Cocktails Masterclass at The Cosy Club in Stamford is a fun night out for friends
Cocktails are, let's face it, a bit of a luxury, so little wonder there are lessons available on how to shake up a few at home.
Designed as a fun night out for friends, the Cosy Club in Stamford offers its 'Cocktail Master Class' menu - a choice of four packages that will have participants trembling their tumblers like Tom Cruise by the end of the session.
Trying out the 'Cocktails and Tapas' was a group of writers and bloggers who might describe themselves as keen on cocktails, but not exactly confident about what's in a cosmopolitan.
Helping to sort the triple sec from the tequila was Luke Mulcahy, bartender for the evening in the Cosy Club's private function room, while Curtis Clissitt - experienced mixologist and soon-to-be primary school teacher - was our tutor.
First up was a refreshing and highly swigable bevvy called Botanical Bliss.
Curtis led the way for our group of eight, demonstrating how to measure and combine gin, grapefruit bitter, elderflower and lime in all the right proportions.
After step-by-step instruction on attaching a cocktail tumbler to a glass so that it won't fly off and hit the ceiling, we were shaking away like Bond film barkeeps.
A splash of lemonade, a few plops of ice - and a rather grand slice of dried pink grapefruit later - and we were all sipping cheery-looking summer drinks that raised the spirits.
Following a break for some tasty - and highly photogenic - tapas (it was an Instagram-friendly evening all round), it was time for round two. Or a dessert drink, as some might call it.
Eton Mess was a sweet and fruity little number combining vodka, vanilla, tonka bean bitter, strawberry purée and sour mix.
Twice the amount of shaking created a drink that could be bluntly described as 'thick with a kick', but once poured into a champagne saucer and topped with a red fruit heart it looked less five-a-day smoothie and more wedding day groovy.
For a birthday, friends' night out, hen or stag do, a Cosy Club Cocktail Master Class is certainly plenty of fun and quite educational too.
Options for those wanting to give it a try include just making cocktails, cocktails and tapas, or cocktails and dinner.
For more details pop in to the Cosy Club in Horseshoe Lane, Stamford, or call 01780 767710.
