By Kate Beveridge, Account Director
Last week was undoubtedly one of the most fun weeks of the year for the drinks team. First off, it was London Cocktail Week where a number of our clients had stands in the central village in Spitalfields market.
Naturally, we had to pay them a visit and try the amazing cocktails they had on offer. Bombay Sapphire, Grey Goose and Bacardi had taken over the central area and each brand had been partnered with a bar. The theatre was excellent and the cocktails – inspirational and absolutely delicious!
Our Britvic client had teamed up with the Hedonist Drinks team from Leeds to bring ‘The Winking Pig’ pop-up bar to life. Created to celebrate the re-launch of Britvic’s Mixers range while raising funds for a great cause, all the proceeds (£3,000!) from the bar were donated to industry charity Hospitality Action. The Mixers re-launch brought lots of attention from both press and visitors, who all passed through to taste creations such creations such as the Brit Spritz: blueberry warmed through with vodka and spritzed with Britvic soda water.
Outside London Cocktail Week we also attended the Future Trends Spirits Summit run by the Morning Advertiser. Designed to provide insight into the spirits world, with speakers predicting what they think will be the biggest trends to come next to the spirits world, it was an insightful and thought-provoking day. There were the promised talks and interactive debates and the afternoon was given over to workshops enabling us to talk to brands directly, learn how to mix simple, but effective serves and how to choose your ultimate gin and tonic. With the trend in gin not slowing down, the day did have a big focus on the category with advice and tips for outlets how to make the most of the boom.
On Wednesday night we attended the Great British Pub Awards, also run by the Morning Advertiser. Recognising some of the best pubs in the industry it was a fantastic evening and our celebrity host, Katherine Ryan, made everyone laugh out loud. A lot.
We finished the week on a high, literally, at the top of the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch, to celebrate the closing of London Cocktail Week and the launch of The Glasshouse Project with Bombay Sapphire. Ace Hotel’s very own Dan Berger created a menu of seasonal drinks inspired by the gin brand’s Glasshouse project – a three-day workshop packed with creative seminars including acting, painting and cooking, aimed at pushing the boundaries of cocktail culture. Highlights of the menu were undoubtedly (according to our modest palate) Winter (Bombay Sapphire gin, chestnut, burned applewood, fermented apple, Kemon and aged butters) and Spring, a base of gin, Martini Ambrato, St. Germain elderflower and eucalyptus upon which we could build our own flavoured cocktail using different liquid essences. Partying into the night with trade media and lots of figures from the drinks industry before a stunning view of London were just some other of our highlights. Such a hard job!
Anyone for a coffee?
