Allergies & Dietary Restrictions in Cocktails

Making excellent cocktails for guests with allergies and dietary restrictions is not a limitation — it is a demonstration of genuine craft. The best bartenders treat every restriction as a creative constraint that forces better thinking.

Nut-Free Cocktails

Which ingredients to watch

• Orgeat syrup — almond-based. Used in Mai Tais, Japanese Slipper, and some tiki cocktails.
• Amaretto — marketed as almond-flavoured (though often made from apricot pits, which can still cause reactions in nut-allergic individuals).
• Frangelico — hazelnut liqueur.
• Some homemade syrups — almond syrup is popular in some bar programs.

Nut-Free Substitutions

Orgeat alternatives: - Coconut orgeat (made with coconut milk and light sugar) — works well in tropical drinks - Barley water syrup — neutral, slightly nutty without nuts - Falernum (if made nut-free) — spiced, sweet, good in Caribbean cocktails

Amaretto alternatives: - Marzipan-free options: use vanilla liqueur + almond extract (in a quantity safe for the allergy level) — though for severe allergies, avoid entirely - Coffee liqueur can substitute in many cocktail applications where amaretto is used for sweetness

Always inform guests clearly about ingredients, and for severe allergies, verify with suppliers that production facilities are free from cross-contamination.

Egg-Free and Vegan Cocktails

The egg white challenge

Egg white creates foam in sour-style cocktails — Whiskey Sour, Clover Club, Pisco Sour, gin fizz. The foam adds texture, mouthfeel, and visual appeal. Many vegans and those with egg allergies need an alternative.

Aquafaba

Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of cooked chickpeas) is the most effective egg white substitute in cocktails. Use 30 ml where you would use one egg white. The proteins behave similarly, creating a stable foam that holds for several minutes.

Technique: Shaking aquafaba hard without ice first (a "dry shake") builds the foam, then shake again with ice to chill. This matches the standard egg white technique exactly.

Tip: Aquafaba from white beans or chickpeas works best. The liquid must be unseasoned (no salt or flavourings).

Other Vegan Foam Options

• Soy milk — a splash creates a modest foam when shaken; less stable than aquafaba
• Coconut milk foam — rich and fragrant; not identical to egg white but compelling in tropical drinks
• Commercial foamer solutions — products like Fee Foam are plant-based and work reliably

Dairy-Free Cocktails

Dairy appears in cream-based cocktails, egg nog, White Russian, Brandy Alexander, and some warming drinks like spiked hot chocolate.

Hot Toddy is naturally dairy-free. A White Russian becomes a Black Russian (vodka + coffee liqueur) — or substitute coconut cream for the dairy.

Gluten-Free Cocktails

Most distilled spirits are safe for coeliac disease. Distillation removes gluten proteins, so even grain-based spirits (vodka, whisky made from wheat or barley) are generally considered safe. However:

• Coeliac disease (not just intolerance) requires more caution — some individuals react to even trace amounts
• Beer is not gluten-free (unless specifically brewed as such)
• Malt liqueurs contain gluten
• Some flavoured spirits and liqueurs — check the label for added flavourings that may contain gluten

Safe spirits: distilled vodka, gin, rum, tequila/mezcal, bourbon (despite corn + rye mash, distillation removes gluten).

For beer-based cocktails (beer cocktails, micheladas), use a certified gluten-free beer or a non-beer alternative.

Vegan Considerations Beyond Eggs and Dairy

A few surprising non-vegan ingredients in the bar:

• Honey — present in many syrups, mead, and some liqueurs. Substitute agave or maple syrup 1:1.
• Carmine (cochineal) — a red dye used in some Campari formulations historically. Campari now uses synthetic colouring, but check other red liqueurs.
• Isinglass / bentonite — fining agents in some wines and beers. Look for vegan-certified wine.
• Gelatin — sometimes used in clearing homemade preparations. Agar-agar is a vegan substitute.

Quick Reference: Substitution Chart

Building a thoughtful approach to dietary restrictions makes your bar — and your hospitality — genuinely world-class.