Here’s an idea for the Bank Holiday Weekend. Come and join the Gintime Masterclasses at Oxford Foodies Festival on Sat 28 at 15.45, Sun 29^th at 11.45 and Mon 30^th August at 15.45. We’ll be exploring the delights of Beefeater 24, Foxdenton, Hendricks, Plymouth and London No 1. Original.

Here’s the programme: http://www.foodiesfestival.com/oxford/

And go to the Gintime Home Page to print out 2 tickets for Free Entry for any day of the Festival.

Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, recently entertained some of the world’s top bartenders at a Gin Symposium in Toronto. The event was hosted by Global Brand Ambassador, Dan Warner and the timetable for the afternoon included:

• Beefeater Master Distiller, Desmond Payne on the history of English Gin, followed by a gin tasting
• Beefeater Brand Ambassador, Dan Warner on the taste profiles of a selection of English Gin brands and the role each can play in a classic drink
• Nick Strangeway - London-style drinks
• Local brand Ambassador, Ryan Powell - Canadian inspired cocktail recipes

The Beefeater Gin Distillery in the heart of London is one of the city’s best kept secrets.  And, as part of “London Open City”, the Distillery will be opening its doors to the public on 18^th and 19^th September for free tours that take place every 30 minutes from 1-5pm with a maximum of 15 people per tour.

Visitors will be able to experience a moment of British history and learn how this iconic London spirit is made by going behind the scenes of the home of one of London’s most recognised brands. In the expert hands of Master Distiller Desmond Payne they will learn fascinating facts on the history of the spirit itself and view the array of botanicals used to create the gin first hand. Also as part of the tour, visitors will be able to view the original pot still used to steep and then distil the alcohol and botanicals before sampling the quintessential (and arguably) the best gin and tonic in the contemporary Beefeater branded bar.
It’s the perfect treat if visiting London or planning a day out with friends.

Tours must be pre-booked – just log onto the Open City website (www.londonopenhouse.org). But hurry, as spaces are limited.

Open City encourages Londoners to explore and re-examine their city, to debate how architecture affects their daily lives, and to discover and appreciate how they can really influence change in the built environment.

Here’s a fantastic one off experience for Madrilenos and anyone visiting the city in July. On 2nd July 2010 Beefeater 24 will open the ‘Midnight Labyrinth’ – a maze garden created with an exciting mix of bold design, daring entertainment and pop-up glamour in Spain’s stylish capital.

Designed by the world’s leading maze designer, Adrian Fisher, and London’s most in demand creative designer, Petra Storrs, an iconic site in Madrid will be transformed into London’s famous Vauxhall ‘Pleasure’ Gardens for one night only.

The Beefeater 24 Midnight Labyrinth pays tribute to the 350th anniversary of the Vauxhall Gardens, the epitome of high society and glamour in London during the 17th and 18th centuries.  The original Vauxhall Gardens, near the current site of the Beefeater distillery next to the River Thames, were a fashionable place to be and be seen where leading artists and performers showcased their skills.  The Gardens were one of the catalysts that shaped London’s reputation as an exciting cultural and style capital, a reputation that Beefeater 24 has embraced and continues to further internationally.

Made using 300sqm of traditional living hedge grown in England, the Midnight Labryinth will welcome the visitors to stroll through its narrow corridors and discover an interactive, multi-sensory garden of contemporary art, music, film and live performances from London’s leading artists. Attractions within the maze include:

• The Great Forest, with moonlight performances from Vicky Butterfly

• The Ruby’s-Red Cherry Orchard

• A London Disco Folly

• A Singing Portrait with Tricity Vogue, a unique musical cabaret artist

• The Ha Ha Infinity Mirror

• A Botanical Gin Garden

• Midnight Matinee at the Bird-House with performance artists

Premiering in Madrid this July and then touring the great cities of the world, Beefeater 24’s Midnight Labyrinth will showcase London’s most daring and glamorous nightlife  - as Simon Burley, Beefeater 24’s Brand Director comments :

“Beefeater 24 is a truly daring gin that is produced in the heart of London. Its innovative recipe, iconic packaging and unique London provenance capture the dynamic spirit of London. Vauxhall Gardens epitomised London’s reputation for innovation, hedonistic pleasure and creativity. This was seen most vividly in its dramatic vertical maze, which we are proud to recreate in Madrid in order to celebrate London in one of our most important international markets.”

The Beefeater Midnight Labyrinth will be open to the general public between 22.00pm and 01.00am on 2nd July. For further information please visit www.beefeater24.com

If your name is George or Georgina or even Goran or Ygor pop down to any of the five Park Plaza hotels in London and enjoy a free cocktail to celebrate St George’s Day. The ‘Gorgeous George’ cocktail is a fab concoction of Beefeater 24 gin, elderflower cordial, white cranberry juice, grenadine syrup complete with a rose petal garnish. It costs £8.95, but, between 23 April to 30 May 2010, it’s   free for anyone named George (or a variation thereof) when another full price drink is purchased.

