To celebrate the launch of Beefeaters Spring/Summer Cocktail collection we have a bottle of Beefeater Gin and a Premium Cocktail Kit for one lucky reader. See end of post for competition details.

Straight off the bar-top, Beefeater Gin this week unveils its latest line-up of fashion-inspired cocktails – the hottest drinks to be seen with this season.

In a nod to the SS14 pastel trends for all things powdery pink and soft green, the new collection includes the gorgeously smooth Green Goddess that will leave anyone green with envy (who isn’t drinking it), and the blushing pink Rhubarb Martini that adds a fresh twist to an all-time classic. Overflowing with style and sophistication, these ‘cocktails-du-jour’ are ideal to serve at home and celebrate the start of the Spring / Summer season.

Green Goddess

Ingredients (serves one)

1/7^th cucumber

20ml lime juice

2 large basil leaves

15 ml sugar syrup (3 tsp of caster sugar dissolved in water)

4-6 ice cubes

Sea salt, black pepper and basil leaf to garnish

Serve with Beefeater Dry

 

Method

Blend the fresh ingredients, sugar syrup and ice cubes on a low speed in an electric blender. When they begin to come together and move as one, increase the speed to maximum. There should be no lumps of ice so as soon as the mixture is spinning smoothly and freely, turn off the blender.

Now, pour the contents through a sieve and into a bowl. Rinse the sieve and repeat the process again to get a more refined liquid. Use a teaspoon and have a taste of the mix. . Skim the mix with a small tea strainer if you have one. Pour the final mix into clean and sterilised bottles, seal and store in the fridge if using later or serve immediately.

Crumble sea salt and ground black pepper onto a side plate, then use a slice of cucumber to moisten the top and outer rim of all your punch cups. Gently press and roll the rim and outer edge of each cup in the salt and pepper mix, then, whilst still holding the cup upside-down, lightly tap it to remove any salt and pepper not well stuck to the rim to stop it from falling down into the cup.

When serving, carefully fill the glass with cubed or chipped ice so as not to knock off salt and pepper, add Beefeater, mix to desired ratio and finish with a fresh basil leaf for aroma.

Rhubarb Martini

Ingredients (serves one)

40ml of Beefeater Dry infused with rhubarb*

20ml of Lillet Blanc

5ml Fruit Cup (preferably homemade**)

 

Method

Stir all the ingredients with ice then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a fine slice of rhubarb.

*To make the rhubarb infused Beefeater Dry gin, take two good sized stalks of rhubarb, finely slice lengthways and add to the gin. Simply store the bottle somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight for a few days, the fridge is perfect. The gin is ready to use when the rhubarb is white and stripped of its colour and the gin is a pretty pink. Before using, filter the gin through a sieve and discard the rhubarb.

**To make the Fruit Cup, combine the following ingredients in a 500ml bottle and store in the fridge:

165ml Beefeater Dry

165ml Dubonnet

82.5ml Plymouth Sloe Gin

82.5ml Apricot liqueur

5ml Gin Barrel Aged Orange Bitters

Fresh lemon zest from one lemon (remove the peel when bottling).

This Fruit Cup recipe is not just restricted to the Rhubarb Martini, and can be served with fresh fruit, cucumber, mint and lemonade.

 

Competition

We have a Bottle of Beefeater Gin and a fantastic Premium Cocktail Kit to give away to one lucky reader.

Answer the below question and send your answer to info@socialandcocktail.co.uk

What iconic London landmark does the “Beefeater” refer to?

 

Competition closes Saturday 8th March.

Entrants must be aged 18 years or over.

We will announce the winner on March 10th on our Website, Facebook and Twitter pages.