I’m thinking about making eggnog for the holidays. What are some of the benefits to this method?
I am actually going to be making the Puerto Rican version of eggnog, called “coquito.” The ingredients are a little different.
Here’s what includes: coconut cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum. As you can tell, there are no eggs. In some recipes it is added, but in my family’s recipe, we omit the eggs.
One advantage is the ability to pasteurise the eggs that you might be using for a raw nog. Although the chances of a contaminated egg are tiny, it does make a lot of people feel more comfortable.
Another bonus, if you’re doing a hot nog… There’s no risk of overheating your nog and evaporating the alcohol. You’re in full control of the temperature. I now use my APC for doing mulled wine and cider for exactly that reason.
I’ve actually prepared egg nog for the first time this year. It’s a raw one (Alton Brown’s recipe) and will be served cold, because it’s just as likely to be 30C/100F in the shade. One thing about the AB recipe, its big enough and boozy enough that it’ll probably be fine served over ice and watered down with soda water much like advocaat. It should keep the two elderly mother’s that I cook Christmas dinner for in content mode. 
Thanks!!!
Will the benefit here mostly be for recipes that include the egg? We don’t have eggs in ours.
Also, we usually make coquito by blending all of the ingredients together, so evaporation of alcohol isn’t really an issue for us. I’m sure it’s probably worth experimenting, though. And comparing the two preparation methods.
I make an eggnog and use pasteurized eggs just to be safe but Ember was spot on when she said it’s good for warming your drink if you like it that way. No evaporation or scorching.
I’ve found myself infusing alcohols lately and I would suggest using the APC to infuse your rum with some complimentary flavors, maybe pineapple, mango, or mint. A little chili? Or infuse the cloves, cinnamon, etc… directly into your rum. I just made apple pie bourbon for Thanksgiving.
If you just build your drink as you serve it and you serve it cold, then I can’t see any real benefit in introducing the APC to the preparations.
If you build it as it’s served and serve it hot, then you can have the elements on warming standby in the bath.
@Anomalii, it’s certainly great for kickstarting an infusion. I do spiced rum for my partner. I usually allow the spices to sit in the rum while it cools and strain into a bottle for storage once the rum is cooled. Bacon Vodka makes for pretty good Bloody Mary. 
I use the APC for doing my herb infused oils too.
I’ve never had coquito warm, but this has actually got me thinking. It would be a nice treat to have. Now I’m wondering why we never served it warm!
I’m thinking the equatorial climate probably has something to do with why it’s not traditionally served warm.
You’re 100% right lol. My family is from Puerto Rico - summer all year long there. But it does sound nice to have warm eggnog/coquito, since now I’m living in a city that becomes cold-ish during the winter time!