The Bar Guys

Blog

How to make a delicious BarGuys homemade lime cordial  = Cocktail “Gimlet” with a twist

How to make a delicious BarGuys homemade lime cordial = Cocktail “Gimlet” with a twist

/ Nooooo artificial flavours – /

I’ve always had a pretty serious dilemma with the Gimlet. On one hand, I’ve never really been in love with fresh lime juice Gimlets. There, I’ve said it. But for me, they’ve always lacked this bracing, bitter, tart edge that a Gimlet made with Lime cordial. Those qualities have always stuck in my head as a sort of yardstick for what a Gimlet should taste and feel like, and fresh lime juice and sugar just don’t quite get the drink all the way there.

On the other hand, ordinary Lime cordial (what you buy in supermarkets) is not a great product really. There’s absolutely nothing natural about it, it’s full of high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavours, and artificial colours!!! HOWEVER… there are some “weird” qualities that make it very unique. Again, it gives a Gimlet a bracing, bitter, tart edge. It’s just the flavour that isn’t any good.

So, me being me, I had to try to find a way around this and come up with a lime cordial that captured those positive qualities of “Supermarket lime cordial”, but used fresh, natural ingredients. And believe me, I made about dozen batches of pretty bad cordial before I settled on something I could post here.

A lot of bartenders out there adopt the fresh-lime-juice-and-sugar method of making lime cordial. While it’s a really nice idea, fresh lime juice and sugar in no way captures the tartness and bitterness of a proper lime cordial. I still found something missing from those recipes.

I didn’t want this to take a lot of time steeping, or require a bunch of special Cocktail equipment or any of that nonsense: you shouldn’t need to have some sort of chemistry lab to make a freaking syrup. This should feel like you’re baking in your own kitchen, not working as scientist for Oxford University☺.

So in short, here’s what we want to accomplish with our lime cordial:

1. It should have all of the good qualities of Rose’s Lime: sweet, bracingly tart, and slightly bitter.
2. It needs to be made with fresh ingredients, and taste like fresh ingredients.
3. It needs to be easy to make, and quick to whip up. Letting something sit in a Mason jar for six weeks won’t work for us. This recipe takes about five minutes to make.
4. It has to be absolutely delicious.

Recipe:

  • 2 limes
  • 250 gram of ordinary white sugar
  • 50 ml of water

To do this, put the grated zest into a saucepan. Squeeze the juice into a measuring jug – stop when you get to about 75 ml then top it up with water so you have 125ml of liquid in total.

Pour this into your pan with the sugar. Heat very gently, stirring occasionally just until the sugar has dissolved but don’t let it boil. Strain the mixture into a heatproof jug and leave to cool.

Let it rest for couple of days in the fridge, kept in a Tupperware.

Last step very simple: double strain it into a small bottle or jar. (remove the grated lime zest )

Absolutely delicious!!!!

The Barguys Gimlet Cocktail RecipeGimlet with gin

To make the gimlet, put a martini or coupe glass in the fridge to chill. Pour 50ml of your Barguys homemade lime cordial, 50 ml of your favourite gin you have at home (open your cupboard….) into a jug or tall glass and add half dozen of ice cubes. Stir, until the outside of the container feels very cold.

Strain the mixture into your chilled glass and garnish with a lime twist or edible flower.

ENJOY ☺
The Barguys xx

 

Sustainable events and our promise to the planet

Sustainable events and our promise to the planet

At the Bar Guys we are 100% committed to helping our clients deliver sustainable events and we are continually looking for ways to become more environmentally friendly for the future of our planet.

Your average bar is an ecological nightmare; from plastic straws and bottle caps to excess water waste and fresh fruit throwaways, the world of mixology is hardly synonymous with being environmentally sustainable.

So what are we going to do to play our part?

Reduce our use of plastic

For a while now you’ll have spotted the paper straw replacing the plastic straw, but who enjoys sipping their beautifully made cocktail through a soggy piece of card? At the Bar Guys we have found some clever alternatives, including the stroodle pasta straw. These clever straws last for up to 1 hour, they are flavourless, biodegradable (wheat + water), edible, vegan and zero-waste.

