SPRITZING IT

Spritz

2 Part Campari

3 Part Prosecco

1 Part Splash of Soda

Pour the Campari, Prosecco and Soda

Water directly into an ice filled wine Glass.

Garnish with a slice or orange.

The Tippling House celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year and to celebrate they are launching a special cocktail menu for the occasion. Bar Manager, Joe Nelson tells me, “The menu will have drinks that we’ve come up with over the last 10 years, in order to show the history of the bar. We change the menu 4 times a year and are always developing new cocktails.”

Joe describes The Tippling House as a “late night, suburban tavern with dim lighting, candles, relaxed music, and drinks you can’t get anywhere else. Somewhere you can come for something a bit different.”

He says, “I’ve been here almost 6 years; I love this bar and have always encouraged the staff. We develop drinks as a team and it’s a great opportunity for staff to learn how to create drinks. We want to innovate and stand out from the crowd. We’re always thinking what’s the next big thing?”

Joe also discussed with me what is hot just now adding, “A drink called ‘Bubble T’ is probably our biggest seller, it’s made with Gin, Dry Vermouth, Lychee, our homemade Strawberry and Tonic Cordial, bitters, and Champagne Bubbles. It’s very visually appealing and you want a drink that stands out.”

The Tippling House use a lot of their own cordials, shrubs, syrups and unique garnishes. Joe says, “I always say, if you think you can make something better than what is available on the market, and if it really will make a difference to the drink, then you definitely should. That’s what will keep customers coming back.”

T-Bar, in Ayr, promotes itself as “a laid-back bar with comfort food and a crazy but crafted cocktail selection”. General Manager of the venue, Elaine Ward, is hugely passionate about involving the staff in the menu. She says, “We are doing this little cocktail versus thing where we’ve got all our staff coming up with their own ideas and promoting them through word-of-mouth sales. They have been promoting it on their socials as well, so, when people come in that know them, they want to try their cocktail. It’s created a nice wee buzz at the weekend, some healthy competition, and they have the joy of seeing something they’ve created themselves on the menu.”

One of their most popular drinks over the Summer is their ‘Long Pornstar’ (a twist on the Pornstar Martini) which contains Passionfruit Gin, Passoa, Lemon, Vanilla, Peychaud and Lemonade. Elaine adds, “These fly out the door, along with a lot of the classic cocktails plus in the Summer we sell a lot of Spritzes too.”