Business News DIY drinks in a decadent setting By Jon Griffin
It’s the ultimate in style for the Birmingham cocktail set – with ultra-sophisticated DIY drinks in the heart of Edgbaston village. Customers at the Edgbaston
Hotel and Cocktail Lounge can create their own favourite tipples thanks to a Rotary Evaporator, an £8,000 do-it-yourself drinks distiller. The Rotavap, the first of its kind
in Birmingham and one of only a handful in the UK, creates unique cocktails with exotic flavours, from mince pies to horseradish and Naga chillies to Wasabi paste. The device is proving a popular
hit with corporate events, wedding parties, drinks masterclasses and other groups keen to sample the most sophisticated cocktails in Birmingham. Luke Pearson, Bar Manager at
the Highfield Road venue, said: “We are not creating a spirit, we are creating a flavour within a spirit. The Rotavap is customised to individual tastes, creating bespoke products for cocktails. “It is an elaborate piece of equipment which has only been
“We have got one of the best
collections of Japanese whiskies in the UK, which are incredibly rare.” The Edgbaston cocktail menu
proudly proclaims that it handcrafts its own syrups, sherbets and cordials and makes its own shrubs and edible garnishes. It marinates its own black cherries and olives to create Manhattans and Martinis. Its most popular cocktail is Claro
Mojito, a £10 mint rum. Other classics include the Dry Martini, Gennifer Juniper, Abercrombie Zombie, Edgbaston Fruit Cup and the Moet and Chandon-based Great Gatsby. The Edgbaston also prides itself
Sophisticated cocktails are served in the stylish lounge
‘We feel that we have grown to become a key part of the Edgbaston village – we are very much leading the way in Birmingham’
used in the food and drinks sector in the past couple of years. We are the first in Birmingham to have one – there are one or two in Scotland and the rest are in London.” Luke, 25, who worked at Jamie’s
and Purnells Bistro in Birmingham and the Dorchester in London before
moving to the Edgbaston, said particular favourites were Mint rum and Naga chillies flavoured drinks. “We take the blend of Naga
chillies, distil it, remove the heat and capture their fantastic flavour. They can be used in Bloody Marys, for example.
on its afternoon teas, including the Edgbaston Signature Tea, Moet and Chandon Afternoon Tea or the Indulgent Krug Afternoon Tea for Two. Jayne O’Malley, group general manager, said: “We are very much about style and quality in all aspects of the business. We seek to offer the best and do it consistently well. We feel that we have grown to become a key part of the Edgbaston village – we are very much leading the way in Birmingham in cocktails.”
May 2016 CHAMBERLINK 11
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