It's World Gin Day on 13th June!
We’ve seen gin rise in popularity hugely over the years as it has become the must-have spirit to have at any event. No event is complete without it, with most bars offering an array of different flavour combinations. Year on year there are more gin events popping up around the globe, proving just how popular it really is.
Offering gin at your event for the next few years will be imperative to the events success. Of course, you could just add gin to the menu at your event and tick it off, but there are loads of great ways to take it a step further and make it a talking point and feature of your event with minimal effort.
Gin Bars
There are some amazing suppliers we have worked with in the past who set up speciality gin bars that have had guests gasping with excitement. Adding a gin bar to your event can give it a brilliant edge and something difficult to forget! They'll bring an array of spirits, mixers and garnishes and armed with plenty of knowledge, they'll help your guests choose their perfect gin cocktail.
When you hire a company to come in with a speciality gin bar, they’ll bring everything they need with them and they’ll know all the insider tricks to make the cocktails really show-stopping. The company will bring their own bar facilities which can either be set up where required or operate from their vehicle - meaning less clearing up for you to do. Our favourite was an old VW campervan, turned into a bar!
Bespoke Cocktails
To make the event memorable, create a bespoke cocktail that is tailored to your party theme or company. This can be done through the name, cocktail colour or the decor in your cocktail, and will certainly make your event more personable.
If you're running a corporate event, then it can be great for encouraging your guests to share online, so make sure there's a hashtag set up that people can use. If it’s for a private event or party, you could create the hosts favourite cocktail with a twist on the party theme (and if it's for a wedding, it's something the couple will enjoy for years to come!)
Talk, Taste and Learn
Bring in the professionals! Whether this be a gin professional, or a professional mixologist, this will certainly add some excitement to your evening and turn the boring ‘what would you like to drink?’ into a much more thrilling opportunity.
If your event is a smaller group of guests, bringing in a gin professional to give a masterclass can be great fun and a great ice breaker activity. Make sure you pair this with a special food menu to make the evening even more memorable. If you don’t want to factor time for a mini masterclass into your event or you have a larger number of guests, then a mixologist can be a great idea and transform that time guests are waiting for their drinks to be made into something far more magical.
We expect Gin to as popular as ever this summer, with garden parties and beautiful weather on the horizon. Of course, this combination creates a thirsty mix, so here are 3 easy to make at home cocktails that you can create for your garden party:
Elderflower Collins
This gin cocktail is easy to make and is perfect to enjoy on a hot summer’s day. It’s so light and refreshing that it will suit everyone’s palates even if they aren’t usually gin drinkers. It’s quick to make, and you will probably have most of the ingredients already in your cupboard at home.
50ml Gin 10ml Elderflower Cordial 10ml Sugar Syrup A generous squeeze of lemon. Soda
To serve this light and refreshing cocktail, shake together and pour over ice and add some herbs from your garden, sit back and enjoy in the sun!
Pink Gin Iced Tea
This is a great cocktail to whip up for your event, particularly if it’s taking place in the evening. Gin is a popular drink at the moment, but chances are this one will surprise everyone’s taste buds! This one is simple to make and can be made in larger quantities if you would rather prepare it in jug.
50ml Pink Gin 50ml Spiced Rum 50ml Elderflower Cordial 50ml Pink Grapefruit Juice 1 Chamomile Tea Bag
Pop the tea bag in boiling water for 1-2 minutes and then leave the water to cool for a moment. Once cool, stir all al the ingredients in together with some chunks of ice and top with some fresh thyme before pouring in your glass and enjoying the tipple!
Rhubarb Gin
This one takes a little preparation and you need to be prepared to wait a few weeks for it to brew but it’s well worth the wait! Creating your own flavours from scratch will really get your taste buds tingling and your guests talking. Chances are they’ve never had a home-made rhubarb gin, and if they have, no two batches will ever be the same!
Rhubarb stalks A few generous tablespoons of caster sugar Your favourite gin
After washing and trimming your rhubarb stalks add them to a sealable jar with plenty of sugar and give them a good shake. Leave them for 24 hours or so to draw out those delicious juices. Add your choice of gin and allow it to ferment for a few weeks – you can try it earlier, but it will be perfect for drinking at around 4 weeks.
Once it’s ripe and ready, add your favourite tonic and lots of fresh ice. Make it more instagrammable by adding a slice of lemon and a rhubarb stick to garnish.
Hopefully we’ve given you some inspiration for how you can make gin a feature of your events, as well as some easy to make recipes to try so you can celebrate World Gin Day at home. If you’re looking to include gin in your event but are not sure which approach to take, then get in touch and we’ll be happy to work with you to put together some some ideas and arrange brilliant suppliers!