The London Cocktail Bar Crawl

Last week, myself and one of my work colleagues decided to go on a bit of a cocktail bar crawl around London’s west end. The Soho/ Covent Garden area is notorious for having some of the most stylish and trendy bars in London, so we were excited to visit some of them and see what creations they had to offer.

We visited a number of different bars throughout the day, but there were a few different cocktails which stood out from the rest. The first was at the Covent Garden Cocktail Club. We asked the bartender to make us a drink which is a bit different, but also one which he enjoys making. He served us up a “Berlin Sour”. Invented in 2009, by Thorsten Pannek at the Hilton Hotel Frankfurt, the "Berlin Sour” consisted of Kummel (cumin liqueur), Luxardo maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and sugar syrup. All ingredients were shaken together and double strained into a martini glass. The flavours worked together well. Despite it being a sour, it was still very sweet and powerful. The Kummel cut through the lemon juice and the Luxardo complemented it well without over-powering the other flavours.

We made a short walk down the road to another popular bar in Covent Garden, "Navaja Joe’s Cocktail Bar”. There we decided to try a simple variation on the Classic Mojito. The cocktail was called “Rumdog Millionaire”. This cocktail used rum, lime and mint, muddled together, strained into a tall glass over ice and topped up with mango juice and Ginger beer. It was a simple and refreshing concoction, exactly what i would expect from a varied Mojito.

We then moved on to a place called “Dirty Martini”. Here I tried another mango based cocktail, A “Mango and Chilli Martini”. Even though I had already had a mango cocktail at the bar before, I was interested in how the mango would mix with the chilli. This martini used mandarin vodka, chilli infused vodka, lime juice and mango juice. The cocktail worked in two stages. When first sipped you get a hint of the chilli instantly, but then the cooling taste of the mango takes over and balances the entire drink out nicely.

After a few more bars, we decided to finish off our crawl at the E.C.C (Experimental Cocktail Club). With a name like that, we expected some crazy drinks, and they didn’t disappoint. I decided to order a “Redneck Flip”. A totally original creation with Laird’s Applejack (apple brandy), Buffalo trace bourbon, a budweiser & marshmallow syrup, a whole egg, Memphis BBQ bitters and finished off with grated nutmeg. All shaken together and double strained into a daiquiri glass.  This would not be the sort of cocktail that just anyone would order. It’s bizarre mix of flavours made such a unique taste. It can’t say it is the nicest cocktail I’ve ever had, but is up there with the most interesting. I guess I enjoyed the drink just for the sheer appreciation for what the bartenders at E.C.C were trying to create, which is a totally unique drinking experience.

As our night came to an end, I couldn’t help but think that we hadn’t even begun to scratch the surface of the London cocktail scene. I think another cocktail bar crawl needed to happen in the not to distant future.

(Covent Garden Cocktail Club)
 “Berlin Sour”
In a Mixing Glass:
30ml Kummel Cumin Liqueur
30ml Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
30ml Lemon Juice
30ml Sugar Syrup

Shake All Ingredients
Double Strain into a Martini Glass

 (Navaja Joe’s Cocktail Bar)
“Rumdog Millionaire”
In a Mixing Glass:
Muddle Lime (with some sugar syrup)
Add a Handful of Mint
60ml White Rum
30ml Mango Juice
Shake together and Double strain into tall glass
Top up with Ginger beer
Garnish with a sprig of mint

(Dirty Martini)
“Mango and Chilli Martini”
In a mixing Glass:
30ml Chilli infused vodka
30ml Absolut Mandarin
15ml Lime Juice
30ml Mango Juice

Shake all together
Double strain into Martini glass
Garnish with a small chilli on the rim of the glass

(Experimental Cocktail Club)
“Redneck Flip"
In a Mixing Glass:
30ml Lairds Applejack (Apple Brandy)
30ml Buffalo Trace Bourbon
15ml Budweiser & Marshmallow Syrup
Dash of Memphis BBQ Bitters
1 whole egg
Shake all ingredients
Double Strain into a daiquiri glass (or martini glass)

Sun, Surf & Pebble Beaches: Welcome to Brighton Beach

We have had an amazing first two weeks in London, but it was time for us to take our first trip outside the nations capital. We had heard rave reviews about Brighton (South England, about an hour on the train from London), so we thought that this would be great place to go and visit.  As soon as we arrived at the beach side town, the heavens closed in and the rain began to pelt down. Not the best start to our trip. As we walked down the main street, we reached the "beach". Well... Us Aussie's had never seen a beach like it. Not a grain of sand in sight, just a couple of billion pebbles instead. Despite standing in the rain and looking at a deserted pebble beach, we were still determine to explore the town and get the most out of what Brighton has to offer.

