Presenting… The LCS at The Hide Bar

This special evening was all smoke and mirrors…well smoke and bubbles at least. The Hide Bar team had got their hands on some new equipment and they wanted to play, with an audience to play for. Enter The London Cocktail Society. The evening was all about twists on the classic based on four base spirits; we started with gin.

Paolo made 6:1 martinis with Bermondsey Gin – we were, after all, on Bermondsey Street – and a Noilly Prats and a squoosh of lemon scent from their antique atomizer. This was not the gin I would choose for a martini but one of my favourite drinks nonetheless.

Then. THEN. They took the martini and added it into what I can only describe as a time-capsule-soda-stream. You put the liquid into this glass cylinder, attach the CO2 can and add till full. Shake firmly. And there you go, fizzy martini. “Was it good though?” I hear you ask. It was interesting, the bubbles softening the alcoholic kick but did nothing more than that. Then our bar tender added a few martinis to a decanter and then with the help of a rubber pipe smoked that drink with freshly lit wood chips. Block up the top. Swirl it around a bit. (Don’t worry, it won’t over smoke). And how did this one perform? It had hints of black BBQ char and finished with a smokey bacon note. Don’t get excited, it was not that tasty. And lastly – a fizzy smoked martini. This sat undrunk once tried…

So onto the next classic spirit that was tequila and the classic margarita. The process of fizzing, smoking and fizzy smoking was the same. The result was very different. This is because tequila already spends some time in charred barrels during the aging process so the smoke automatically integrates better. The best of the lot was the straight up smoked.

NB Despite this being a one-off event, The Hide Bar has many unusual drinks on the menu including a smoked tequila drink so pop along if you are intrigued.

Next the team presented a Mint Julep and a Rum based Old Fashioned. Unfortunately I had other commitments that evening but I was informed the smoked Mint Julep was the triumph.

A lot of fun. A lot of great Christmas present ideas for cocktail and food geeks. As for the taste, I am yet to be convinced that my classics need these specific twists. 

(Many many thanks to Mark at www.thecocktailgeek.com for the photos - mine got lost in transit!) 

Presenting...Dr Adam Elmegirab Bitters

First of all, he is not a doctor. Sorry. 



Second, Adam came all the way from Aberdeen - bringing his accent with him (I've been in London too long) - to present the London Cocktail Society and I hope he felt it was worth it because we all really did have a great time, best event yet...


Thirdly, I have never been as tipsy as I was at this tasting so it may get vague towards the end. 


So, bitters... more than just for getting drunk?


I shall start with the bits and bobs of history that I wrote down, feel free to skip to the drinks underneath:


The original recipe for the bitters that Adam has spent years recreating exists in two places: New York where the bitters company was originally created and Mexico City at the Casa di Bokers. Used the past as a remedy for indigestion amongst other things, Adam has dug into the history of the creating family and the label (which he used to individually sign and glue on) reflects this work. 


So what are bitters? Essentially they are overproof spirits and botanicals. They can either be potable i.e. drinkable such as Campari or non potable i.e. used for flavour. Being the first new bitters company in 100 years the explanation of his product on setting up was no easy task! You see Adam is not distilling but needs a compound license to change the flavour of the base spirit...


How do I taste bitters? Try them on an ice cube, in a vodka cocktail or simply with soda water (or when cooking add Aphrodisiac to your chilli, Bokers to your chicken and Dandelion & Burdock to your lemon sorbet)


What is the inspiration? The Bokers was the original recipe and that Adam extended into Spanish bitters (with citrus and camomile) designed especially for a Spanish drinks competition, Dandelion & Burdock (citrus, ginger and anise too) from childhood drinks and Aphrodisiac bitters (cocoa, spice) were created to treat "Dickensian illnesses" for the Zetter Townhouse - a favourite of mine.


1500 bottles a month now go out to 18 different countries with more growth day by day!


For more info on this side see Adam's blog and how it all started at thejerrythomasproject.blogspot.co.uk


Lets get straight in with the drinks of the evening now:

#1 Caorunn Gin and Fentimans Tonic with Dandelion and Burdock bitters and an apple garnish :Liquorise notes, a little earthy and I got more juniper on this but may have been the gin


#2 Adnams Copper House Gin and Fentimans Tonic with Spanish bitters and a lemon garnish: Violets and citrus flavours were stronger and had more of a kick


#3 Adnams First Rate Finest Cut Gin and Fentimans Ginger Ale with Aphrodisiac bitters and a lime garnish: Fresh!


