Chemistry of Cocktails event report

On Thursday 27th March 2014, IFST’s Northern Ireland Branch had the pleasure of hosting the Chemistry of Cocktails roadshow at the University of Ulster’s Belfast Campus.  Steve Pearce, CEO, Omega Ingredients and master flavour maker, dazzled the audience of students, academics and food industry representatives with his history of cocktails from prohibition to modern day influences.  He described what makes a good cocktail combination to get the balance of flavour just right and what small errors can result in a disastrous cocktail.  He described the effects of the density of ingredients and whether to shake or stir individual mixtures.  In addition to tasting samples of ready-made cocktails, Steve delighted the audience with his own twist on the Bloody Mary (the Bloody Samurai) and his show-stopping Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, inspired by The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.  But the highlight for the audience was the treat to a first taste of the special cocktail Steve had invented for the IFST 50th Anniversary celebrations this year, which went down well with all.

Steve Pearce is a biochemist with over 30 years' sector experience globally and one of Europe's most acclaimed thought leaders and lecturers in food science. Steve's portfolio includes recreating "the smell of Cleopatra’s hair" as part of an international art project, "the smell of space" for a NASA astronaut training project, along with recent food and drink ingredient innovations including natural sweeteners using monk fruit extract, "nut-free nut" flavours and cost-effective alternatives to natural vanillin.

From L to R: David McCleery (Chair of IFST NI), Steve Pearce (CEO Omega Ingredients); Margaret Patterson (President IFST) at the Chemistry of Cocktails Roadshow