My marvellous editor pointed out to me that it was five years since my previous review at The Liquor Studio.
Five years?!!! Where does the time go? That was for the Gin Cocktail Masterclass, which still holds its title for ‘The Best Fun I’ve Had in Ages!’ You can read that review here.
I went back to take on another Masterclass. This time it was for non-alcoholic cocktails. Please don’t call them mock-tails, within the walls of The Liquor Studio. The Liquor Studio is not in the business of making any kind of cocktails to be mocked! As a non-drinker of spirits, myself and with many friends who also don’t drink alcohol, this Masterclass has to be a potentially seriously, useful tool in my hosting and hospitality toolbox.
On arrival, I was greeted by Sylvia, who is the super friendly, energetic hostess of the masterclass. She gave everybody a warm welcome and served each person with a delightfully refreshing spritz she had concocted earlier. She actually threw this yummy beverage together ad hoc with some remainder ingredients and it turned out absolutely delish. Included were turmeric, lemon, rose, clementines and rosemary. If I can leave this Masterclass being able to create this liquid Zen, then I will be very, very pleased with myself indeed, to borderline smug.
I thought we were all going to sit down and socialise a wee bit, over the spritz, but nope, it was straight to our stations and on with the business of creating the cocktails. I brought my spritz with me to my station and tried to get into gear. I had to remind myself I am here to learn how to make cocktails, not sit down and drink them, uh hum.
Wow, there’s a screen on the wall with instructions and everything. This is serious! I’ve got to pay attention. Head down; let’s go.
Sylvia launched into the presentation and went through all of the different bits of equipment, informatively and with humour. She explained to the group what the equipment actually does and how to use each one properly to get the optimum results for our cocktails. There’s not a lot of equipment technique to learn, but if you use the equipment incorrectly, it could wreck your cocktail or render your cocktail all over you or somebody else, in close proximity. Do not think for this bit you can autopilot through. You need to take note.
We were tasked with making three different cocktails, in different types of drinking glasses.
1. Kir Fizz Cocktail
2. Gimlet (using home-grown shrub)
3. Cherry Sour Cocktail
Ready and armed with our cocktail weaponry, we forsake chronological order (keeping us on our toes!) and prepare the second cocktail first. The cocktail, using shrubs. Why am I visualising gardens right now? What kind of shrubs are we talking about? Are garden tools going to be added to the armoury?
Sylvia explains, the shrubs are the fresh herbs that are used in cocktails, such as basil, rosemary, mint, etc. We had a selection of fruits, herbs, honey, vinegar wines, even hot pepper sauce to choose from to create our shrub cocktail. It’s quite tempting to go a little bit crazy with the variety of choice of ingredients, but as the saying goes ‘less is more’ and I stuck to this, as I ventured along the line of ingredients. I chose strawberry, ginger, lime rind, basil, white wine vinegar and honey. Lee, who is the head of The Liquor Studio, squirted in the honey and vinegar portions. He also told me, when stirring the mix, not to crush the basil herbs, because crushing the herbs brings out a bitter taste. Good advice, as one might think crushing the herbs would bring out more flavour.
It’s back to my station, for a good stir of the mix, a taste test, then leave the ingredients to hang out and get acquainted with each other.
On to the first cocktail – The Kir Fizz Cocktail. As a history geek, I was very happy to hear there is an interesting history attached to how the spritz drink was born. Sylvia is Italian and relayed this Italian history to the group. I’ll just say it involves Italian wine and Austrian soldiers, as I never like to spoil a good history story.
We went on to make the two other cocktails, finishing off the Gimlet Cocktail and creating a Cherry Sour Cocktail, using syrups. I swapped my cherry syrup for a peach syrup. This is a lot of creating, making and shaking! The sour base cocktail requires froth, which requires Hulk-like shaking power. I could feel the calories burning off me, from the effort needed to shake the ice, to create the froth. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had delayed onset muscle soreness the next day from the arm and shoulder actions. It was all worth it though, as my cocktails looked to standard and here are my three humble creations, Paparazzi-ed for me, by Olivia in marketing. Presenting from left to right. The Gimlet, The Kir Fizz and The Cherry (peach substitute) Sour:
Fe’s creations
The class was finished and so was I, nearly! It’s hard work making cocktails. I felt like sitting down after making the first one. I certainly do now appreciate the work and effort that goes into actually creating and making cocktails. It is a skill, an instinctive skill, not unlike art. It’s no wonder that it’s not frequent, to come across a really good cocktail creator or maker. They certainly do not fall out of the sky.
I’m glad I had a go at making non alcoholic cocktails, but in all honesty, I’d rather get a butler to make mine. It’s also fun to watch somebody make a cocktail in front of your eyes. I genuinely enjoy the showmanship of cocktail-making.
I think this Masterclass would be ideal for groups of friends, work groups or for personal education. Although it lends more to groups, you can still go as a solo participant, if you have the desire to learn in a practical way, about how to make cocktails. Either way you choose to attend the Masterclass, you will leave knowing how to create and make a genuine and impressive non-alcoholic cocktail, all by yourself using the proper equipment and looking kinda fly whilst doing it.
Create cocktails, make cocktails and get to drink your non-alcoholic cocktails, every Thursday from 7pm to 8.30pm at the Non Alcoholic Cocktail Masterclass at The Liquor Studio.
Photography provided by The Liquor Studio.
