Why baijiu is set to take the UK spirits business by storm February 2, 2021 The famous Chinese poet Li Bai of the Tang Dynasty had some very precise ideas about drinking. He once wrote, “One’s drinking companions should be elegant, unrestrained, forthright, understanding, old friends or beautiful”. He further counselled that “The best places for drinking should be in front of flowers, in the bamboo forest, in a high [...]
Get your lockdown foodie kicks with a YORStory Zoom night February 2, 2021 As the current lockdown drags into its third month, simple pleasures like a meal at a restaurant or a trip to the pub are becoming increasingly distant memories. For those of you desperate for gustatory experiences and human contact, YORStory has launched a weekly series of food and drink themed workshops to rescue your Thursday [...]
How pre-made cocktails changed the way we drink February 1, 2021 RTD, RTS, RTE, RTS, PPPM, PB, BTCBQ and SSC are all part of modern R&R. The latest drinks trend is Ready-To-Drink, Ready-ToServe, Ready-To-Enjoy, Ready-To-Savour, Premium Perfectly Pre-Mixed, Pre-Bottled, Bar-Tender Cocktail Bar Quality, Superior Serve cocktails. They come in a bottle, a can or even a box. But should you be stocking up? Xhulio Sina used [...]
No-and-low alcohol spirits are here to stay, so do it in style January 29, 2021 Dry January has always been a challenge, but 2021 has made going sans alcohol even harder. If you have stuck with it this far – through Zoom meetings, home-schooling, and an inescapable sense of existential dread – then you deserve a treat in this final weekend of the month. We’re already well-versed in low- or [...]
Visit London’s first ever absinthe distillery January 29, 2021 London’s first absinthe distillery has opened in east London in a suitably trippy location. The Devil’s Botany Distillery is the brainchild of two devoted “absintheurs” – owners of The Last Tuesday Society, the Hackney bar famous for its taxidermy collection and absinthe-based cocktails including “The Naughty Nun” and “Magik & Medicine”. “Devil’s Botany London Absinthe [...]
Amazon halts alcohol sales in Northern Ireland following new Brexit customs rules January 27, 2021 Online retail giant Amazon has halted sales of wines, beers and spirits in Northern Ireland as it prepares to de-list more products under new Brexit customs rules. The company is concerned that excise duty will now have to be paid twice on alcohol shipments sent from British mainland across the Irish Sea. Amazon suspended orders [...]
Restaurants warn of closures amid talk of lockdown extention January 26, 2021 Restaurant and bar owners say they are “devastated” by the news lockdown restrictions could be in place until July, with many saying they will struggle to remain open if they are not able to serve customers soon. Pied a Terre’s David Moore said restaurants were already “running on empty” and warned of another wave of [...]
City restaurants among those honoured in 2021 Michelin guide January 26, 2021 Restaurants around the City were celebrated in this year’s Michelin honours list, despite many being closed for most of the year. Da Terra in Bethnal Green and Restaurant Story in Bermondsey, headed up by Rafael Cagali and Tom Sellers respectively, were both awarded two Michelin stars, giving workers even more reason to return to the [...]