In another effort to reduce our plastic consumption, we will be using dried lavender sticks in place of plastic cocktail stirrers.

China Tea Cup Sustainable CocktailsYou won’t find disposable cups on any of our bars either. We believe in proper glassware; copper mugs, terracotta pots, china tea cups and anything else that can be taken away, washed and reused. We’ve got some gorgeous table wear, which is not only environmentally friendly but will also add the wow factor to any event. Our china teacups are perfect for a summer party in the garden or a vintage wedding.

Less waste

Too often empty bottles are thrown in the bin and not properly recycled. We aim to avoid this by refilling existing bottles from large eco pouches/boxes. These produce less waste and a smaller carbon footprint overall than traditional bottles. We will also reuse glasswear to store other ingredients.

Limoncello Sustainable EventsCitrus goods such as lemons, limes and oranges are staple bar ingredients used daily for juicing, zesting and garnishes. But in the UK alone an estimated 20-40% of the nation’s fruit and vegetables are already rejected before they reach shops because they do not comply with cosmetic standards, according to data collated by environmental organisation feedback. Where possible, we are replacing fresh fruit with dried fruit, stored in glass jars to eliminate lots of fresh fruit waste. In addition, where we need to use fresh lemons and limes, we’re already collecting all our citrus waste and using it to make our own limoncello – and we’re looking for more opportunities in the future like this to help reduce our waste (and create new tastes!)

Sustainability

Sustainability doesn’t just mean reducing waste, it means reducing the carbon footprint of your business – and this is why we commit to using local produce as much as possible and avoid perishable products that need to be flown in. That’s why we’ve changed our menu, to offer 7 seasonal cocktails, making use of products that are available at the time. By creating 7 sensational cocktails, this also limits our food waste further as we use the same products and ingredients, eliminating left over products and waste. Click here to view our 7 Wonders of the World!

Furthermore, we’d like to make one more commitment. When we need something and it can’t be reused or recycled, we commit too making sure it is 100% biodegradable: from Stroodle’s Pasta Straws to using dried lavender stems as cocktail sticks. The only things we want to leave behind when we are gone are happy memories.

To find out more about our promise to the planet, please take a look at our 7R’s and our seven commitments to delivering sustainable events.

Mulled Wine fit for a King (a Christmas one)! 🎄🍷👑🍷🎄

Mulled Wine fit for a King (a Christmas one)! 🎄🍷👑🍷🎄

‘Tis the season to be jolly and here at TBG HQ we’re determined to make that happen with our special mulled wine recipe!

Our mulled wine is hugely popular and we are in the process of slow cooking 80 bottles of our secret recipe.

As it’s the season of giving, we thought we’d share the ingredient list with you.

It’s a delicious mix of Merlot, Ruby Port and Cognac slow cooked with cloves, fresh nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice berries, fresh ginger, star anise, bay leaves, clementine juice, mixed peel, citrus zest, raisins, vanilla pod, maple syrup and sugar!

It’s this mix of fabulous ingredients and the slow cooking time that makes our mulled wine the perfect Christmas drink. We believe that this fabulous Christmas cocktail is fit for a King (or a Wise Man). It also makes an ideal gift.

If you’d like to order a bottle (or 4), to help celebrate the festive season then please get in touch!

Office Christmas party to plan? Let The Bar Guys add the wow factor!

Office Christmas party to plan? Let The Bar Guys add the wow factor!

You’ve got ages until Christmas…unless you’re this year’s Party Planner! The Christmas party is the perfect way to celebrate a successful year, get staff together and allow teams to let their hair down, whilst ensuring it’s the best party yet. So that means a huge amount of responsibility for the party planner, right? Let the Bar Guys take the stress out of your special event with our Christmas party cocktail bar hire packages.

If you’ve been given the task of organising this year’s Christmas party, we understand the pressure you’re under. From the caterers doing a no-show to worrying you’ve got the correct allergen list to fretting that the bar service you selected online will turn out to be less than impressive. Christmas CAN be a minefield of hospitality disasters.

