Ken Schwartz, the former employee, offered his opinion on the matter, stating, “A lot of places make their money at the bar, but The Cheesecake Factory are masters of it.” But before you dismiss the restaurant’s cocktails entirely, you should know that this isn’t specific to The Cheesecake Factory alone. In fact, many restaurants dilute their cocktails — it’s a bartending technique that helps to balance out the flavors and prevent the alcohol from overpowering the other ingredients.
Calum Fraser, chief blender at Bowmore, explained the science behind this to Food & Wine as it relates to whiskey, revealing that “when water is added and the alcoholic strength changes, so does the make-up of the compounds and molecules relative to each other, which in turn alters the flavor profile.”
Of course, the amount of alcohol in a drink isn’t the only factor that determines its worth. The quality of the ingredients, the skill of the bartender, and the overall experience all contribute to a cocktail’s value. The point is that the next time you’re at The Cheesecake Factory, simply be aware that the cocktails might not pack the same punch as the ones you mix at home with more generous pours.
