Kayla Reid

KAYLAReid aka Kayla

Bar Manager @ Nick & Nora’s, 11 Benson Walk, 80 Collins Street, Melbourne

ABOUT KAYLA

I’m originally Kiwi but have been in Australia for most of my adult life. I’ve always had a passion for food and flavour, and after being in specialty coffee for around four years, I wanted to broaden my horizons and dip my toe into the bar scene. I ended up giving up the café life and found a love for competing in cocktails competitions. The electric energy that surrounded competing was addictive, and the amazing networking opportunities that came with it were priceless. After competing for a couple of years, I wanted to hone the business and management side of things, and the rest is history. At Nick and Nora’s, we have a strong cocktail and champagne focus and tasty nibbles with an elegant art deco vibe. It is pumping the majority of the time. Weekends look like sabred bottles, nitro martinis, oyster carts, champagne towers, and a line out the door for most of the night. It’s a beauty.

LAST NIGHT OF KAYLA’S LIFE BAR:

Dante, 79-81 MacDougal St, New York

LAST NIGHT OF KAYLA’S LIFE DRINK:

Garibaldi

KAYLA’S NIGHT OFF BAR:

Black Pearl, 304 Brunswick Street, Collingwood, Melbourne

KAYLA’S HOME COCKTAIL TIPS

I think something that people often look past for their home bars is the versatility of low ABV products such as sherry, vermouth, amaro etc. These products are gold and can often be looked past or under-utilised in the home bar. They can add depth and complexity to your classics/homemade concoctions or are great just enjoyed on their own with ice and a slice of fruit/citrus.

KAYLA’S T25 HERO COCKTAIL

The first thing that popped into mind when I discovered my hero spirit was this amazing session I helped put together a few years ago with my fellow Hubertus Circle brethren. We wanted to highlight different ways to use Jager in cocktails that weren’t completely alcohol focused. As tea compliments Jägermeister well, we did an extensive tea blending and cupping session. I put together a shared serve with a strawberry tea focus for everyone to enjoy after the session. I wanted to take the inspiration for that crowd-pleaser warm drink and flip it into a fresh summery counterpart. This drink works well because Jäger has such a solid herbaceous backbone that it stands up amazingly with teas, spices and fruits.

KAYLA’S TOP 4 COCKTAILS

1. Daiquiri

INGREDIENTS:

• 60ml white rum • 30ml lime juice • 2.5 barspoons caster sugar METHOD: Stir sugar in lime juice in shaker to dissolve. Add rum and ice and shake. Double strain into glass. No garnish necessary! ICE: Ice for shaking GLASS: Coupe

2. Sidecar

INGREDIENTS:

• 40ml Cognac • 20ml Cointreau • 20ml lemon juice METHOD: Prepare sugar rim. Shake with ice and double strain into glass. GARNISH: Sugar rim ICE: Ice for shaking GLASS: Coupe

3. Jabberwocky

INGREDIENTS:

• 25ml gin • 25ml manzanilla sherry • 25ml Lillet Blanc • 2 dashes orange bitters METHOD: Stir with ice until dilution is achieved. Strain into glass and express lemon twist over top. GARNISH: Lemon twist ICE: Ice for stirring GLASS: Martini glass

4. New York Sazerac

INGREDIENTS:

• 30ml Cognac • 30ml rye whiskey • 7.5ml sugar syrup • 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters • 1 Dash Angostura bitters • 5ml absinthe (or 4-5 sprays with atomiser, if you have one) METHOD: Add absinthe to chilled glass, rinse, and discard. Add remaining ingredients to mixing glass and stir until dilution is achieved. Strain into prepared glass (I often do an absinthe spray over top as well). Express two lemon twists and enjoy. GARNISH: Two express lemon twists. ICE: Ice for stirring GLASS: Old Fashioned

NICK & NORA’S

Post-prohibition America. A time where glamour became a currency and bottomless wallets began to lighten. Champagne trickles down glass towers, cocktails disappear into throats and punchbowls are passed around the table. The air is electric, the crowd ecstatic; this is a place you will find yourself staying a little longer than planned.

Nick and Nora’s is a cocktail and Champagne bar that embodies everything glamorous from 1930’s America. Syrupy golden light falls across green velvet booths, and matching curtains separate you from the next crowd.

The name Nick & Nora’s takes its inspiration from The Thin Man, and their cocktails follow a similar literary theme. Each set of drinks is based on a different archetypal character. For example, the page labeled Femme Fatale features 5 different spins on the classic Martini. Expect lavishly theatrical drinks, and with Kayla Reid managing the bar, you can be sure that they will taste as sweet as the first drink after Prohibition had lifted.

If sparkling wine is your thing than this place is a must visit, with more than 60 bottles on offer. Nick & Nora’s also boasts a large selection of table wine, beer, whisky and Cognac, along with a selection of decadent canapes and small dishes.

Nick & Nora’s is open TuesdayThursday 5pm-1am and FridaySaturday 3pm-1am. It can be found at 11 Benson Walk (an arcade connecting Little Collins St to Collins St), Melbourne.

For more information email melbourne@nickandnoras.com.au or call (03) 8393 9367.

A SIMPLE SPECIAL TEA

BY: KAYLA REID | NICK & NORA’S SPONSOR: JÄGERMEISTER

A fun, fresh and summery little number that is easy to make and easier to drink! The fruit- forward strawberry and cream tea adds beautiful tannin and a creamy palate. Yellow Chartreuse and ginger play supporting roles in accentuating the already prominent spice notes of Jäger and the citrus brings it all together in perfect harmony.

INGREDIENTS:

• 40ml Jägermeister • 15ml Aperol • 10ml yellow Chartreuse • 30ml T2 strawberries and cream tea* • 15ml spicy ginger syrup** • 15ml orange juice • 12.5ml lemon juice

METHOD: Shake vigorously for a few seconds and pour into glass. Add cubed ice and garnish.

GARNISH: A fresh wedge of orange and a few fresh strawberry slices.

ICE: Cubed ice for shaking and serving

GLASS: Highball/Collins

*T2 STRAWBERRY AND CREAM TEA Method: 1 tsp is suitable for 100ml of water. Steep for 3-5 minutes before straining

**SPICY GINGER SYRUP • Spicy Ginger Syrup: • 200ml fresh ginger juice (a cold press is ideal, but a standard juicer will also work fine!) • 140ml honey • 75ml water

Method: Add ingredients to a saucepan and heat until just combined. Remove from heat, cool and bottle.