So don’t run round like a headless turkey and let the Bar Guys take care of ensuring your event runs smoothly whilst impressing your co-workers. Our Christmas party cocktail bar hire options promise to bring an extra touch of magic to any occasion. When you book with us you can expect the following:

  • Bespoke bars, creating the right atmosphere for your event.
  • Tailor made cocktails, of the highest quality.
  • Personalised menus.
  • The freshest and best ingredients.
  • The wow factor, from flames to garnishes.
  • Experienced and personable mixologists.
  • Reliable, punctual and professional service.

Our team of highly skilled mixologists, flair bartenders and event experts are on hand to please the crowds with their unique cocktail-making skills. As the party organiser, you’ll be free to relax and enjoy the occasion with your guests, safe in the knowledge that everyone has access to delicious, freshly made cocktails and plenty of fun.

So once you’ve booked us, you can sit back and relax and look forward to the best Christmas party the office has ever seen! We’ll drink to that. 🍹

Make your own Simple Sugar Syrup for 36p!

Make your own Simple Sugar Syrup for 36p!

So you’re looking down your Bar Guys shopping list and you see a word which fills you with utter incomprehension: Gomme: What the **** ?! is that?! Or instead of Gomme it might say Simple Syrup; well it can’t be that simple because I haven’t got a clue what it is, you say to yourself!

So you get on the blower to Bar Guys HQ as you scurry panic-stricken around Tesco’s and two words from a Bar Guy fill you with absolute relief: Sugar. Syrup.

“Right, I get it! I’ve seen that! I know where that is! Bakery aisle: beeeeeeeeeeeep. You hang up.

Bar Guys HQ phone rings once again:

“Er. There must be a mistake. I’m in Aisle 4 and it seems to say £6 for a bottle of this sugar syrup/simple gomme thingymejig”.

If this is a familiar conversation and you’ve been Monin (pun absolutely intended!) about the price of sugar syrup then look no further than our simple recipe for making simple syrup for just 36p!! Yes that’s thirty six pence. Literally, the price of a bag of sugar!

🍸Take a 70cl glass bottles (Ensure they are sterilised before use).
🍸Put 500g of granulated sugar in the bottle.
🍸Boil the kettle.
🍸Wait for a minute or so then fill the bottle with hot water.
🍸Put the lid on, shake the bottle until the sugar dissolves and top the bottle up with water again.
🍸Shake again, leave to cool and Hey Presto! 1 bottle of thick sugar syrup ready for use!

It couldn’t be more simple. 😁

You’re welcome!
TBG’s X

p.s. If you’re looking for a recipe to use this glorious mixture, then check out our recipe for the perfect porn star martini!

Simple sugar syrup

 

The Ultimate Porn Star Martini

The Ultimate Porn Star Martini

With this being the most popular cocktail currently being served in bars and events across the UK, at The Bar Guys we wanted to give you the ULTIMATE Porn Star Martini recipe and clear up some of your most commonly asked questions along the way.

What is in a name?
According to Douglas Ankrah, the inventor of the Porn Star Martini it has nothing to do with porn stars and everything to do with a trip he made to a bar in South Africa in the 90’s which served as the inspiration for the drink. He wanted a name for the drink that was indulgent, sexy and provocative.

Didn’t that Kate Middleton drink it at her hen do? It must be nice.
According to the tabloids, The Duchess Of Cambridge did in fact drink porn star martinis at her hen party.

Do you have to be a pornstar to drink it?
Clearly not if it’s drunk by royalty.

Why are there two drinks in a porn star martini?
A porn star martini is served with a shot of prosecco or champagne alongside it.

Cool. Shots!
Hmmm. Not exactly. The prosecco is there to compliment the martini. But you can shoot it. It’s complicated.

Right. You’ve lost me.
The main part of the drink is a passion fruit martini. It has a shot of prosecco or champagne alongside it and is garnished with half a passion fruit which floats in the martini.

