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Best At-Home Cocktail Recipes: Behind the Scenes With Our Bartender

Behind the Scenes | Best at-Home Cocktail Recipes

Summer is fast approaching, and here at Galtres Lodge, we can almost taste the margaritas!

Our bartender, Dagne,  discussed all-things cocktails with us in preparation for the sunny weather.

Popular Cocktails

Since the reopening of hospitality on 12th April, we’ve certainly noticed an increase in the popularity of the Aperol Spritz. It’s deliciously bittersweet and sparkling, and it’s been flying off the bar this spring.

Dagne, our bartender, said “I prefer long drinks that you can take your time over and enjoy. I like a cocktail with fewer ingredients - the Caipirinha comes to mind. The sugar and lime compliment each other perfectly for a great balance of sweet and sour.”

Our Cocktail Ingredients

We believe the key to a good cocktail is to balance the flavours, no matter what drink is being made. Carefully balancing sweet and sour to match the alcohol will make a great drink; we make our own sugar syrup in the kitchen so we can adjust the recipe to fit our cocktail style. 

For our gin-based cocktails, Dagne explained, “It has to be York Gin; not just because it’s local, but because it’s a great product with a clean flavour that is great to work with.

Not many places grow limes and lemons in Yorkshire - but we do use the honey from our manager’s own beehive!

We also use the delicious wild mint from the local area when it’s available, and in December we create our own spruce infusions for amazing Christmas cocktails.”

Some of our amazing local suppliers include York Gin, Rare Bird Distillery, and Sloemotion Distillery.

Try Our Exciting Cocktail Recipe

Dagne has shared a recipe for a unique variation of the classic Espresso Martini that we’ll be launching on our menu very soon: a Chocolate & Orange Espresso Martini! 

The recipe is as follows:

50ml of York Gin, chocolate orange flavour 

25ml Kahlua coffee liqueur

25ml rich espresso 

0.5ml of sugar syrup

Put all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice, shake very well, and pour into a martini glass. You should get a lovely, thick foam on top of a rich, black liquid. 

No/Low Alcohol Mocktails

Dagne said, “Mocktails are really easy to make with a little imagination; you just need to think of the flavours and textures you find in regular cocktails and replace them with alternatives.”

So, to recreate the classic Mojito with a mocktail twist, you build it the same way with the lime, mint, sugar syrup, and crushed ice, and then replace the rum with a non-alcoholic drink, such as elderflower presse. Top it up with soda, et voila!

There is also an increasing range of non-alcoholic gins and other spirits on the market that can replace the alcohol component for many cocktails, so guests can still enjoy an authentic cocktail taste.

Top Tips For Cocktail Making at Home

Dagne said, “My biggest tip is getting the ice right. Ice is made with filtered water in a bar so it’s lovely and clear. If you’re making cocktails at home, it’s worth investing in a good water filter to get the same aesthetic.

Cocktails are a visual experience, so I also recommend using good glassware to help it feel authentic.

Finally, remember to measure your quantities; great bartenders are trained to free-pour with ease, but at home, it might be a bit tempting to overestimate just how much vodka is going into that Long Island Iced Tea!”

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Dagne for imparting her cocktail expertise. If you decide to try out her recommended recipes, be sure to tag us on Instagram so we can see your results!

Keen to find out about our passion for sustainability? Take a look at our previous blog about why we use locally sourced ingredients in Forest. 

If you’d like to visit us here at Galtres Lodge for a cocktail or two, contact a dedicated member of our team to book your table. We look forward to seeing you soon!