Brighton is a major tourist destination in the UK, famous for the Brighton Pier amusement park which stands out at the end of the jetty. Along with Brighton Pier, are the many bars, cafe's and restaurants which are jammed into this small town. As we explored, we visited many places, but one in particular took our fancy. We went to visit the Havana Bar, a fine dining restaurant, which has a reputation for making great cocktails. After consulting the menu for quiet some time I decided to order a drink called a "Somerset Sunset". This drink consisted of St. Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, Calvodos, Creme de Mure, Creme de Framboise and soda water. For those who don't know what some of those ingredients are, i'll explain. Calvados is an apple flavoured brandy made in France. Creme de Mure is a blackberry liqueur and Creme de Framboise is a raspberry flavoured liqueur. This drink is built in a tall glass and is measured with 15ml of ingredient and topped up with soda. This drink has great flavour combinations. The blackberry and the raspberry liqueurs are obviously going to work well together. The addition of the apple brandy gives the drink another dimension and then the after taste of the elderflower liqueur pulls all the flavours together and finishes it off nicely. Very nice and very refreshing.

The Havana bar certainly lived up to it's reputation. The Somerset Sunset was a great well constructed and still very simple built cocktail. When you go to a beach side town, you hope that it gives you great sunny weather. So the fact that it was raining did get us down a little, but a couple of cocktails at the Havana Bar certainly fixed that.

The Havana Bar's: "Somerset Sunset"

15ml St Germein Elderflower Liqueur
15ml Calvados (Apple Brandy)
15ml Creme de Mure (Blackberry Liqueur)
15ml Creme de Framboise (Raspberry Liqueur)
15ml Lemon Juice
Topped up with Soda water

The Art of the 'Flip"

I love the looks on people's faces when they see you cracking a raw egg into a shaker as you prepare their cocktail.  A look of disgust mixed with fear of what they are about to drink. But once the drink is complete and they slowly and reluctantly take that first sip, they are soon hooked on the smooth fluffy texture mixed with the sweetness of the liqueurs and spirits added.  In case you haven't already worked it out yet, a flip drink is a drink that contains a raw egg. There are many cocktails around that contain egg white but they are not considered a 'flip'. A 'flip' is the whole egg, yolk and all. I remember when i first began learning about cocktails and i came across the idea of adding a whole raw egg to a drink, at the time i thought it was so unheard of, but after learning more about 'flips', i realised that this technique has been around for hundreds of years.

The idea of the 'flip' began in the late 1600's, but the original idea was not with an egg, but with beer. The idea of the original drink was a mixture of rum, sugar and beer. This cocktail was heated up either over a fire or with a hot iron. The beer would froth up and give the drink the fluffy texture that we now get from using an egg. Over time the beer was eliminated and replaced with eggs and it was served chilled as opposed to hot.  Modern day flips now contain things like grated nut-meg or cinnamon. Other herbs and spices like coriander and ginger are also found in many modern flips.

There are literally hundreds of different flip recipes out there. I'll go over one of the simple classics, the classic brandy flip. Start with a cocktail shaker half filled with ice (you don't need to much ice when making flips because the ice is used to just chill the drink, whereas many of the other classics, ice is important because it's used to dilute the cocktail). Next add 60ml of your favourite brandy, 1 whole egg, 30ml sugar syrup and a pinch of grated nut-meg. If you want, you can also add a dash of thickened cream, but this is optional.  Shake the drink hard and fast. It's important to mix the egg up well. You need the egg to froth before you serve so spend a good 30 seconds shaking. Now simply strain your mixture into your glass. I like to use a wine glass, but any glass will do. Finally, garnish with some more grated nut meg on top.  Using this technique, you can make tons of variations simply by substituting the brandy for what ever other spirit you'd like. As mentioned earlier, no don't need to use nut-meg either. Try cinnamon or ginger if you wish to give your flip some extra flavour.

