You don’t need fancy bar tools to whip up the perfect cocktail

Monkey Shoulder, the number 1 trending whisky as voted by the world’s top 100 bars, realises that creating cocktails might seem like a daunting task for some, especially when you don’t have all equipment that you would traditionally find in a bar. Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. You don’t need all the jiggers and shakers to make a perfect cocktail – just some creativity.

Take a tour around the kitchen and you should find the right tools. They might look a bit different, but ultimately have the same function as those you see in your local pub or bar. The kitchen has mixing bowls, measuring spoons and cups; the bar has mixing jugs, jiggers and shakers. You can even make your own sugar syrup in three ways: by hand, stove or blender. These can all be used at home to create a memorable cocktail experience.

Monkey Shoulder

Here are two examples of easy-to-make cocktails using utensils from the kitchen, to get the creative cocktail juices flowing (pun totally intended):

Jungle Fever

Half a cup Monkey Shoulder
⅛ cup elderflower syrup
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup apple juice
6 mint leaves

Add all the ingredients to a coffee plunger and plunge 5 or 6 times. This will aerate the drink helping the flavours to mix and the mint to infuse with the drink. Serve over ice and garnish with apple slices and mint. Should serve 2 drinks.

Monkey Mint Sour

If you are a fan of the traditional Whisky Sour like I am, here’s an easy recipe to recreate your own:

100ml Monkey Shoulder
50ml fresh lemon juice
50ml mint syrup

Add all ingredients to your coffee plunger and plunge a few times before serving over ice and garnishing with mint and a lemon slice. Voila!

Let me know in the comments below if you have recreated these. Maybe you added your own special twist? Remember to tag #MonkeyShoulder and #MonkeyShoulderZA

Rayne XX