Top 10 cocktail masterclasses in London
With so many new bars popping up across the capital and pushing the boundaries of mixology, it can be hard to keep on top of the latest trend.
Click through the following pages to see our pick of the top 10 cocktail masterclasses in LondonInnovative new flavours, obscure garnishes, homemade syrups, and vintage vinegars – to name just a few – have found their way into contemporary cocktails of all kinds.
If you struggle to decipher a modern Mojito from a contemporary Caipirinha, or you’re just looking for some flavour inspiration, it might be worth brushing up your skills with a cocktail masterclass.
With one of the cocktail capitals of the world at our front door, we explored the culturally diverse cocktail landscape of London and picked some of the best classes to hone your shaking skills.
So round up your friends, book the afternoon off work and head over to one of the bars in our list to learn how to mix and flavour-match like a pro.
Click through the following pages to see our pick of the top 10 cocktail masterclasses London has to offer. If you’ve had a great cocktail-creating experience elsewhere and we’ve missed it off this list, let us know by leaving a comment below.
London Cocktail Club
Address: Various venues including Shoreditch, Covent Garden, and Oxford Circus
Website: www.londoncocktailclub.co.uk
Price: £40 per person
Enjoy a meet and greet with your bartender during the afternoon, and they’ll tailor the whole event to your tastes while you enjoy a welcome cocktail – whether you’re a die-hard whisky fan or a devoted Daiquiri lover. For £40 per person, you’ll get to make between two and three cocktails behind the bar and learn about the fascinating history behind cocktails and spirits.
Ninetyeight Bar & Lounge
Address: Morrell House, 98 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, EC2A 3AF
Website: www.ninetyeight-bar-lounge.co.uk
Price: From £45 per person
Head up to the classroom upstairs for a cocktail lesson in this former members-only bar. The cocktail menu houses some pretty fascinating infusions which change regularly – lavender gin, to name one – and you’ll get to learn more about these. Classes start from £45.00 per person, creating three seasonal, well-balanced cocktails – or design your own class to cater for a specific budget or occasion.
69 Colebrooke Row
Address: 69 Colebrooke Row, N1 8AA
Website: www.69colebrookerow.com
Price: £40 per person
Try your hand at recreating some classic cocktails with a masterclass personally devised by revered mixology maverick Tony Conigliaro. These interactive, informal classes change regularly, so no matter what your favourite tipple is, you’ll be catered for – from Mad Men-themed classes to Champagne cocktail lessons.
You’ll learn all about the history of the cocktails, stories behind the spirits, and, of course, have a go at making them yourself.
Basement Sate
Address: 8 Broadwick Street, W1F 8HN
Website: www.basementsate.com
Price: From £30 per person
Learn how to add a contemporary feel to original cocktails with the use of rare and boutique spirits, or brush the dust off some now-forgotton classics from days gone by and revive some old recipes – whatever you choose, dessert-cocktail bar Basement Sate’s expert bartenders will be on hand to guide you along the way. You’ll have the chance to make up to two cocktails during the class.
Callooh Callay
Address: 65 Rivington Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 3AY
Website: www.calloohcallaybar.com
Price: From £35 per person
Learn to make delicious cocktails that you can easily replicate at home at Callooh Callay. During your class, the bartender will demonstrate up to six different cocktails, before handing over the reins and giving you the chance to test your memory and recreate your favourite.
If you’re feeling competitive check out the ‘Four Cocktails of the Golden Age’ class where you can learn to make a series of classics, before competing to see who can make the best of the day – the winner receives a £50 bar credit.
Trailer Happiness
Address: 177 Portobello Road, W11 2DY
Website: www.trailerhappiness.com
Price: From £40 per person
Trailer Happiness is a tiki-themed bar, boasting a selection of more than 200 different rums from around the globe.
Learn how to make four exceptional cocktails, two of which you have the chance to rustle up yourself – but not before you’ve foraged for ingredients in Portobello market.
At the end, your group will compete to see who can make the most delicious drink of the day, and each attendee will receive a cocktail-making kit to take home.
For those feeling hungry after such a productive day, there’s an option to enjoy some food from the bar’s dim sum menu.
Corney And Barrow
Address: Various locations across London, including Canary Wharf and Monument
Website: www.corney-barrow.co.uk
Price: From £30 per person
After enjoying a Bellini on your arrival, your expert bartender will show you how to make three pre-chosen cocktails using the skill set you’ll need to replicate them perfectly.
From vodka themed lessons to Martini masterclasses, all bases are covered – just decide when you book. Corney And Barrow promise you’ll “arrive as an apprentice, but leave as a cocktail master”.
Be At One
Address: Various locations across London, including Islington and King’s Cross
Website: www.beatone.co.uk
Price: From £25 per person
No matter what the occasion, Be At One promise you a “unique, fast-paced, fun-packed” class – featuring cocktail history, techniques, making and tasting – at any one of their venues.
Shaker & Company
Address: 119 Hampstead Road, NW1 3EE
Website: www.shakerandcompany.co.uk
Price: From £35 per person
This New Orleans-inspired saloon provides a range of courses for professional bartenders during the day, working along WSET and UKBG guidelines to ensure top quality teaching.
However, everyday cocktail enthuastists looking to learn the techniques and skills to creating a well-balanced cocktail at home are in good hands – Shaker & Company have a variation of courses specially designed for the humble imbiber, ranging in price from £35 to £149.
The Fable
Address: 52 Holborn Viaduct, EC1A 2FD
Website: www.thefablebar.co.uk
Price: From £25 per person
Take on a Drake & Morgan experience and flex your mixology membrane with some of the company’s top mixologists, in the fairytale-inspired setting that is The Fable.
You’ll learn how to mix, shake and muddle a variety of cocktails, all of which are yours to enjoy afterwards.