Okay. Why the hell is there a teaspoon in my passion fruit martini then?
To eat the passion fruit with.

So there’s three parts to this drink?
Yep.

Right. Okay. So what order do I do this in?
THE most frequent question you will be asked as a bartender: What order do I drink my pornstar? And in bars all across the land mixologists say the same thing: It’s up to you. The truth is there is no hard and fast rule.

Alright. So how would YOU drink it then?
Aha. Now we are getting somewhere. Personally, I eat a small piece of the passion fruit, followed by a sip of the prosecco and I finish on the sweet and zesty martini..Mmmmmm.

This sounds good. Recipe please!
Sure. And I’ll make this even easier and throw in some links!

Porn Star Martini CocktailThe Ultimate Porn Star Martini Recipe

Voila! Enjoy Mixing!
TBG’s X

p.s. If you liked this, you might like to try our perfect classic Mojito recipe.

The PERFECT Classic Mojito

The PERFECT Classic Mojito

At The Bar Guys UK we are initiating our weekly home bartending blog and what better way to start than the Classic Mojito.

Q. Why not go out and get someone else to do the work?
A. At £8+ for a Mojito in many of London’s cocktail bars drinking out gets expensive! Unless you are minted! Minted? Get it?

ANYWAY.

As Renton’s catchy catchphrase goes:

Choose Life.

Choose a job.

Choose Home Bartending.

But why?

If you buy your ingredients at the supermarket you will not pay more than £2 for every cocktail you drink at home inclusive of ice! Shop well, grab the bargains on spirits and you could lower that cost.

So for £10 you can effectively make 5 Mojitos the way YOU like them.

Bartending isn’t rocket science: If you can cook, you can mix cocktails, and through experimenting and trial and error you can achieve great results.

And if you love the Classic Mojito like we do at then I’m about to give you a great home recipe so you can achieve that boutique style Mojito taste but made in your kitchen and then you can put your feet up for an episode of Come Dine With Me or Luther, whatever butters your muffin.

The Mojito is still the most popular cocktail in the UK right now, but if you have ever been out to any cocktail bar you will know they present and taste very differently wherever you go and it’s often hard to find a Mojito in a bar with exactly the right balance for you.

Consistency is the key to a great cocktail, but how many times have you been to a bar and had the perfect cocktail only for it to be made differently by another bartender. Frustrating right? And the right drink for you is such a personal thing.

Badly mixed Mojito’s have the following in common:

*Are too watery.
*Are too strong.
*Are too sweet.
*Are too sour.
*Look terrible.

Like a good chef, when mixing a cocktail you must taste your drink (Life’s tough, eh?!) as you are building it so you achieve the right balance of flavour.

You can do this by grabbing the nearest straw, dipping the straw into the glass and covering the unsubmerged straw end with your index finger to create suction. You then lift the straw to your mouth, release your index finger, and try the cocktail.

Traditionally the Mojito consists of five ingredients: Rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, soda water and mint. The combination of citrus, mint and the sweetness of the sugar are designed to compliment the kick of the rum.

Every bar does it differently and every bartender has their method. At The Bar Guys UK our method was developed via the great Lavish Lounge Bar in Weybridge, Surrey, sadly no longer operating!

Ben was taught how to mix drinks by the owner Julia Platia who liked the Mojito’s at her bar to be muddled, using golden rum, and cane sugar rather than sugar syrup. The Bar Guys still use this method today when planning and mixing Mojitos for events. So here it is:

