Last Friday night, a few lucky HCX girls were able to experience the world of mixology thanks to The Oddfellows Gastro Bar and Cocktail Lounge on New North Road. After our two-hour master class in cocktail making, we emerged with a treasure chest of knowledge and cocktail recipes to make our friends very jealous.
On arrival we were taken upstairs to the ‘Speakeasy’ cocktail lounge – an authentic replication of the ‘speakeasy’ drinking clubs that sprang up during the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920’s. Imagine a Great Gatsby-esque cocktail lounge with eclectic décor and jazz music – the perfect mix for a girly evening of cocktail making. We were handed a gorgeous little drink, and after the first sip (or three!) we attempted to guess what it contained. We detected banana, pineapple juice and lemon, until our host Ben informed us we were drinking a ‘Somerset Toffee Apple’ containing premium Plymouth Gin, cloudy apple juice, caramel syrup and other delicious sounding treats. Now, as a firm enemy of gin, I was shocked that what I’d just enjoyed sipping contained my most hated spirit. But as the evening went on, I became a gin convert. The premium gin we tried contained subtle flavours of herbs and spices, and didn’t numb my mouth or give me the dreaded alcohol shakes that make up my usual reactions to ‘off the shelf’ gin. Instead I could taste the delicate flavours that infused the drink, and learned how to use gin to make perfect cocktails like the ‘Somerset Toffee Apple’. Next we indulged in a shot of ‘43’ a Spanish liquor that contains 43 different herbs and spices including vanilla, cinnamon, citrus and fruits. This was a spicy, warming treat: no ‘Apple Sourz’ for these sophisticated HCX girls.
Throughout the evening Ben talked told us about the origins of various liquors and spirits, and of the importance of alcohol in his favourite era: the 1920’s. He told us his experiences of bartending and various funny stories, such as when one of his friends knocked themselves out whilst mixing a cocktail for Coldplay’s Chris Martin. We learned about the fascinating history of gin and why it’s known as ‘mother’s ruin’, we discovered the ingredients of the ‘Vesper’ drink from James Bond, and how to make wet, dry, dirty and filthy dirty Martinis – shaken, not stirred. Last up was a lesson in creating a fabulous raspberry Daiquiri that we all enjoyed a bit too much! Ben explained to us how simple it is to infuse spirits with flavour: rather than buying raspberry vodka, simply crush two raspberries into the mix with ice, lemon juice and sugar syrup and you’ll have a perfect raspberry infused drink.
The final part of the evening was a cocktail making competition. We partnered up, created team names, and took it in turns to raid behind the bar to make our perfect cocktail. However, we had to do all of this whilst holding our partner’s hand – very difficult when trying to make a cocktail! The results were hilarious – but the drinks ended up tasting pretty good!
Our cocktails were named ‘The Red Room’ (Chambourd black raspberry liqueur, gin, a passion fruit, sugar syrup, lemon and ice), ‘Sweet Cheeks’ (elderflower liqueur, lavender syrup, gin, lemon and ice), ‘50 Shades of Chocolate’ (Hotel Chocolat powdered chocolate, white chocolate liquer, raspberry syrup and vodka) and finally the winner ‘Lava Lamp’ (peach liqueur, champagne, gin, lemon, ice and a cherry). The winning combination of cocktail connoisseurs Kate Bannatyne and Sophie Angell received a prize of a cocktail shaker for their creation.
We had such a great evening at the Oddfellows Cocktail making Masterclass. Many of the girls were eager to come again with friends or even to bring their parents. Oddfellows also has a great range of gourmet food to complement their fantastic drinks menu. It’s the perfect place for a stylish birthday celebration, to grab a drink before going out, or even for a date. Oddfellows provides what every HCX girl wants of an evening: classiness, creativity and cocktails!
Here’s what the girls had to say:
“Best two hours of my week spent in the relaxed atmosphere of cosy Oddfellows, topped off with the best cocktails in town. Not one to be missed!” – Sophie Angell
“I really enjoyed the history and Ben’s knowledge of the alcohol – and how generous they were with the spirits!” – Kate Bannatyne
“I loved learning about the different flavours that work well with each other and then being given the chance to make my own drink. It was a great way to meet new people and spend an evening sipping cocktails.” – Yasaman Shayesteh
Check out the website here: http://www.theoddfellowsbar.co.uk
See more photos of the event here