Check out Park Plaza hotels here – www.parkplaza.com – and don’t forget you’ll need a driver’s license or passport that proves your first name is George, Georgina or any one of the 46 valid variants of the name of England’s Patron Saint.

This season, for the first time, Beefeater 24 gin sponsored a host of glamorous London Fashion Week events establishing it as the spirit for fashionistas. They included Beefeater 24’s ongoing relationship with renowned British designer Jonathan Saunders (pictured) whose fashion show is one of the hottest tickets in town. Beefeater 24 was the official sponsor and host of the Jonathan Saunders after party, held at Concrete, East London’s latest venue for the cool fashion crowd.

Beefeater 24 also supported an exclusive soiree for legendary British designer Zandra Rhodes at The Arch Hotel; a celebrity party for jewellery designer Dominic Jones at Soho Sanctum; private screening for style icon Olivia Palermo at The Langham Hotel; afternoon tea party for celebrity favourite shoe designer Charlotte Olympia; and the cutting edge Fashion East’s Menswear Installation. Obviously Gintime’s invites got lost in the post but we can’t wait for next year!

Beefeater 24’s recent US Cocktail Comp required contestants to create a new drink containing Beefeater 24 plus 6 other ingredients. Here’s the winning recipe created by  Preston Eckman, and a damn fine drink it is too!
Matcha Fizz
Adapted from a recipe by Preston Eckman, Apothecary Lounge, Philadelphia

• 1oz Beefeater 24
• 1oz Gyokuro (green tea shochu)
• small pinch matcha
• half of an egg white
• 0.5oz lemon juice
• 0.5oz honey syrup
• 1 medium sized sage leaf
• 1 sage tip tossed in matcha, as garnish

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled  champagne coupe

Here’s a welcome break from the hurly burly of the West End. Between January and April Palm Court at the Langham Hotel at the top of Regent Street will be serving a  delightfully refined afternoon tea with a twist. Based on the botanicals in Beefeater 24 , the bespoke afternoon tea menu offers finger sandwiches made with smoked Scottish organic salmon with horseradish and watercress and Castle of Mey Beef with Savora mustard,  home baked scones with Devonshire clotted cream and Duchy Originals Strawberry Preserve, miniature French pastries and English classics such as mille feuille, Victoria sandwich, Bakewell tart and chocolate gateau. The tea itself is based on the Beefeater 24 recipe which uses a unique mix of Chinese green and rare Japanese Sencha teas . Natually there’s an equally delicious Beefeater 24 G and T creating the ideal mix of two quintessentially British drinks.

Palm Court is famous as the birthplace of the afternoon tea , serving tea to the cream of London since 1865. It is the dazzling new centrepiece of recently refurbished  Langham Hotel and the perfect place to put your feet up, have a cuppa and relax. Priced at £39.00 per person, the Beefeater 24 G and Tea is available in Palm Court from 1 January 2010 until 30 April 2010. Advance reservations are recommended on: 020 7965 0195 or for more information visit: www.palm-court.co.uk

Keep checking in with us as we’ll be giving two lucky Gintimers the chance to experience the Beefeater 24 G and Tea for themselves soon!

Gintime was heavily involved at the first Bibulous at Vinopolis and it was a brilliant showcase event for our participating brands – the gorgeous Beefeater 24, Caorunn, Hendrick’s Gin, Martin Millers, Plymouth and The London No. 1. In a supremely glamorous setting Gintime editor Geraldine Coates conducted a Master Class and tasting of our featured gins to an audience made up of bar professionals and interested amateurs. Check out the gorgeous Gin Lane girls’ independent opinion here.

And no we didn’t pay them although we have to say they are our new best friends!

Renowned master of molecular mixology, Tony Conigliaro has created fantastic cocktails inspired by the unique blend of botanicals in Beefeater 24 to be served in his new bar, 69 Colebrooke Row.  These innovative cocktails challenge the senses in a completely new and unique way.  Tony chose Beefeater 24 – created only a year ago by Master Distiller, Desmond Payne – as the gin of choice for his new recipes because, as he explains: “The Beefeater 24 has strength and body.  The addition of green tea is inspired because it blends all of the flavours so well and goes with so many different kinds of ingredients”.

The Beefeater 24 Very Dry Martini

Based on Tony’s studies of the tongue and flavour experience within the mouth, Tony has created this ultra dry cocktail using a high concentration distillation of polyphenols and tannins that are added to the vermouth.  When mixed with Beefeater 24 to make the martini it creates a drying sensation in the mouth resulting in the ultimate aperitif

Beefeater 24 Japanese Tea

This most visual of cocktails draws inspiration from the key green tea botanical utilised in Beefeater 24. Tony’s conecpt was to create a drink which had an element of ceremony in the serve, hence the idea of drinking from the glass with two hands and a garnish of green tea bean curd linking back to the tea notes.