Under 30s • Eleanor Kay, Chairman; Alice Hind, Vice Chairman; Anita Kaur, Secretary IN August we hosted an on-line cocktail evening for the Under 30s, where we introduced the Farmers Club to one of our signature cocktails, the Hugo St Maur. Earlier, in May 2020, we had launched our new premium craft liqueur, called St Maur after our family name used in the middle ages. We launched in the middle of lockdown! The plans we drew up before the pandemic fell at first contact. Our milestone for our first half year of trading remained proof of concept. Do we have a great product for people to share and enjoy with friends? Will people buy more than once? Is this a really exciting and rewarding business, that fits our personal values? Now, in October, we can say absolutely yes on all three counts. But boy do we live in “interesting” times for doing business!
St Maur lockdown launch HUGO ST MAUR RECIPE We haven’t actually come across an ancestor named Hugo St Maur, but our mixologist definitely knows a good contemporary cocktail, and a Hugo is one made for St Maur. You need: St Maur, Prosecco, fresh lime, fresh mint leaves, ice. Method: Pour 50ml of St Maur into a glass, ideally a Copa de Balon. Squeeze in juice of half a fresh lime, tear and lightly rub five or six mint leaves and add with ice. Add 100ml of Prosecco, or more, to your taste, or half and half Prosecco/soda water. Gently stir. Garnish with a slice of fresh lime and sprig of mint. www.drinkstmaur.com
It took two years to develop St Maur and its branding, starting on our wedding day, with a drink we created for our guests. As we met through the Under 30s, The Farmers Club is part of the story too! We have been rewarded with repeat sales, a two gold stars Great Taste Award and shortlisting for two Great British Food Awards, and great customer feedback. Building cachet and a great story has been central, but foundational so far has been creating a really good product. Now we are learning the importance of adaptability and fast response to changing circumstances. We can take the brand in a number of directions, so finding our direction is the next milestone. Fortunately, our drink is very versatile. To make a cocktail, for example, you need a base spirit, a sweet and a sour component, and flavour. St Maur is built around those same four factors, so can be enjoyed in all kinds of cocktails, plus long drinks, a simple fizz with soda, tonic or ginger ale, on the rocks, or on its own. It suits many social settings, from wedding receptions to a kitchen supper with a friend – or behind the Bar at the Club. William and Kelsey Seymour
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