Country Creatures Cocktails

Here at Country Creatures we have developed a collection of our very own seasonal drinks curated by our team of bar stewards. Each cocktail has been lovingly researched and curated to highlight all that’s great about the changing seasons in the Great British Isles.

While we’re all at home why not recreate your favourite Country Creature cocktail? Get yourself a cocktail shaker and a measure and you’re away. November suddenly seems a whole lot more fun. Scroll down for the full recipes.

First up, the Pistachio Fizz – the fizz was traditionally served in the morning to ease the drinker into the day. Our Pistachio fizz is an eye-widening concoction of gin, tangy lemon, pistachio syrup, mixed up with cream, egg white and zinged up with sparkling water

 

Or what about a Sloeroni – a bittersweet concoction of sloe gin, Italian bitters and silky sweet vermouth. This is rich with a subtle hint of spice and a delightfully bitter edge or for the Sparkly Sloeroni just add Prosecco.

 

When coming in from a cold and frosty walk there is surely nothing better to warm the cockles than our Hot chocolate martini – a luscious blend of hazelnut and amaretto with lashings of decadent hot chocolate. Served delightfully snuggly and definitely by the fire.

 

For those who want to take a bit of time over their drink, and perhaps even have some frozen blackberries from countryside foraging at the end of summer then these are for you: Country Creature – A delectable mix of dry gin, fresh citrus and our homemade countryside syrup, served long and cool. Countryside syrup is a secret blend of berries, honey & spices lovingly foraged and then expertly blended by our inhouse flavour team but you can you make your very own version. Recipe below.

 

With Christmas in mind the Ruby Shrub has definitely got the right ingredients. A drink as old as time. Our Ruby shrub is a warming blend of fine ruby port, crisp apple juice and  homemade blackberry shrub which we lengthen with sparkling ginger ale. See below for the blackberry shrub recipe.

 

French Press – the taste of autumn in a glass. Fine French brandies, our homemade cider syrup blended with crisp cranberry and apple juices. Served chilled.

 

Recipes 

Pistachio Fizz

Ingredients

50ml Gin

25ml Lemon Juice

25ml Cream

25ml Pistachio syrup

1 egg white

Top with soda water

Shake all the ingredients except the soda in your cocktail shaker. Strain into a tall glass and top of with soda water. Top with a lemon slice and a sprig of mint.

 

Sloeroni

20ml Sloe gin

20ml Martini bianco

20ml Campari

Build ingredients in a tumbler half full with ice. Garnish with orange zest. For the Sloeroni Fizz, shake ingredients with ice until cold. Strain and then top with Prosecco.

 

Hot Chocolate Martini

15ml Frangelico

15ml Amaretto

Hot chocolate

Heat all the ingredients together and stir well. Serve in your favourite mug with a sprinkle of cocoa powder.

 

Country Creature

50ml Gin or Vodka

25ml Countryside syrup*

20ml Lemon Juice

Top with soda water

Build ingredients in a tumbler half full of ice. Top with a sprig of mint.

 

*Countryside syrup: Something to make and keep:

250g raspberries

250g strawberries

250g Blackcurrants

25g Caster sugar

25ml Lemon juice

75ml Runny honey

100ml Water

2 Barspoon mixed spice

Place all in a saucepan (except the honey) and heat until the fruit becomes soft and releases the juices. Cook for a further ten minutes and then allow to cool before passing through a sieve to remove the bits. Add the honey and stir well, seal and store in the fridge until needed. You can use frozen fruit too.

 

Ruby Shrub

50ml Ruby port

25ml Blackberry shrub*

50ml Apple juice

Top with ginger ale

Add ingredients apart from the ginger ale to your cocktail shaker of ice. Shake well and strain into a long glass. Top with ginger ale and add a slice of apple and a sprig of mint.

 

*Blackberry shrub (makes 300ml)

100ml Balsamic vinegar

100ml Honey

50ml Water

300g frozen blackberries

Combine everything and bring to the boil, allow to cool and then strain, bottle and leave for three days before using.

 

French Press

25ml Brandy

50ml Cider syrup*

50ml Cranberry

25ml Apple Juice

Build ingredients in a tumble half filled with ice. Top with a sprig of mint and apple slice.

 

*Cider syrup (makes 200ml)

330ml cider

100g Caster sugar

2 x Cinnamon stick

12 cloves

2 barspoons grated nutmeg

Bring to the boil and then simmer until half the liquid has evaporated and the syrup is thick but still pours freely, cool and then bottle

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