Elevate your cocktails.. 🌿😉

6 weeks ago marks the date of the first issue of The Stir Down! That same week I filled out all my planter boxes at home and I went heavy on planting herbs that I could use for cocktails. All the herbs and edible flowers are looking incredible and ready for picking, so I thought I'd focus today's issue on fresh herb cocktails.

I think everyone should be growing at least a couple essential herbs on their window sill or balcony to use them in cocktails (or cooking). My two essentials herbs would have to be mint and basil. Then a few 'nice-to-haves' are sage, rosemary, edible flowers and ginger (I know, it's a root not a herb) - these all grow really well in pots in small spaces. Herbs from your own garden (that haven't traveled to a store and sat on a shelf for a day or more) are so much more aromatic and flavoursome.

Do you have fresh herbs growing at home? Do you use them for cocktails? If not, why not?

📷 VIDEOS

The Basil Smash was created by Joerg Meyer. He was inspired by Dale DeGroff's Whiskey Smash at the Pegu Club. Joerg experimented with classic dry gins including Tanqueray and Beefeater before settling on Rutte Celery Gin (savoury gins work really well in this drink but a classic dry gin works too).

OTHER VIDEOS:

• How to make cocktails with most popular herbs | Vlad Slickbartender

• I made and ranked 8 Mojitos | How to Drink

• Grapefruit & rosemary vodka cocktail | Jamie Oliver

• Penicillin (with ginger syrup) | Anders Erickson

🔥 TIP OF THE WEEK

Adding herbs to your cocktails are an easy way to impart flavour and increase depth of flavour, and they can be incorporated in numerous ways. Making homemade syrups (mint syrup, rosemary syrup, etc.) are a great way to add flavour and enable you to extend the shelf life of the flavour of your herbs. Alternatively, muddling the herbs straight into the drink will extract maximum fresh flavour whilst garnishing with the herb will provide an uplift of aromas. Don't forget to spank your herbs when garnishing to release the aromas!

Here are just a few GREAT herb flavour combinations that you should be incorporating into your drinks. Instead of a classic Margarita, why not add pineapple and sage for a tasty variation?

🌿 Basil & lemon

🍋 Mint & lemon

🍇 Rosemary & blackberry

🍊 Grapefruit & rosemary

🍍 Pineapple & sage

🍓 Strawberry & sage

🌿 Strawberry & basil

🥒 Dill & Cucumber

What is your favourite flavour combination?

📚 RECOMMENDED READING

The Old-Fashioned would have to be one of the world's most iconic cocktails. Despite the fact that the book is focused solely on one drink, it's a wealth of information - including an in-depth history of the old-fashioned as well as 40+ variations that demonstrate the versatility of the old-fashioned formula of spirit, sugar and bitters. It's one of my books that I revisit regularly.

🛒 PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

Okay, so this may be a pricey for what it is... but I still love it. It's a great little gift for someone that loves an old fashioned... and you could always make one yourself, although there is something about the debossed tin and branding that makes this old-fashioned cocktail kit pretty special. Check it out on Etsy.

If you made it this far, let me know what you think of today's issue of The Stir Down!

Cheers,

Steve the Bartender

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