Cocktails with Worcestershire sauce
Worcestershire sauce is a fermented, vinegar-based condiment prized for its deep savory (umami) punch, most famous in cocktails as the essential seasoning in a Bloody Mary.
Substitutes for Worcestershire sauce
Most substitutes cover two of the four sides and the tamarind sourness is the one that goes missing. Adding a squeeze of lemon covers the acidity and not the spice.
Often confused with
Vegan Worcestershire
Tamarind and soy in place of the anchovy, and near enough in a savory drink; keep both if the bar serves a mixed room.
Soy sauce
Salt and umami without the tamarind acidity and without the spice. It covers part of the job and reads distinctly of soy, so a Bloody Mary made with it needs extra lemon to get its edge back.
Description
The umami comes from fermented anchovies alongside tamarind and molasses — which is what makes the classic sauce non-vegetarian.
Storage
Sealed at room temperature it keeps for years and is fine in the fridge once open. Salt and vinegar do the preserving, so time changes the aroma and not the safety.