In a previous post i talked about the 'snickers bar' cocktail. This is a great drink to turn into a flip. 15ml of butterscotch schnapps, Baileys Irish cream, creme de cacao and frangelico with a whole egg and a spoon of peanut butter, shake well and serve. I guarantee that's a winner every time.

It's important to understand that the egg in these drinks has no flavour, so it doesn't effect the taste in anyway. I think that's what scares people off the most, is the idea that they'll taste the raw egg. The egg simply gives the drink texture. Having said that, have to many of these and they will fill your stomach up. They are eggs after all. Usually one or two is usually enough.

I urge everyone to try a flip cocktail. You won't be disappointed. Like many classics, drinking a flip drink is an experience. I hope it's an enjoyable one.

Classic Brandy Flip:

In a Shaker:

Half fill with ice

Add 60ml Brandy

30ml Sugar syrup

1 whole egg

pinch of grated nutmeg

(thickened cream optional)

Shake well and strain into a glass.

The Sangria

If you asked me to name one cocktail or drink that sums up creativity, fun, socialising with friends and partying, I'd have to say that not many would rival the sangria. The great thing about this drink is that there is no official recipe for it. It's completely up to you. Every bartender who i know who makes this drink has there own slight twist, and there is nothing wrong with any of them. The other great thing is, you don't need to be a master 'mixologist' or a cocktail guru to know how to put one  of these together. Any combination of red wine (or white wine for a sangria blanco), juices and fresh fruit does the job and it's always a hit at parties or when your out with a big group of people.

The Sangria was first invented in Spain. The word sangria is actually the Spanish word for bleeding, which refers to the look of the red wine which is used in a traditional sangria recipe. It is always served in big pitchers or jugs like a punch. The people of Spain and later Portugal, have been drinking this cocktail for hundreds of years. Some say as far back as the 1700s. There is no proof of this though. However, the story goes, back in the 1700's, the water in Spain was to dirty and not safe to drink. Water back then was only used for bathing and washing their horses. People's alternative was to drink milk, but milk was seen as being a babies drink. So the other safe alternative was wine. So to make the wine less alcoholic and therefore suitable for children, people added freshly squeezed juices and fruits, and the very first sangria's were born. In modern times, spirits have been added to the recipe to give the cocktail more kick.  This party drink exploded on to the world stage at the 1964 worlds fair in New York.

As mentioned earlier, everyone makes sangria different. I suppose there is no right or wrong way of serving it. I personally like to make it as tropical as possible. Start with chopped oranges, some strawberries and some pineapple pieces. I like to also add mango puree' and passion fruit pulp, but this is not essential. One ingredient that i do recommend you use is cinnamon. By throwing in a  couple of cinnamon sticks with your mixture, it can give the drink a nice little spice as you sip on your sangria. It also works well with the flavours of the red wine. Now add 15ml white rum, 15ml dark rum, 15ml brandy and 15ml Cointreau (or any type of triple sec). Next, add about 90ml of any type of red wine and top it up with orange juice, pineapple juice and apple juice. If you want, you can also add a little bit of soda water or lemonade.

As I'm sure you've gathered, the sangria is a drink with hundreds of different variations. So it's important when making your sangria that you put you own little personal touch on your drink.  I hope I've given you some ideas. Have fun!!!

In a Jug or Pitcher Add:
Chopped Oranges, Pineapples and strawberries
Dash of Mango puree and Passion fruit pulp (Optional)
2 - 3 Cinnamon Sticks
15ml White Rum
15ml Dark Rum
15ml Cointreau
15ml Brandy
90ml Red Wine
Top up with Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice and Apple Juice
(Soda Water or Lemonade Optional)

Two 'Tiki' Classics: The Mai Tai & The Zombie

I love my rum, and in particular, rum based cocktails. The Daiquiri, Mojito and rum Old Fashioned are some of my all time favourites.  But as all rum drinkers will tell you, you can't go past 2 of arguably the most famous 'Tiki' cocktails of all time, the Mai Tai and the Zombie.

