Cocktail recipes: Expert mixologist shares favourite fruity cocktails ahead of summer
SUMMER is officially here, with this weekend marking the start of the schools' summer holidays. At the same time, lockdown restrictions are slowly easing and the weather has finally turned warm. What better way to celebrate than with a cocktail?
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Cocktail expert Mix Mann has over 40,000 followers on Instagram, where he regularly posts images of his impressive and delicious-looking drinks. From strawberries and gin with a hint of honey to blackberry and agave-flavoured ice lollies with a pinch of Tequila, the mixologist shares his favourite cocktail recipes with Express.co.uk.
The Great British Summer Unlocktail
Ingredients:
60ml KEEPR’s Classic Dry Gin with Honey
20ml Honey Rose Syrup (recipe below)
10ml XecoWines Fino Sherry
10m Londinio Rosé Vermouth
10ml Luxardo Bianco Bitter
20ml Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
3 fresh Hulled British Strawberries
6-8 Basil leaves
1 dash MsBettersBitters Black Pepper Cardamom Bitters
1 dash Aromatic bitters
MiraculousFoamer
Method:
Add lemon juice and strawberries into a shaker, muddle the strawberries until smooth, add basil leaves, add rest of ingredients, stir well, leave for five minutes to infuse.
Shake with ice, double strain to remove ice and basil leaves, then shake hard again, strain into a chilled coupe.
Garnish with basil and a rose if you have one.
Honey Rose Syrup
Ingredients:
300ml Pimm’s
60ml KEEPR’s Wildflower Honey
80ml Caster sugar
5ml Rose Water
2 tbsp Orange Juice
Method:
Warm over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Increase the heat and bring to the boil.
Boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced by half, reduce to a simmer for five minutes and stir in half the honey.
Remove from the heat to allow to cool for five minutes and stir in the other half of the honey and rose water.
Leave to cool and store in a jar in the fridge.
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Bee Keepr Gin Cocktail
Ingredients:
50ml KEEPR's Classic London Dry Gin with British Honey
25ml Honey Syrup
25ml Orange Juice
20ml Lemon Juice
1 Sage Leaf
Method:
Add honey syrup, orange juice and lemon juice to a Boston Tin.
Fill the tin with ice and add one sage leaf.
Shake hard for five to 10 seconds.
Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Frozen Bramble Margarita Lollies
Ingredients:
15ml Bottlegreen Bramble Cordial
60ml Tequila
25ml lime juice
10ml agave
1 cup water
Method:
Combine Bottlegreen Bramble Cordial, Tequila, agave, and lime juice into a shaker and top it up with one cup of water.
Shake vigorously and pour the contents into an ice lolly mould, leave a 1cm gap at the top.
Add fresh blackberries into the mix, leave in the freezer until it is set and serve immediately.
Tip:
For a non-alcoholic alternative, swap the Tequila for Mockingbird (alcohol free) or replace with white grape, apple or even watermelon juice.
Blackberry & Basil Mojito
Ingredients:
50ml White Rum
20ml bottlegreen bramble codial
25ml lime juice
3 fresh blackberries
6 basil leaves
Soda
Method:
Combine Bottlegreen Bramble Cordial, lime juice and three fresh blackberries.
Add basil leaves and muddle together to release the aromatic flavours.
Add rum and stir gently.
Fill glass with crushed ice, top with soda and stir.
Add more crushed ice to top, and garnish with fresh basil.
Shloer Frosé
Ingredients:
Shloer Frosé
Strawberries
Lemon
Method:
Pour a bottle of Shloer Rose into a deep roasting tin and freeze overnight.
Then blend with strawberries and the juice of a lemon for a delicious, alcohol free chilled drink.