Aquafaba has been pinging cocktail radars for years now, but I still don’t see it on as many cocktail menus as I’d forecasted.

Seriously, what’s not to love? It’s less perishable than egg whites, avoids the unpleasant smell of egg whites, suits vegan cocktails, has savory and sweet applications, and its byproduct is (practically) delicious hummus.

Dirty Habit SF uses aquafaba to create a foam sturdy enough to hold a charcoal garnish.

In San Diego, Volcano Rabbit serves up an after-school treat of grown-up chocolate milk:  aquafaba, almond milk, coffee-infused tequila and chocolate coconut milk.

At Dosa in Oakland (or, to follow their style guide, dosa by DOSA), the Chickpea Sour offers fennel candy and revelations: 

My server at Dosa said the batch of aquafaba in my Chickpea Sour was a little lighter than usual. Despite consistent measurements of water, garbanzos, and soaking time, each batch differs slightly in concentration and brings something different to the drink.

Not all aquafaba is being poured off cans of chickpeas. For a home bartender, that was information worth learning. My aquafaba meringues and foams come from a handy can. But bars and restaurants invested in strong cocktail programs naturally want to control their housemade ingredients.

One small lesson for amateur cocktail blogs, a giant step for my homemade aquafaba.