You may have found yourself skimming a compelling cocktail recipe, only to click away after seeing one increasingly common ingredient: raw egg white. But while making an egg white cocktail can be daunting, the ingredient can add a frothy richness to a cocktail — and, once shaken, contribute a pleasant foam to the top of a drink. The fear of contracting salmonella by drinking raw eggs is legitimate but surmountable once you ensure that your egg is as fresh as possible. Luckily, there’s a simple method to test egg freshness (currently trending on TikTok), requiring just a bowl of water, meaning you can enjoy that Pisco Sour or eggnog safely and with peace of mind.

How to Tell if Your Egg Is Fresh

  1. Fill a glass bowl full of cold water.
  2. Fresh eggs will sink to the bottom and lie on their sides.
  3. If an egg sits upright rather than on its side, it’s still fresh enough to use but will need to be tossed soon.
  4. If an egg floats to the top of the water, it’s no longer fresh and should be disposed of.