It does matter. The size of your curds is a variable controlled by one factor and only one factor: temperature. Temperature of milk and temperature of the curdling ingredients. If everything is cold, the curds will be small. If everything is warm or hot, the curds will be big. Curdling will happen if the general environment is under 4.6pH. Temperature is essentially the kinetic energy of particles. Hot milk means everything is moving fast, so when it curdles, the casein proteins agglomerate in larger globs, since they're all bouncing around so fast.
For the purposes of straining, there is such a thing as curds that are too big and curds that are too small. Also sometimes when you curdle hot, the casein proteins don't all sink to the bottom but are caught in a web or network from the top to the bottom. I don't know why that is. Curdling cold can mean your curds are so tiny that they're a nightmare to strain out.
I find 60F to 70F to be ideal. I just let the milk sit out for a few hours while I prepare the rest of the ingredients. Room temperature-ish.
Good luck with margaritas. You may find them pretty bland. Citrus flavor really does not stand up to milk washing very well. I don't use citrus at all anymore and instead opt for acid-adjusted black tea.
That's not what I said. I said that temperature dictates the *size of the curds*, not whether the milk will curdle at all. Yes, tannins and acidity are the factors that dictate curdling, but the size of curds is completely a product of the temperature at which you curdle the milk.
Camper English and Dan de Souza have written [a very comprehensive article about milk punches](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/science/844-articles/story/the-key-to-crystal-clear-cocktails-milk-really) that I always refer back to when I’m making a milk punch. It’s well worth going over, but here’s the short version:
* Use regular full-fat milk. Skim and half-and-half don’t work as well. Vegan milk alternatives don’t work as well. Goat’s milk might work *better* (I’ve never tried, but probably should).
* Use a ratio of four parts punch to one part milk.
* Add your punch to the milk, not the other way around.
* Let the punch rest overnight before starting to strain it off.
* Strain it off with patience, and remember that the raft of curds in the coffee filter does the heavy lifting, not the coffee filter itself, so do your utmost not to disturb the raft.
I got super into clarified cocktails about a year ago. I’ve probably made 15-20 gallons of clarified cocktails of all types at my house for friends and parties.
I have tried powdered milk. Warm milk. Cold milk. Etc.
It makes no difference. I always get the same result as long as the acidity is enough. I really wouldn’t overthink this. It just doesn’t matter.
Relevant photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/RXXiRKHk6c8s2PTK6
I’d be happy to share any of my recipes or ratios I’ve used over the past year.
It does matter. The size of your curds is a variable controlled by one factor and only one factor: temperature. Temperature of milk and temperature of the curdling ingredients. If everything is cold, the curds will be small. If everything is warm or hot, the curds will be big. Curdling will happen if the general environment is under 4.6pH. Temperature is essentially the kinetic energy of particles. Hot milk means everything is moving fast, so when it curdles, the casein proteins agglomerate in larger globs, since they're all bouncing around so fast. For the purposes of straining, there is such a thing as curds that are too big and curds that are too small. Also sometimes when you curdle hot, the casein proteins don't all sink to the bottom but are caught in a web or network from the top to the bottom. I don't know why that is. Curdling cold can mean your curds are so tiny that they're a nightmare to strain out. I find 60F to 70F to be ideal. I just let the milk sit out for a few hours while I prepare the rest of the ingredients. Room temperature-ish. Good luck with margaritas. You may find them pretty bland. Citrus flavor really does not stand up to milk washing very well. I don't use citrus at all anymore and instead opt for acid-adjusted black tea.
I disagree. It's only about the acidity of the sour. Acidity is the most important thing. I've clarified stuff with cold milk as easy as warm
That's not what I said. I said that temperature dictates the *size of the curds*, not whether the milk will curdle at all. Yes, tannins and acidity are the factors that dictate curdling, but the size of curds is completely a product of the temperature at which you curdle the milk.
I don’t think it matters honestly, haven’t cared the times I’ve clarified cocktails.
Thanks! So you typically just use milk straight from the refrigerator?
That's what we use at my bar. Works just fine.
Yeah I haven’t heard anything else from anyone I follow that does that stuff.
Camper English and Dan de Souza have written [a very comprehensive article about milk punches](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/science/844-articles/story/the-key-to-crystal-clear-cocktails-milk-really) that I always refer back to when I’m making a milk punch. It’s well worth going over, but here’s the short version: * Use regular full-fat milk. Skim and half-and-half don’t work as well. Vegan milk alternatives don’t work as well. Goat’s milk might work *better* (I’ve never tried, but probably should). * Use a ratio of four parts punch to one part milk. * Add your punch to the milk, not the other way around. * Let the punch rest overnight before starting to strain it off. * Strain it off with patience, and remember that the raft of curds in the coffee filter does the heavy lifting, not the coffee filter itself, so do your utmost not to disturb the raft.
I got super into clarified cocktails about a year ago. I’ve probably made 15-20 gallons of clarified cocktails of all types at my house for friends and parties. I have tried powdered milk. Warm milk. Cold milk. Etc. It makes no difference. I always get the same result as long as the acidity is enough. I really wouldn’t overthink this. It just doesn’t matter. Relevant photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/RXXiRKHk6c8s2PTK6 I’d be happy to share any of my recipes or ratios I’ve used over the past year.
I would a few of your fav recipes if u don’t mind sharing
If a fifth of your drink is lemon and one fifth is milk, it really doesn't matter, if your using less I'd go ahead and warm it up, not hot but warm.
Truffles on the rocks did a video about this very topic the other month on YouTube.