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.

One of the highlights of this year’s Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans was the Bartenders’ Breakfast hosted by Audrey Saunders and Simon Ford of Plymouth Gin. Reputed to be the biggest, wildest event of the Tales weekend it boasted the best drinks and a stunning list of guest bartenders including Dale DeGroff, Gary Regan, Francesco Lafranconi, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Kenta Goto, John Deragon, Don Lee, Chris Patino, Matt Gee, Leo DeGroff & more with special overseas guests Wayne Collins, Tony Conigliaro and Jason Crawley. 

Preceded by the now traditional New Orleans Jazz funeral for a bad cocktail (mercifully Sex on the Beach) it was a night to remember. Or not as the case might be.

So off we went on a glorious sunny day to the home of Plymouth Gin, the oldest working gin distillery in the land.  Quite apart from the jolly company the highlight of the trip was making our very own gin in mini stills at the Distillery. Sad to say that, although we kept a very beady eye on what Desmond Payne was doing, this Gintime gin tasted like cat’s wee, the result of trying to be a bit experimental with coriander. “Don’ t despair” said Sean Harrison Plymouth’s Master Distiller “it may settle down a bit after 24 hours or so “. Well yes it did and it now tastes like lavatory cleaner. Just goes to show gin making is an art and it’s not for amateurs.

Really looking forward to visiting the Plymouth Gin Distillery next month. For a sneak preview of what the new Master Distiller Tours are like read  this:

www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk/features/Making-gin-proper-tonic/article-1928880-detail/article.html

It’s not often one gets a chance to explore a gin distillery but Plymouth Gin, one of only 18 British food and drink products with its own geographical identification, has just unveiled The Master Distiller’s Private Tour – the ultimate experience for gin lovers.  It not only includes a private distillery tour with Sean Harrison, Plymouth Gin’s Master Distiller, but also provides the opportunity to be mentored through the entire distilling process using your own personal micro gin still.

The new experience is the idea of Sean Harrison and as he explains:‘The art of distilling Plymouth gin has been passed down from distiller to distiller, but this is the first time we have offered such an exclusive opportunity to gain first-hand insight into how we make our gin. I hope it will be a fun and memorable experience for food and drink enthusiasts.’

After being shown around The Plymouth Gin Distillery, Sean will explain the production process before hosting an in-depth tasting of different gin styles.  Finally, each person is able to have a go at making a gin that is as good as Plymouth Gin and will be given a small bottle of ‘single batch’ handmade gin to take away.

The Master Distiller’s Private Tour is just part of what’s on offer at the historic home of Plymouth Gin.  Apart from The Master Distiller’s Private Tour, the Distillery hosts two other tours.  The Plymouth Gin Distillery Tour lasts approximately 40 minutes; it provides a fascinating insight into how one of Britain’s best-loved gins is made and also gives an intriguing introduction to the building – reputed to be the place where the Pilgrim Fathers spent their last night before sailing for the New World.  Gin enthusiasts interested in discovering more about the tastes and styles of different gins can opt for The Gin Connoisseur’s Tour which lasts about an hour and a half and includes a distillery tour and a comparative tasting of Plymouth and other styles of gin.

‘The Refectory’, the Distillery’s historic bar, is home to Britain’s only nationally accredited bartending course and serves up some of the finest cocktails in the country. Visitors can discover why Plymouth Gin has been recognised as ‘The Perfect Martini Gin’ by bartenders worldwide ever since it was specified in the first ever documented recipe for a Dry Martini in 1896.

The Distillery is also home to the Barbican Kitchen Brassiere, set up by local food heroes, Chris and James Tanner.  So, if you can make a real evening of it by taking part in the ‘Master Distiller’s Private Tour’ before enjoying some fabulous cocktails in the bar and rounding things off with a great meal.

The Master Distiller’s Private Tour costs £40 per person and must be booked in advance by calling the Plymouth Gin Distillery on 01752 665 292 .Check out the Distillery here -  www.plymouthgin.com

We’re loving this fantastic video of Guardian journalist Simon Majumdar’s search for the perfect Martini. Nick Strangeway takes him around three of London’s top bars each of which serve a different twist on our favourite classic. Check out the hilarious trainspotter type comments too.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/video/2010/mar/02/how-to-make-perfect-martini

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!

The Worldwide Cocktail Club and David Wondrich recently led a devoted band of Plymouth Gin aficianados on a magical mystery tour around some of London’s hallowed and not so hallowed cocktail shrines. The places visited included Richard Stoughton’s Apothecary Shop in Southwark, the site of Van Winkle’s American Bar behind the Bank of England (the first cocktail bar in London),  James Ashley’s Punch House in  Ludgate Hill,  The Savoy Hotel, The Criterion Bar in Piccadilly Circus, Ciro’s Club, The Café Royal and the site of Limmer’s Hotel in Conduit Square where John Collins once served gin punch. As you would expect appropriate cocktails, and punches were served en route. Wish we’d been there!

Renowned D.C. mixologist Gina Chersevani has come up with a stunning idea – the P.B.L.T. (Plymouth, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato), an innovative cocktail infused with crisp flavors of lettuce, tomato and , would you believe it  – bacon.  Here’s the recipe:

P.B.L.T.

• 1 oz Plymouth Gin
• 1 cube of lettuce water
• 1 cube of tomato water
• Spray vinegar on one side of glass and stick dehydrated bacon dust on side.

First spray vinegar on a glass and dip in dehydrated bacon dust, then place a lettuce water cube, tomato cube, then pour the Plymouth Gin over top.

Tomato Cubes

• 16 oz of fresh tomato juice (either in a juicer or done in a blender and then strained)
• 1 teaspoon of white pepper
• 1 pinch of fleur de sel
• 4 oz of fresh lemon juice
• 4 dashes of Tabasco

Combine all ingredients together and fill ice trays.  Makes about 24-30 cubes

Lettuce Cubes

• 14 oz of lettuce water (2 large heads of iceberg lettuce, that has been juiced in a juicer)
• 1 teaspoon of white pepper
• 1 pinch of fleur de sel
• 4 oz of lemon juice

Combine all ingredients together and fill ice trays.  Makes about 20-24 cubes

Always the ones to do in style, Beefeater and Plymouth Gins are getting ready to astonish visitors to this year’s Bar 09 held at Earls Court, London. On Monday 22nd June the Kennington Distillery will be open to international guests with an opportunity to tour the distillery, take part in a tutored gin tasting and enjoy a delicious G & T at the Distillery Bar. The Show itself kicks off on Tuesday 23rd June and here’s a sneak preview of the Beefeater and Plymouth portfolio stand – a work of art in itself. It will host a Cocktail Demonstration Bar with the leading mixologists from the UK and beyond, tutored gin tastings, the Master Distiller’s private room and a separate bar as well. On Wednesday night Beefeater 24 hosts a party and there’s also a chance to get invites to the Beefeater 24 sponsored Super Contemporary Exhibition at the Design Museum.