For those who don't know what i mean when i say 'tiki', I'm referring to a style of bar which became huge in the US during the 1930s. Tiki bars were themed bars which were based around a tropical style. These bars usually contained palm trees, torches and were commonly located near beaches. The very first tiki bar was opened in Los Angeles in 1933 named, Don the Beachcomber. It's owner was a man who today is known as the 'father of tiki', Donn Beach (a.k.a Ernestt Gantt, who changed his name to Donn Beach in 1937). Tiki bars were also famous for tiki cocktails, which were rum based, tropical and fruity cocktails which were often served in things like coconut shells. Tiki bars were huge mainly throughout America, but also all over the world for the next 30 years, but then fell out of style. However the tiki theme has been revived in the last 15 years with popular tiki cocktails finding there way back on to drinks menus.

As the success of Donn Beach's bars grew, so did the number of other bar owners trying to take the reigns as one of the top bars in America. One of Beach's main rivals was bar owner, Victor J Bergeron. Bergeron was the founder of the bar and restaurant chain, Trader Vic's (which started in Oakland, California). Bergeron claimed to create the first Mai Tai at his bar in 1944, however Donn Beach claims to have invented the first Mai Tai at his establishment in 1934. There is no proof who was first, but Beach's version of the cocktail is a little different to Bergeron's.  As I'm writing this blog, i decided to google the Mai Tai just to see how many different variations there are, and without searching around for to long, i came across at least 20 different ways of serving this drink and I'm sure there are more out there. So I'll go over the way i personally like to serve my Mai Tai's.
Start with a shaker an add 15ml white rum (Bacardi superior is usually my white rum of choice), 15ml Amaretto (almond liqueur), 15ml Cointreau, 15ml dark rum (again, Bacardi 8yo is my dark rum) the juice of half a lime and a dash of sugar syrup and about 30ml - 45ml of pineapple juice. Add ice and shake. Now... you don't need to shake your Mai Tai's, you can quite easily build them over ice. However, shaking this mixture with the pineapple juice gives the cocktail a nice creamy foam when you pour it into your glass. Once your done shaking, simple pour it into your glass. One of the rules with tiki cocktails is that you need to garnish your drinks with as much fruit and decoration as you can, so go nuts with you garnish, don't hold back!

Donn Beach may have 'claimed' to create the Mai Tai in 1934, but we know he definitely did create the Zombie. The Zombie is very similar to the Mai Tai. This cocktail contains white rum, gold rum, dark rum, apricot brandy, pineapple juice and papaya juice (or orange juice if papaya is hard to source). Donn Beach created this drink in 1939 and launched and served it at the New York world fair. Since then, many variations have also been created for the Zombie. When serving a zombie i prefer to build the cocktail in a tall glass. Start with 15ml Bacardi Superior, 15ml Bacardi gold, 15ml Bacardi 8yo and 15ml apricot brandy. I find a dash of mango puree' and passion fruit pulp works great with this drink too. Next, add ice and top up with pineapple juice and orange juice. Give it a bit of a stir then finally pour a dash of grenadine down the centre of the drink and watch it sink to the bottom.  Like the Mai Tai, don't hold back on you garnishes.

These are top drinks to serve up at parties. Especially poolside in the summer. Very tropical and are designed to be lots of fun. If your a rum drinker like i am, you'll have a lot of fun making your own versions of the Mai Tai and the Zombie. Enjoy!!!

The Mai Tai:
In a shaker,
15ml White Rum
15ml Dark Rum
15ml Cointreau
15ml Amaretto
Dash of Lime Juice
Dash of Sugar Syrup
30ml - 45ml Pineapple Juice
Add Ice
Shake and Pour into glass

The Zombie:
In a Tall glass,
15ml Bacardi Superior
15ml Bacardi Gold
15ml Bacardi 8yo
15ml Apricot Brandy
Dash of Mango Puree
Dash of Passion fruit Pulp
Add ice and stir together
Top up with Pineapple juice and Orange Juice
Sink a dash of Grenadine