Cocktail ideas, bars in London & more!

Reasons to Hire a Mobile Bar

Mobile bars are an increasingly popular addition to weddings and special events of all kinds, offering convenience, versatility, and a touch of class to any celebration. But did you know that you can also add some excitement to your next event by hosting a mobile casino experience or placing a few sports wagers on the best football betting sites UK has to offer? Whether you're planning a bachelor party, corporate event, or any other special occasion, hiring a mobile bar can provide a fun and memorable experience for all your guests. With a wide variety of choices and quality options available, it's easier than ever to create the perfect atmosphere for your event and ensure that everyone has a great time. So why not consider a mobile bar for your next celebration? Your guests are sure to appreciate the extra touch of glamour and excitement.
If you are considering a mobile bar for your wedding, birthday party, special Valentine's Day, hen or corporate event, here are some reasons to hire a mobile bar.

Additional bar services

A mobile bar can take the strain off an indoor bar, by offering an alternative location for drinks. This is particularly useful if your event is covering a large area or involves a large number of guests as it keeps waiting times to a minimum.
Also, you will be hiring not just the bar, but charismatic and experienced bartenders for all types of private and corporate events to help your party go with a swing.

Specialist or selection

Mobile bars can specialise in one type of drink, perhaps a wide range of whiskey from both Scotland and Ireland; a cocktail bar or a selection of drinks from sodas to champagne to lager and ales.
As a mobile bar you can be assured that cocktails are made using the freshest ingredients and that everyone will walk away from the bar with a smile and a tasty drink. This is a specialist service that you can have confidence in, as all you need comes in one fully organised package.

Al fresco experience

Planning a party in spring or summer, particularly if it is for a wedding is always a chance to enjoy the great outdoors. You can set up a professional, organised and fully staffed mobile bar in an outdoor area at your venue, in the garden or in a marquee.
A mobile bar means that you are not restricted to a venue or room, so it can be located where you think it works best, and if it begins to rain on the terrace or outside lawn, you can move to a covered area and still deliver the goods.

Photo memories

Have fun behind the bar yourself, posing with your bespoke cocktail to mark your special day, or pulling your first pint. There are lots of photographic opportunities for you and your guests. Many events are planned around a specific theme, whether a colour scheme, a particular style or a particular decade.
Hire a natural wooden bar or a classy champagne bar to extend that theme, with cocktails to match your theme or colour. You can also request a particular dress code or colour for the bar staff. All these will enhance the character of your event.

Evening entertainment

Having a mobile bar turn up in the evening is a new highlight for those who may have been at earlier wedding celebrations. This makes those arriving just for the evening reception feel special and adds a new buzz for everyone attending.
You can personalise the bar with your favourite brands and cocktails to create your own menu. Add your wedding monogram or for corporate events, your own branding to reinforce your company’s image and increase brand awareness to buyers.

Valentine’s Day is back in vogue with a luxury cocktails night for lovers. A lot of love couples choose the mobile bar for an amazing romantic dinner under the sky. Candlelit dinner with city views and a live acoustic can be romantic valentines gifts for her.

Affordable and cost-effective

Hire a mobile bar and you can choose what you spend. Options include a pre-paid bar so guests all drink for free, you can put a tab behind the bar, allow guests to buy their own drinks, or a combination of those options. With mobile bars, the price of drinks is competitive and is usually lower than club/hotel/bar prices. Continue reading

Planning a Cocktail Party

Cocktail parties are great ways to entertain friends or business associates, or a combination of the two at receptions for both business and personal reasons.
Cocktail parties offer a lot of flexibility so that you can have an event just as you want it. Planning a cocktail party is not a big challenge, but it does need some planning. Here are some of our planning tips.

First things first

First, set a budget for your event. This helps you keep track of expenses and where you want to spend money.
You can always delegate some of the work to others, this can include décor, or you might consider hiring a mobile bar, which will take full responsibility for beverages at your party, including expert bartenders who can also look after your guests.

One month before the party

Choose the date

The best day to organise a cocktail party is over the weekend so that those who drink alcohol can rest the day after.

Choose the venue

If it is a small party, this can be from your home. If this is a cocktail party for business, you will want a more formal venue, such as a hotel or restaurant function room.

Prepare a guest list

It is always a good idea to prepare a guest list. Whether the cocktail party is a work, family or friends’ get-together, a list of those you want to invite is always a good idea to ensure you keep in budget and do not forget to invite anyone important.
Then order your invitations and send them to all on the guest list.

Invitations

Particularly for a corporate event, but also fun for weddings too, send your invitations in a way that will attract attention. Your cocktail party ideas can be introduced at the invitation stage. If you are opening a cocktail bar, send the invitation in a shaker instead of an envelope, since this will raise interest and they are more likely to reply.
Another of our planning tips is to include on the invitation what drinks will be served, the RSVP information, the dress code, the full timings of the event and the venue address, with details of public transport and taxi firms and if necessary, good local accommodation. Continue reading

Cocktail Bars in London

There are numerous excellent cocktail bars in London so, whether you are looking for somewhere to stop off for a pre-party cocktail or wanting the perfect spot to hideaway in the evening, there will be somewhere ideal for you. These sell the classic cocktails, but also offer new and unexpected taste sensations. Here are just a few of our favourite cocktail bars in London.

