While lagers, beers and cocktails tend to take center stage at the bar, pub drinks are a lot more diverse than you may think. Step out of your comfort zone with these 5 best pub drinks you need to try.
A classic rum drink, a daiquiri is a simple yet tasty drink. You can even swap out the rum for gin or vodka for something different.
Daiquiri
The Daiquiri is one of the most popular cocktails in the world. Whether you prefer it frozen or on the rocks, there is no wrong way to enjoy this refreshing drink. Its popularity has made it a staple at bars and restaurants, but the recipe is simple enough that home bartenders can easily make them. Many variations exist, though, and bartenders are very opinionated about their version.
The story of the daiquiri is murky, but most agree that it was developed in the late 1800s in Cuba. Its name, supposedly, comes from the town of Daiquiri near Santiago. Jennings Cox, an American mining engineer who worked in the area, is generally credited with creating it. He was trying to protect his workers from yellow fever by mixing lime and rum in an effort to ward off the disease. Other stories claim that Cox was simply out of whiskey or gin and decided to doctor up some local rum instead.
Its popularity skyrocketed during WWII, when rationing of other spirits made them harder to find. Also, President Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor policy opened up trade and travel with Latin America, making rum more readily available.
The classic recipe calls for light rum, lime juice, and sugar. You can add a splash of maraschino liqueur or grapefruit juice, if you like. The Hemingway daiquiri, which adds grapefruit and a dash of maraschino, is a delicious variation. The drink is easy to make, and it’s a perfect pick-me-up after a long day at work. You can even turn it into a float by adding heaps of vanilla ice cream. That makes it a perfect drink to share with friends at a pub, especially on a sunny day.
Cosmo
The Cosmopolitan is a pink drink that revivifies and refreshes. It sits alongside margaritas and sidecars as the bright pink sibling of classic cocktail cocktails.
The drink is typically a blend of vodka, an orange-flavored liqueur like curacao or triple sec and cranberry juice. The mix is shaken and strained over ice, garnished with a thin, twisted lime peel. The resulting pink drink is sweet, tart, citrusy and bright. It’s a perfect choice for an early night drink at the bar.
While a Cosmopolitan might be too strong for beginner drinkers, there are plenty of spots that offer a refreshing take on the classic cocktail. At Antique, a chic and cozy spot in downtown Los Angeles, guests can enjoy a well-crafted pink beverage made with Belvedere Vodka, Cointreau, lime juice and cranberry. Alternatively, you can try a spritz with vodka, soda water and fruity flavors, such as the Lemon Drop or Fresh Cut.
Unlike many other cocktails, the Cosmopolitan is typically served in a martini glass. But it can be made with other types of glasses as well, including highball glasses. The higherball glass allows more space for the mixture of ice and liquid, creating a lighter and more bubbly drink.
A cosmopolitan should be balanced between sweet and tart, with the sweetness coming from the fruity cranberry. Ideally, you should be able to taste all the citrus flavors and only a hint of cranberry. This is why it’s best to use a premium vodka, such as Stolichnaya Lemon, which is typically more flavorful than your standard cheap vodkas.
The cosmopolitan is one of the most iconic cocktail drinks in Boston.
Gin & Tonic
If you’re looking for a refreshing and simple drink, the gin & tonic is the perfect choice. This highball cocktail is easy to make, and it’s sure to quench your thirst. You can use a wide variety of gins, premium tonic water, and garnish it with whatever you’d like. Depending on your taste, you can add lemon or lime to the mix. We recommend using a gin with a citrus flavor that complements your preferred tonic water, such as Hendrick’s Gin or Bombay Sapphire. To get the best gin & tonic experience, you should always choose quality ingredients. Buy your gin and tonic water from a reputable store so you can ensure that they’re fresh and have plenty of carbonation.
The gin and tonic is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and it has an interesting backstory. It was actually created to help British soldiers combat malaria and scurvy in tropical climates. Quinine is an extraordinarily bitter compound, but the British found that adding gin made it more palatable. This combination became the gin and tonic, and it’s still a favorite today.
To prepare a gin and tonic, fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Pour the gin over the ice, and slowly and gently pour in the tonic water. Stir well, and garnish with a lime wedge. It’s important to pour the tonic water slowly so that it doesn’t lose its carbonation. Some people also add whole spices to the drink, such as juniper berries, peppercorns, star anise, or cardamom pods. These flavors can compliment the botanicals in gin, and they are often pressed or bruised with the flat end of a spoon to release their aroma.
Gin & Ginger
This refreshing cocktail is the perfect choice for anyone who loves a light and bubbly drink. It’s also a great option for those who aren’t fans of the bitterness of tonic water. Using ginger ale instead means you get to enjoy all the ginger flavour without any of the quinine (which is actually used as medicine to treat malaria, mind you).
To make this cocktail, simply muddle a handful of mint leaves in your glass. Add 50ml of Sing Gin, ice and 15ml of sugar syrup. Shake and fine strain into a rocks glass. Top with 25ml of ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge, cheers!
Many of the best pub drinks are easy to prepare, and this is no exception. With just two ingredients, the gin and ginger is the ultimate highball cocktail to serve at happy hour, or whenever you’re having friends over for drinks! If you want to switch things up, you can use lemon juice instead of lime. This will give the drink a more tart and refreshing flavour, making it the ideal gin cocktail for summer.
Another fun way to serve the gin and ginger is in a tall glass with ice, then topped with lemonade. This is a fun and colourful drink that’s sure to be a hit at your next house party or barbecue.
For a more sophisticated variation on the gin and ginger, you can use ginger beer with a twist of fresh lime juice to create a gin fizz. This is a classic drink that’s perfect for any occasion, and will impress your guests with how fancy it looks! If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can even try grating some fresh ginger into your gin and ginger for an extra kick of flavour – At the The Dolly Blue Bar Newby Bridge, you can get a variety of drinks, so make sure to see their full list.
Gin & Mint
The classic gin and mint cocktail is an excellent choice for any pub, especially if they have a nice selection of gins. It’s easy to make, and it can help to mask any gins that aren’t as flavorful as others. It’s also a good option to try out new gins, as most bars will carry the most popular brands.
You can add a little bit of extra oomph to this drink by shaking it without ice (dry shake) first. Then, top up with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, and enjoy!
The South Side is a refreshing, herbaceous gin drink that can be enjoyed at any time of the year. It combines cucumber, lime juice, and dry gin into one harmonious drink that is lightly sweetened with simple syrup. You can adjust the amount of ingredients based on how many servings you want to make.
While the Irish may have an image for themselves as drunken slackers, the truth is that drinking is still a huge part of Irish culture. You’ll find that most pubs have a variety of beers, wines, and spirits to choose from. If you’re looking for something unique, be sure to ask the bartender if they have any specialty cocktails that they would recommend trying. You never know – you might just discover your new favorite drink!
