass with their hand, although often a coaster or saucer is used instead. Once the flame is out, a straw is inserted, keeping as much of the seal intact as possible to contain the vapors.
Both the liquid and the vapors are then consumed through the straw.
Drambuie and Grand Marnier will be extremely difficult to ignite, if not impossible, so backdrafts are commonly done with 1 part Grand Marnier and 1 part 151.
. Thus when the flaming alcohol in a backdraft is covered with a pint glass over a saucer, the air (a heavier gas) is replaced with warm alcohol vapour (lighter gas) and warm air. As the remaining oxygen is used up, the fire in the pint glass goes out, and the heat source goes away. The alcohol vapor/air mixture now in the glass cools and begins to create a vacuum. This vacuum is responsible for sucking any liquid at the outside bottom of the pint glass further inside (as the seal of the glass and the saucer is not perfect). Once the majority of the liquid is inside the upside down pint glass, sometimes further oxygen can be seen to bubble up into the glass. At some point an equilibrium will occur, where the internal vacuum will hold the liquid inside the glass. This can be great enough at times, that the glass can be lifted, and the saucer will remain stuck to its underside.
When the pint glass is removed, ice is immediately added, thus causing the condensation
of the alcohol vapour, creating a white mist in the glass. By covering the glass with the hand, this vapour is trapped until it is extracted by the process of inhalation
, usually through a straw.
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
that is noted for its elaborate preparation and potency. Named after the backdraft
Backdraft
A backdraft is an explosive event at a fire resulting from rapid re-introduction of oxygen to combustion in an oxygen-starved environment, for example, the breaking of a window or opening of a door to an enclosed space. Backdrafts present a serious threat to firefighters, even those with a high...
which occurs in some fire situations, this drink produces a similar condition on purpose using flammable alcoholic drinks and an enclosing container, such as an upside down pint glass. Below is a typical procedure for producing one variation of the Backdraft drink. The combination of warm alcohol, followed by inhaling vaporized alcohol, and then finishing with a highly spiced warm alcohol, makes the drinking of this drink difficult, and while it tends not to have an immediate effect (since it is drunk quickly), the warmth of the alcohol and the vapor, make the concentration
Blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content , also called blood alcohol concentration, blood ethanol concentration, or blood alcohol level is most commonly used as a metric of alcohol intoxication for legal or medical purposes....
and absorption of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
into the bloodstream quicker than other drinks, and produces a more profound impact.
The procedure listed below is a typical illustration of how the drink is presented, and the steps used to produce the backdraft
Backdraft
A backdraft is an explosive event at a fire resulting from rapid re-introduction of oxygen to combustion in an oxygen-starved environment, for example, the breaking of a window or opening of a door to an enclosed space. Backdrafts present a serious threat to firefighters, even those with a high...
effect. The alcohols listed can be substituted with others, as there are various recipes. However, the steps of this procedure are required to be taken in this order to produce what is known as a classic backdraft drink.
Classical Backdraft Preparation
A classic Backdraft is prepared by pouring equal amounts of DrambuieDrambuie
Drambuie is a sweet, golden colored 80-proof liqueur made from malt whisky, honey, herbs, and spices.Produced in Broxburn, West Lothian, Scotland, it is served straight, on the rocks, or added to mixed drinks such as the Rusty Nail....
and Grand Marnier
Grand Marnier
Grand Marnier is a liqueur created in 1880 by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle. It is made from a blend of true cognacs and distilled essence of bitter orange. Grand Marnier is 40% alcohol . It is produced in several varieties, most of which can be consumed "neat" as a digestif and can be used in...
into a snifter
Snifter
A snifter — also called a balloon — is a type of stemware, a short-stemmed glass whose vessel has a wide bottom and a relatively narrow top. It is mostly used to serve aged brown spirits such as brandy and whisky...
. The mixture is set alight, and after a few seconds, extinguished by having the imbiber seal the top of the glass with their hand, although often a coaster or saucer is used instead. Once the flame is out, a straw is inserted, keeping as much of the seal intact as possible to contain the vapors.
Both the liquid and the vapors are then consumed through the straw.
Drambuie and Grand Marnier will be extremely difficult to ignite, if not impossible, so backdrafts are commonly done with 1 part Grand Marnier and 1 part 151.
