DRINKS MASTERCLASS
How to make a Kiwi Gimlet cocktail
Little Mercies, which is number 11 on the Top 50 Cocktail Bars list and was awarded the Top 50 sustainable bar of the year accolade in 2022 and 2023, sold 160 of these cocktails in March, retailing at £10.50 per serve.
Refreshing and clean
While the cocktail is difficult to make, consumers are “aware” of the skill involved in serves like this and are willing to “spend more”, according to the bar’s co-owner Alan Sherwood, who has previously described the drink as one of his signature serves.
He said: "[I’m] not sure how much more technical a drink can get, [but] it’s wonderfully bright, elegant, crisp and floral all at the same time. Super refreshing and clean, but with flavour for days.
“Guests are unlikely to spend additional money on drinks that they don’t understand or are wary of.
“But most guests are aware that cocktails take more skill and are therefore willing to spend more on them when they are prepared well.”
Increasing revenue
Additionally, approachable variety is the “most crucial element to increasing revenue”, Sherwood continued.
The complex cocktail is best served “over a large block of ice”, to keep the temperature low, garnished with a slice of kiwi on top of the ice.
Sherwood added: “Any remaining kiwi we don’t use is frozen until we have enough to make the Kiwi Vodka that goes into the drink.”
Let’s get into it…
- Rotary Evaporator
- Refrigerated Centrifuge
- Thermomix
- Precise Scales
- 15ml Kiwi Vodka (method below)
- 15ml Discarded Chardonnay Vodka
- 15ml Gin
- 15ml Fermented Kiwi Cordial (method below)
- 3.75ml 2:1 Sugar Syrup
- 0.4ml Magnolia Leaf Tincture (method below)
- 0.08ml Kiwi Flavour Drop
- Freeze 1kg trim from kiwi garnishes and blend with 2-litres vodka, adding anti-foamer to the distillation flask
- Distil at 30ºC and slowly increase the temperature to 40ºC until much of the liquid is collected
- Add 1g of food grade Magnolia Leaf oil to 99g Vodka
- Bottle in a dropping bottle and shake vigorously
- Store in a cool dark place
- Mix 1000g clarified fermented kiwi, 800g caster sugar and 36g Citric acid
- Adding the acid first will help ensure it dissolves easier and doesn’t clump
- Don’t heat the liquid to dissolve the sugar
- Blend 1kg kiwis to a puree in the Thermomix with 250ml water and 1ml Pectinex SPL
- Transfer to a ferment vessel, whisk in air and yeast when at room temperature
- Seal and airlock and leave to ferment in a warm place for two weeks
- Once fermented dry (you can check this with a Brix meter) measure into centrifuge buckets and spin to clarify, we use 20mins at 10ºC at 4200rpm
- After completing all preparation, mix ingredients together and serve over a large block of ice with a kiwi garnish
If you have any drinks recipes or top tips to share as part of The Morning Advertiser's Drinks Masterclass series please contact rebecca.weller@wrbm.com.
