Thursday 3 March 2016
Events
Creating our signature cocktails
First of all, let’s put it on the record – inventing new cocktails isn’t quite as tricky as you might expect. I came up with a lot of our Old Stocks originals – like the Elderbarb Chaser, the Breakfast and the Allotment – by trial and error. First, I checked to see if a basic mix would work, then took it to the next level, adding additional hits of flavour and garnishes. There was probably a lot of luck involved to get them right!
Having some fantastic spirits and flavours to work with, like the Chase spirits, really helps, but it’s easy to recreate the Rhubarb and Marmalade vodkas at home if you can’t find them in the supermarket. And of course, to make the classics, you don’t need to spend a lot of money – lots of cocktails are made up of just three to five ingredients. If you can combine those flavours well, you can make great cocktails at home.
How to make the perfect Old Fashioned
My favourite cocktail is an Old Fashioned – it’s a classic, and while it’s easy to make, it requires a little bit of care and attention to ensure perfection. If you’re a Mad Men fan, you’ll recognise it as Don Draper’s drink of choice.
- Brown sugar cube
- Angostura bitters
- Soda water
- 60ml bourbon (my personal choice is Elijah Craig Bourbon)
- Maraschino liqueur
- Ice
Soak a brown sugar cube in a dash of Angostura bitters, and then break it down with a dash of soda water. Slowly add the bourbon of your choice, and stir with ice. Add a few drops of maraschino liqueur to finish, and that’s it. Traditionally, you’d garnish this with a twist of orange rind.
Give it a go yourself
At our cocktail masterclasses, you’ll have the opportunity to try making some classic drinks, such as a Cosmo, something nice and summery that you can serve in a pitcher and an Old Stocks favourite. You’ll learn how to mix, muddle and shake, which are the key elements of making most cocktails, in a nice, relaxed setting – so there’s no need to take notes!
If you’d like to come to one of our cocktail masterclasses, give us a call on 01451 830 666 to book your place. They’re lots of fun for groups of friends, or perfect if you just want to try something different! Visit our cocktail masterclasses event page to get all the details.