British cocktails take Harry Potter twist

Alice in Wonderland, The Matrix and Harry Potter are just some of the inspirations behind a hoard of experimental vodka cocktails created by British bartenders for the 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup.

The 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup UK final will take place on 14 August

Based on the theme ‘Lab Experiments’, the cocktails reflected the ‘twisted, eccentric’ nature of the heats, which took place recently across seven regions in the UK.

The top three finalists from each region have now been put into respective teams to compete in the national final on 14 August, where they’ll be required to produce a signature team drink.

The two best UK teams will go through to the international final in New Zealand on 3-9 September.

The cocktails produced by the British bartenders in the regional heats, featuring unusual ingredients such as cassia bark smoke and buttered toast flavoured milk, are on the following pages.

The bartenders through to the national final next week are:

Ireland
Pat Thomas, Nathan O’Neill & Daniel Mulligan

Scotland
Jamie McDonald, Danil Nevsky & Megan DeMeulenaere

North East
Dan Aeyton, Clare Morrow & Dave West

North West
Max Venning, Dan D’Amelio & Matt Hastings

South and West
Daniel Bovey, Jolene Cadwell & Benji Ryde

London East
Terry Cashman, Alex Clark & Simon Toohey

London West
Mate Csattos, Michael Stringer & Dan Redman-Hubley

Jamie Mac (The Raconteur, Edinburgh)
Paradise Island
50ml 42BELOW Kiwi
50ml Soy Milk,
50ml Almond Milk
1 small spoon of xanthum
5 pieces of Pineapple

Blend and strained into a tiki mug laid out on a ‘beach’ with edible sand and ‘shoreline’ consisting of dehydrations of pineapple, kiwi and raspberry with toasted dedicated coconut.

Max Venning (The Violet Hour, Manchester)
Honey I Shrunk the Pint
35 ml Manuka Honey
15 ml H by Hine Cognac
7.5 ml Sacred Spiced Vermouth
10 ml Pressed Apple Juice
2 dashes Fee Brothers Peach Bitters

Short, sharp shake all the above, fine strain over ice in a half pint dimpled mug. Top with a Monteith’s Original Ale and Mozart Chocolate Bitters Foam. Made by charging the two ingredients with xanthan gum and egg white.

Michael Stringer (The Kensington Rood Gardens, London)
42 Ways Down the Rabbit Hole (Sharing drink for 4 people, layered in bespoke test tube glasses)
650ml 42Below infused ‘turkey breast flavoured milk’
650ml 42Below infused ‘cherry-pie flavoured milk’
650ml 42Below infused ‘buttered toast flavoured milk’
650ml 42Below infused ‘custard flavoured milk’
650ml 42Below infused ‘toffee/fudge flavoured milk’
5 tsp Xanthan Gum

Gently layer each flavour in custom made, hand blown glassware. Serve three together in a test tube holder with a tea stained ‘Drink Me’ label. Serve the mini cupcakes on the side, on a small silver platter with a tea stained ‘Eat Me’ label. End with a big cheesey grin to complete your Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland-inspired ’42 Ways Down the Rabbit Hole’.

Dan D’amelio (Aloha, Liverpool)
The 42nd Plight of the Kiwis
20ml Lemon
20ml Manuka Honey (1:1 Watered down)
5 pieces of 1/2 inch squared of Capsicum
10ml Chartreuse Yellow
10ml 42 Below Kiwi
20ml 42 Below
Top Cloudy Bay Pelorus

Muddle, shake, fine strain, top with sparkling wine and garnish with Gordal Olives on the side.

Megs Demeulenaere (Bramble, Edinburgh)
Kiwi Escape
50 ml 42 below vodka
50 ml homemade pineapple milk
15 ml coco lopez
15 ml age (wood water stripped off of Bacardi 8, using the rotavap)
2 dashes angostura bitters

Shake & stain over cubed ice in glass mug, top with soda water, and garnish with pineapple wedge, pineapple leaf, & a fresh cherry.

Mate Csattos (China Tang, London)
Purple Rain
45ml 42BELOW Fiejoa
20ml Sloe gin
20ml Guzu juice
15ml Maple syrup
15ml Crème de apricot
1 Dash Chuncho bitters

Served in martini chiller glass with cassia bark smoke.

Dan Redman-Hubley (Sushi Samba, London)
Silent Duck
2ml Absinthe
10ml Del Maquely Vida
50ml 42BELOW Pure
50 Pineapple juice
20ml Lime juice
25ml lemon thyme syrup
Burning star anise / sugar cane swizzle stick

Build and swizzle in a long glass with the swizzle stick as garnish