The Twist Arms takes on the Gin & Cocktail Challenge
Many of you may not know this about me but I actually own my very own bar with my husband. It feels like it was only yesterday when we were making the decision: it was a warm summer evening and the sky was clear, and whilst sipping one of our homemade cocktails we decided that was it – we wanted our very own bar.
In the Beginning…
It wasn’t as simple as just saying we wanted to own a bar. First thing was first, we needed to come up with a name for the bar, something which people would remember and we would be proud of. We started to write down many ideas before making our final decision: Dan’s Bar, Lou and Dan’s Bar, The Watering Hole and so on. However, none of them sounded right, so we put our heads together… Then it hit us, with our surnames being ‘Twist’, we thought no other than “The Twist Arms” – it was just perfect!
Next task – we needed a place for our bar!
We began to make some space in the garage and thought that it was just right with the space available. We spoke to my Dad (you can imagine how happy he was about this) and he had a great idea! The golf club where he worked had just ripped out their old bar at the time and, after a few cheeky persuasions, they generously let us take it off their hands, including the matching bar stools. We now had the main parts to our bar, so we got to work.
The Twist Arm’s renovation had begun begun and before we knew it, we had our bar! Our very own bar! We were over the moon with what we had accomplished, but of course, we needed supplies – can’t have a bar without the beverages (Well you could but it would be quite a boring bar)! Dan and I got in touch with local breweries and after a few pulled string, we were equipped with taps, coolers, gas. optics and all other bits of equipment that we would need. We also set up some essential entertainment items, such as 2 TV’s for all the different sports, a jukebox to mix up the music, some comfortable seating and additional lighting, as well as fully stocking the bar of course!
Then, that was that! And here it is… The Twist Arms!
We are now part of a group on social media, set up by one of our good friends, in which we are called Pub Sheds UK. We have thousands of members, all of which are folk like me and my husband with their own bars, who like to enjoy drinks in the comfort of their own homes.
Since we have had our own bar, we have tried to make so many different cocktails and have held quite a few gin nights, cocktail nights and private parties – purely for personal consumption!
Cocktail Time
I always love trying to find new and interesting gins, vodkas and rums that are up and coming, as well as experimenting with the oldies to find out what new concoctions I can come up with. Therefore, after stocking up the bar, I decided I would get creative and conduct a few reviews!
Cocktail #1
The Elderflower Collins
50ml of Sipsmith London Dry Gin
20ml Lemon Juice
Topped up with Fevertree Elderflower Tonic & added edible flowers for garnish.
The Elderflower Collins was so zingy and refreshing! I would say that there is room for improvement – maybe next time I would garnish with a slice of orange. Nevertheless, an excellent drink for a warm summer day or for a quiet night in with your mates!
Cocktail #2
The French Martini
50ml Absolute Vanilla Vodka
15ml Chambord
60ml Pineapple Juice
Raspberries to Garnish
One of my all-time favourites! I absolutely love this cocktail – it is creamy and the raspberry liquor makes it so delicious.
Gin Takeover
Gin #1 – London Dry Gin
Colombo Number 7 London Dry Gin
Fentiman’s Premium Indian Tonic Water
Juniper Berries, Peppercorns and Rosemary to Garnish
A simple yet sophisticated drink, which was easy to make. I did light the rosemary and then placed it straight into the drink, which infused it with the most amazing taste, creating a lovely aroma too. This was the perfect drink for enjoying my evening in my own beer garden.
Gin #2 – Vidda Torr Gin
Vidda Torr Gin
Tomato Juice
Lemon Juice
Hot and Worcestershire Sauce
A handful of Ice Cubes
I believe that this drink was called The Red Snapper, which is very much like a Bloody Mary but with Gin instead of Vodka. It was delicious and I enjoyed this sitting inside our home as the bar was pretty cold that day. Definitely one to try!
Gin #3 – Thomas Dakin Gin
Thomas dakin Gin
Fentiman’s Valencia’s Orange Tonic Water
Orange Spirals and Wheel
A handful of Ice Cubes
This was absolutely lovely and refreshing. The Thomas Dakin Gin, from Manchester, goes great with orange (suggested tasting notes), which I yet again was able to enjoy from the comfort of my own home!
Gin #4 – Silent Pool Gin
Silent Pool Gin
A drop of homemade Sloe Gin
Fevertree Tonic
Selection of Fruit to Garnish
On a cold Winter’s night, my husband and I lit the fire, put on a good film and poured ourselves a glass of this beauty, in which we added a drop of our homemade Sloe Gin for added flavour and warmth. It was so good that I can’t wait for Winter to come back around again!
Last Orders
I could go on and on and on but I’m afraid that’s all I have time for this time around!
We would like to know what is your favourite cocktail? Tweet us your answers @Brewcover – we would love to know everyone’s concoctions!
The Brewcover team and I are passionate about what we do and take a genuine interest in the brewery, distillery, cidery, meadery and winery industries outside of working hours. Which is why we would be the perfect choice for your insurance. Find out more by calling us on 03330 447794 or receive a no-obligation indication of premium by completing our quick and easy form on our website.
That’s all folks! So I am signing this one off with me making a couple of my favourites in mine and my husbands bar, the Twist Arms.
Cheers to that!