Alternate "Shooter" Backdraft preparation
The procedure is as follows:- A saucerSaucerA saucer is a small type of dishware, a plate that is specifically used with and for supporting a cup – a cylindrical cup intended for coffee or a half-sphere teacup for tea. Additionally, the saucer is a distant cousin to the plate. The saucer has a raised centre with a depression sized to fit a...
is placed on a counter or table. - A shot glassShot glassA shot glass is a small glass designed to hold or measure spirits or liquor, which is either drunk straight from the glass or poured into a mixed drink....
is placed in the center of the saucer, filled with SambucaSambucaSambuca is an Italian anise-flavoured, usually colourless, liqueur. Its most common variety is often referred to as white sambuca to differentiate it from other varieties that are deep blue in colour or bright red .... - A pint glassPint glassA pint glass is a drinking vessel made to hold either a British pint of 20 imperial fluid ounces or an American pint of...
is filled with 1 - 2 shots of CointreauCointreauCointreau is a brand of triple sec produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, France. It is drunk as an apéritif and digestif, and is a component of several well-known cocktails. It was originally called "Curaçao Blanco Triple Sec".-Production:...
. Swirl this in the glass to coat the sides - The Cointreau is lit and allowed to burn until the sides of the glass become warm to the touch
- The lit Cointreau is poured into the shot glass, igniting the Sambuca
- CinnamonCinnamonCinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods...
(or black pepperBlack pepperBlack pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
in the case of a Pepperdraft) is sprinkled into the flaming alcohol from about 1/3 of a meter (1 foot) above the shot glass. The finely powdered spice will ignite in the flame.Important: All the while the pint glass must be kept upside down above the flames to catch the alcohol vapor coming off the burning liquids.
- When approximately 3-6 good shakes of cinnamon have been dispensed, the pint glass is lowered over the flaming liquid.
Note: the liquid on the outside of the inverted pint glass will still burn and needs to be gently blown out. The upside down pint glass is smaller than the coffee cup saucer, and will thus seal to the saucer extinguishing the flames inside
- As the alcohol cools inside the pint glass it will try to suck the alcohol on the outside back into the upside down pint glass. This backdraftBackdraftA backdraft is an explosive event at a fire resulting from rapid re-introduction of oxygen to combustion in an oxygen-starved environment, for example, the breaking of a window or opening of a door to an enclosed space. Backdrafts present a serious threat to firefighters, even those with a high...
effect is the origin of the drink's name. - The pint glass is removed and 2-3 ice cubeIce cubeIce cubes are small, roughly cube-shaped pieces of ice, conventionally used to cool beverages. Ice cubes are often preferred over crushed ice because they melt more slowly; they are standard in mixed drinks that call for ice, in which case the drink is said to be "on the rocks."Ice cubes are...
s are placed into it. The opening of the pint glass is immediately sealed with the palm of the bartender's handHandA hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered extremity located at the end of an arm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs...
. - The pint glass is shaken: this has the effect of cooling the alcohol vapors and causing them to condense on the ice cubes, the walls of the glass and the air inside the glass.
- Preparation is now complete. The drinker first downs the shot or drinks it through a straw. Then the straw is slipped through the bartender's fingers into the pint glass, whereby the drinker "drinks" the condensed alcohol - actually mainly inhaling the alcohol vapors inside the glass. Finally, the drinker uses the straw to suck up the spirits which have collected in the saucer. The combination of ingested and inhaled alcohol makes this drink extremely potent. The ice cubes (and the layer of condensed alcohol on them) may be eaten if desired.
Backdraft physics
Once a gas has been warmed up, it tends to expand to fill a volume. It will replace other gases and expand due to its heat content. If this is done in an enclosed sealed space, and then the heat is taken away, as the gases cool, they condense, and decrease in volume, and create a vacuumVacuum
In everyday usage, vacuum is a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure. The word comes from the Latin term for "empty". A perfect vacuum would be one with no particles in it at all, which is impossible to achieve in...
. Thus when the flaming alcohol in a backdraft is covered with a pint glass over a saucer, the air (a heavier gas) is replaced with warm alcohol vapour (lighter gas) and warm air. As the remaining oxygen is used up, the fire in the pint glass goes out, and the heat source goes away. The alcohol vapor/air mixture now in the glass cools and begins to create a vacuum. This vacuum is responsible for sucking any liquid at the outside bottom of the pint glass further inside (as the seal of the glass and the saucer is not perfect). Once the majority of the liquid is inside the upside down pint glass, sometimes further oxygen can be seen to bubble up into the glass. At some point an equilibrium will occur, where the internal vacuum will hold the liquid inside the glass. This can be great enough at times, that the glass can be lifted, and the saucer will remain stuck to its underside.
When the pint glass is removed, ice is immediately added, thus causing the condensation
Condensation
Condensation is the change of the physical state of matter from gaseous phase into liquid phase, and is the reverse of vaporization. When the transition happens from the gaseous phase into the solid phase directly, the change is called deposition....
of the alcohol vapour, creating a white mist in the glass. By covering the glass with the hand, this vapour is trapped until it is extracted by the process of inhalation
Inhalation
Inhalation is the movement of air from the external environment, through the air ways, and into the alveoli....
, usually through a straw.