Day: 12 May 2018

Some of us have gone dry for January, so if you've got friends over this month, keep these cocktail and mocktail recipes up your sleeve. We've got some great cocktail recipes from Brighton's best bartenders for you, including a couple of low/no alcohol options too. Dust that shaker off and get mixing... Classic Old Fashioned 640 East Brighton has only been open a few weeks, but mixologist David Miller (ex London’s Merchant House) has already been busy behind the bar. He's created a dessert cocktail giving a nod to Brighton using Tuaca, which is well worth a try if you get a chance to pop in. But for now, here's David's take on a classic Old Fashioned to try at home: What you'll need: Bourbon Angostura bitters Orange bitters Sugar Orange peel How to make it: Grab a lowball glass and add ice. Add 25ml bourbon, 2 dashes of bitters, 2 dashes of bitters and sugar to taste Stir and add orange peel as a garnish to serve Low alcohol top tip: Offer guests a fizz Collins, made up of lemon juice, elderflower cordial and topped up with soda. Nightcap Old Fashioned (alcohol-free) Stocked at 640 East Brighton, Three Spirits have a range of plant-based alcohol-free spirits, including Nightcap, which is an indulgent elixir made with tree saps, aromatic plants and ancient remedies used to relax and unwind. Here’s a decadent, woody & smooth recipe worth giving a try for your guests that fancy a hangover-free party. What you'll need: 50ml Three Spirits Nightcap 5 dashes of Angostura Bitters Orange slice Maraschino cherry How to make it: Combine all the ingredients in a whisky-style glass and fill with ice. Stir until ice-cold, garnish with an orange slice and top with a maraschino cherry. A Sussex martini Isaac At source all their ingredients as close to Sussex as possible, giving guests at their tasting restaurant a true ‘Sussex on a Plate’ experience. Being home to the only all English drinks menu in the country, they share their Sussex Martini to try at home. Sommelier Alex Preston recommends making a candied rhubarb garnish for the cocktail as it accents the 40 botanicals in Albourne 40 Vermouth brilliantly. What you'll need: Albourne 40 vermouth Brighton Gin Blackdown Silver Birch Vodka Candied rhubarb to garnish (as below) How to make it: Add a splash of Albourne Vermouth to a tall glass with ice Add 25ml Brighton Gin and 25ml of Silver Birch Vodka Stir and then pour into a martini glass For the garnish, they would recommend making some Sussex candied Rhubarb, which can be used throughout the festive period. To do this add 300ml local honey to 500ml rhubarb juice and cook down until thick. Brush this on thinly sliced rhubarb and bake in the oven to make candied rhubarb. The Sweet Pea The Salt Room have a great cocktail bar and they've had some award-winning mixologists working their magic behind the bar over the years. Here's their Sweet Pea, served without a straw. What you'll need: 45ml East London Liquor Company gin 20ml fresh lime juice 5ml gomme syrup 5ml green Chartreuse enough prosecco to top the glass up For the decoration/garnish: a lemon some smoked paprika pea shoots How to make it: Grab a tall glass and give it a smoked paprika rim. To do this, work a slice of lemon around it and then twist in a dusting of paprika. Put all the ingredients (except the prosecco) into a cocktail shaker, shake well and strain into your glass over ice. Top up with prosecco, garnish with pea shoots and enjoy! The Red Carpet You may be familiar with MyHotel's in-house cocktail bar Merkaba; it's renowned for the element of theatre that's added to every cocktail they make. From firing up their bar (they literally set it alight) to a cocktail shake that will impress even the best maraca players, Merkaba have a cocktail menu with something for everyone, including this glamorous beauty: What you'll need: 25ml Absolut Vodka 25ml Licor 43 25ml apple juice 25ml lemon juice 25ml strawberry purée 10 ml sugar prosecco to top up For the garnish: one marshmallow How to make it: Add all the ingredients (except the prosecco) to a cocktail shaker and do as Merkaba do... shake it, shake it, shake it. Pour the mixture into a glass and top up with the prosecco. Garnish with a toasted marshmallow. Sit back, relax and enjoy. Photo credits: Foodie Eshe (The Sweet Pea), Restaurants Brighton (main image)

Day: 12 May 2018

cocktails and mocktails for a wet or dry january

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