#4 "Horses Neck" Adnams Copper House Gin and Fentimans Ginger Ale with Bokers bitters and a lemon twist: Earthier


And a cocktail recipe for you to finish:

Highland Picnic


25ml Caorunn Gin
25ml Lillet Rouge
25ml Apple Juice
3 dashes of Dandelion & Burdock bitters


1) Shake with ice then top with lemonade
2) Garnish with fruit and mint or rosemary


Perfect alternative to Pimms

Presenting…Prohibition with Four Roses Bourbon Speakeasy

I was taken out of my comfort zone earlier this week and sent to North London to what has been described as a New Orlean’s Cocktail Den – Shaker & Co - and more specifically the Four Roses sponsored speakeasy downstairs.

A rather salubrious street off a 6 lane motorway passing under-agers drinking outside the local Spar and a shifty looking group of chain smoking girls is the location of much talked about new bar. The ground floor looks, to be honest, like a London pub. There is an incredibly well stocked bar on one side, seating down the other with a nod to the old in the stags head and a nod to the new/old cocktail culture in a feature photo wall of Southern bartenders. I like the toilets.

However this evening was taking place downstairs (where I presume the great smelling food was also emerging from) in the speakeasy. Walls are pasted with Four Roses cocktail recipes (mine was mixed with fresh ginger, yum), Dickensian streetlamps flicker in the corners and customers perch on bourbon crates – ladies be warned, this is serious splinter territory if in a skirt – which are frankly not too comfortable.

But hey, this IS a speakeasy. Whether you love them or hate them, the London trend has created everything from ramshackle pop ups to sleek bars hidden behind secret doors; the term originally meant something hidden and thrown together to enjoy alcohol in the time when it was banned and to “speak easy” – which is what we have here.

Straining to hear over the live music and stomping upstairs (which I liked as we hunkered down in the basement) we listened to a run down of the period that has so inspired the cocktail scene and television shows like Broadwalk Empire. .

In 1884 Georgia became the second state to introduce prohibition. By 1920 it was enforced across the USA until 1933. The results of prohibition were numerous:

-          there were more bars than when alcohol was legal

-          alcohol production became a money spinner and the mob quickly moved in

-          with an “anything goes” attitude these soon become brothels and gambling dens too

-          doctors became bartenders (1 in 4 bourbon tots were issued for medicinal purposes!)

-          most importantly it led to the popularity and spread of the cocktail

Alcohol quality went down quickly, with names such as Rotgut you can imagine the standard, so this was mixed with other flavours and soon developed classics such as Whisky Sour or the Old Fashioned. US bartenders grew frustrated and moved to Europe taking their cocktail culture to new markets and often staying, most famously in Harry’s Bar in Paris.

So what happened after it was all over? Depression, WWII, another depression, an influx of Canadian Whisky who were able to make and most importantly age their products so immediate release was possible, big companies taking names and dropping quality, gin coming into fashion from Europe, rum coming into fashion from the Navy boys, Tiki fashion in the 50’s since fruit juices were available again. In fact the only countries not to be exposed to the cheap Four Roses blend were Japan, France and Spain where it is still outselling its famous counterpart. Certainly nothing to do Bourbon any good.

But most importantly we are back on form now: Wild Turkey, Makers Mark, Bulleit, Four Roses with the people behind the products asking the right questions – can this be better? I am a new fan of bourbon but a passionate one so whether you pop into Byron for a burger/beer/bourbon offer or you choose MEATLiquor, Shaker&Co, the Blues Kitchen for some serious drinking, give this spirit a try and some long deserved support.

Recommended: Scofflaw (created in Harry’s Bar and named after those who scoffed at the law)

·                 1 1/2 ounces rye

·                 1 ounce dry vermouth

·                 3/4 ounces fresh lemon juice

·                 3/4 ounces grenadine

·                 2 dashes of orange bitters

Shake all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Thanks to the http://www.londoncocktailsociety.co.uk/ who organised this event for us and to Dan Priseman, Brand Ambassador