Classic Mojito Recipe

Classic Mojito*Take a long glass/high ball
*Take a lime, cut wedges (Usually 8 from each lime) and place 4-5 in your glass.
*Add 6-8 mint leaves
*Add two teaspoons of sugar (Light brown OR caster sugar is best)
*Muddle the ingredients (A muddler looks a bit like a rolling pin so you can use one of those if you have one. But muddling means gently mashing the ingredients together. However, the mint should only be bruised to release the essential oils and should not be shredded so don’t go too ninja on that poor mint!!)
*Now for the best bit: Add 50 ml of rum (Can be white rum or golden rum but not dark rum as it overwhelms the other flavours!)
*Fill the glass with 2/3 crushed ice (If you only can find cubed that’s fine it just means your drink may not look quite as long!)
*Stir with a bar spoon (These are the long spoons you may have seen in cocktail bars, however, so long as you have a spoon that can reach the bottom of the glass and mix the ingredients well that will be fine. A latte spoon fir instance would be fine but again go easy on the stirring otherwise that mint will shred!)
*Once everything is mixed and it looks pretty, cap the glass with another scoop of ice so it creates a mound on top of the glass.
*Garnish with a mint sprig or lime wedge.
*Voila! Your Mojito is ready. Drink it fast though before it starts melting!!

Any questions on making a Mojito or anything else cocktail-related feel free to email us on info@thebarguys.co.uk.

We look forward to hearing how you get on!

An instructional video for with one of The Bar Guys mixing a Classic Mojito will be online very soon so do look out for it via our social media channels.

Good luck and happy mixing!

TBG’s X

What do James Bond, weddings and mint marshmallows have in common?

What do James Bond, weddings and mint marshmallows have in common?

Happy New Year! (What it’s February already?! Ouch. I’ll get blogging!!)

It’s been quiet on the blog for a long time and we’ve decided to try to make this a weekly thing so we can tell you all about what we’re up to, the events we are doing, and hopefully give you some helpful hints for home cocktail bartending along the way.

While the rest of you were joining gyms and having dry January’s The Bar Guys were receiving a ton of enquiries for 2017 and donning their dicky bows once again for January events (Yes JANUARY EVENTS!!) after a super busy Christmas period where Corporate Events were certainly the flavour of the month.

Having run a cocktail event for Adam Verby for I Can Make It Happen Ltd, where 007 was the theme, this corporate event was in the city for a big law firm. With about 90 guests there was a lot to do in the lead up to the event, and to make things specifically Bond we ordered mini gold playing cards which we pinned to the Vespar Martini’s, had mini dicky bow ties on the champagne flutes for the Kir Royale’s and also had mint flavoured marshmallow poker chips to complement our Bar Guys Julep.

I’ll give one thing to solicitors. They can drink. And they hit the bar hard solidly for the best part of two hours, giving the Bar Guys barely any time to even ask the age old question: ‘Shaken or stirred?’ With 90 thirsty guests, five deep at the bar, any bartender whose heart doesn’t sink a little when the customer says ‘Stirred’ is fibbing. It was a super fun night and big thanks to Adam Verby and we are excited about collaborating more with Adam this coming year.

Alongside James Bond, we also had a masterclass for a Media Company called Shephard Media who are based in Chiswick. With 25 for the masterclass it was larger than average but we love a challenge and two of The Bar Guys demonstrated four cocktails,; two classics, and two of our signature cocktails and then armed twenty-five willing guests with shakers and bar spoons as they went about making their own. On the whole the cocktails were amazing but like any good chef, we must always be tasting our cocktails as we go; balance is the absolute key to a great drink and to achieve that balance we must have the correct amount of sugar alongside citrus, particularly alongside drinks such as Caipirinha’s and Mojitos. Too much or too little sugar and the balance will be off.

Christmas also brought us many great private events and we covered a couple of fantastic Christmas events in Windsor, Ascot, Weybridge and also a Christmas wedding in Caterham.

Two weekends ago we had our first event in St George’s Hills, in Weybridge, where we ran a 18th Birthday party. Again, we created a few of our own drinks and infused an Appleton’s golden Rum with lavender and earl grey tea which went down a storm! It was a great event with a DJ and a photo booth which the client had pre-ordered.

On another note, soon we will be starting a fortnightly masterclass via YouTube where we demonstrate some of our cocktails so you too can whip up some lavender and earl grey mojitos for guests. Or you might just want to keep it simple. Either way look out for this as I will be posting about it soon.

Looking for a bar that’s a real showstopper?

Just hit the button and we will take you through the booking procedure…