Oriole

Oriole East Poultry Avenue EC1A 9LH Oriole, formerly the Cock Tavern, is in the heart of the city in London’s Smithfields Market., close to Farringdon underground station. It has described itself as “an underground cabinet of curiosities” and was launched by Edmund Weil and Rosie Stimpson, founders of legendary Nightjar bar.
Oriole, named after the exotic bird native to Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia promises cocktails linked to these regions, depending on which cocktail menu you choose to drink from. Oriole is a larger venue than Nightjar, with a seated capacity of 120, and 180 standing.
It offers customised drinks as well as a central stage, which plays host every night of the week to some great live music and bands, particularly jazz and swing, which fits in with the aesthetic and feel of the bar which takes you back to the romance and mystery of the 1920s-1940s.
An evening menu of sharing plates to go with their amazing cocktails is available each evening between 18:00 and 20:00 Live music begins at 21:00 and is free on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, with a GPB5 charge on Wednesday and Thursday and GPB8 on Friday and Saturday which is paid to the live performers Oriole, which operates an over-21 policy, opens every day at 18:00, closing at 02:00 except on Monday when it closes at 23:00

Nightjar

Nightjar, at 129 City Road, Shoreditch EC1V 1JB is a place for discerning drinkers to meet and relax. Near to Old Street underground station, it is an antidote to flashy West End bars and nightclubs.
Nightjar has some spectacular cocktails, great service and a vibrant live music programme. It is similar to Oriole in that it channels a 1920's vibe, with candlelit tables, glorious tin cup cocktails as a nod to the Prohibition era and crooning jazz and swing bands as the soundtrack to your evening.
Mixologists at Nightjar have created some amazing cocktails with surprising ingredients including sencha tea, seaweed and buffalo mozzarella that taste remarkably good.
One experimental cocktail worth a try is the English Royal Punch made with Hendrick’s gin, Hennessy VS cognac, Pusser’s Gunpowder rum, Korekima spice infusion, apple and rhubarb juice, earl grey tea, Hedgerow & Port jelly, Soave white wine, Hiver Honey IPA, and tonic water—served on the rocks.
The Nightjar runs on table service only, with a no standing policy or seating at the bar. Their capacity is 90. Every customer has to have a seat to be served and food and drinks must be ordered from your table. The last bookable table at 21:30. After this time, available tables are allocated on a first come first served basis.
Live music is free on a Monday and Tuesday, with a GBP5 charge applied on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.
On Friday and Saturday, a GBP8 charge is applied with an addition GBP4 for those staying for the late set. These charges are paid to the live performers.
Nightjar is open every night of the week from 18:00, closing at 01:00 on Sunday through to Wednesday; closing at 02:00 on Thursday and 03:00 on Friday and Saturday. Continue reading

Temple and Sons Cocktail Bar

Temple and Sons, the brainchild of Jason Atherton and Restaurant Associates, was a cocktail bar in the City of London, just a four-minute walk from Bank station. The bar paid tribute to great British produce and traditions.
Alongside their own brewed ales, the bar mixed fine liqueurs with classic household favourites to bring an original and unexpected line of cocktails, at the same time as offering a broad selection of top wines.
Neighbouring London’s fourth-tallest skyscraper, Tower 42, Temple and Sons was located at the home of one of the UK’s nineteenth century Prime Minister’s Lord Palmerston, born as Henry John Temple, after whom the bar was named.
Split across two levels, the grill restaurant upstairs offered traditional family-style meals with grilled meat and sides to share whilst downstairs was a delicatessen and small plates to enjoy among the timber panelling.
At night, the delicatessen transformed into an intimate cocktail bar selling carbonated cocktails canned on site, and drinks in cartons and cans like Yellow Paint, a heady mix of rum and mustard and their own lager, The Subtle Fox.
Whilst selling well-established cocktails like Negroni and Manhattan, Temple and Sons also offered cocktails including Heart of Glass with Portobello Road gin, lemon, elderflower, Chambord and prosecco as well as Unicorn which was a mix of coconut Rum, passionfruit, Cassis, ginger and sugar spice. Continue reading

World’s Top Cocktails for Every Cocktail Fan

The alcohol industry regularly looks at sales trends in the cocktails business around the world.
Surveying the most reputable bars across the globe, reports of the most popular cocktails requested are catalogued for comparison against previous years. In 2019, the top cocktails are the classic cocktails, but there are some surprising new trends too.

World’s most popular cocktails

Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule contains 4 oz Ginger beer, 1 1/2 oz Vodka, 1/6 oz Lime juice and soda. It’s famously served in a Moscow Mule copper mug garnished with a slice or wedge of lime and mint leaves.
It is also known as a vodka buck, a buck being any cocktail containing ginger and citrus along one or more base liquors.

Aperol Spritz

The Aperol Spritz, both looks good and tastes good and is very refreshing. It is also easy to make, with a three-two-one ratio of Prosecco, Aperol, and soda. It is the signature drink of Aperol, a bittersweet orange-flavoured aperitif made in Italy using a secret blend of herbs and roots and developed in 1912.
This cocktail first came about in the 1950s, but this is the first time it has reached the world’s top 10 cocktails.

Margarita

Tart, tangy, simple. This famous tequila cocktail remains the top tequila-based classic cocktail in 2019. A margarita is a mix of 2 oz Tequila, 1 oz Lime juice, 1 oz Cointreau, served with salt on the rim of the glass.
The drink is served either shaken with ice, blended with ice, or without ice. The rim of the glass is rubbed with a lime slice to make the salt stick to it.
The other ingredients are shaken over ice, then carefully pour into the glass, without moving any of the salt and the lime slice as added as a garnish.

Espresso Martini

An Espresso Martini promises a cocktail with a pick-me-up, calm-me-down effect. It is a cold, coffee-flavoured drink, which is not a true martini but is in fact made with vodka, espresso coffee, coffee liqueur, and sugar syrup. It is also known as a Vodka Espresso and Pharmaceutical Stimulant. Served straight up in a cocktail glass without ice, the standard garnish is three coffee beans Continue reading