It began one Friday night, where the heralding call to London Cocktail Week began, and the punters came marching in, knocking back shots like there was no tomorrow- the weekend had started. For Dray Walk in Brick Lane was hosting the ‘Big Chill’, a celebration of all things cocktail, where mojitos would dance with ‘Daquiri’s’, until the world was seen through alcohol fueled lenses. Laughter and merriment made the air pregnant with endless possibilities , as we wandered into a pop up, framed by twining leaves, bartenders expertly crafting Jägermeister shots, showcasing the complexity of its 56 herbs and spices, through an enticing collection of cocktails and ice cold shots. They slipped down our throats, one, two, three, four and our insides liquefied to gold, it felt glorious. A Jägermeister ‘tropical’ infused cocktail came first,aptly named ‘Jungle Hunt’, laced with pineapple juice and cinnamon syrup, and topped off with a burnt cinnamon stick. It’s sweetness was complimented by the Jägermeister, macerated in spirit for up to six weeks and then matured in oak before blending, it felt like manna lining our throats like gilded bronze.
The friend chose a headier concoction characterized by a ginger tasting profile, a Jägermeister Mule, made with ginger beer and cucumber, a digestif with a blend of citrus, licorice and saffron tasting notes on a richly sweet, ruddy brown background. We sank into brown leatherette sofas at the Big Chill bar, framed by a green neon sign above our heads, as we wielded a greenish glow, in the dimly lit bar. The night had began and the tables were coursing with raucous energy, couples and groups alike entwined in peppered conversation, dancing and drinking the night away, until their feet could move no more. For this was London Cocktail Week and Jägermeister was taking no prisoners, not content until we surrendered to its delicious poison, that dripped into our mouths in the temperate heat. Despite the crowds around us, we spoke like noone was listening, cascading through a bubble of magical surrealism, where the neon lights would flicker until dawn and the people would lay sleeping as we trudged home, hesitant to leave behind the fluffy memories of Friday night past.
An early morning schedule gave way cautiously to night, and we counted down the hours until our next Jägermeister adventure would begin, a cocktail masterclass that would turn us into aficionados, wannabe curators of delicious cocktails one Sunday afternoon. Poems and liquors were the recipe for a boozy Sunday afternoon, a silver stag head atop a bottle, leading to a label waxing lyrical about the ‘hunter’s blade of glory’, paying homage to the brand’s ‘hunting day’. She preferred to think of the blade of glory being a representation of ‘hope’ as opposed to actual hunting being a vegetarian, but nevertheless the poem was surprisingly eloquent, a digestif that went beyond superficiality. We turned our attentions back to making our cocktails, until the puppet had become the master, mastering the endless pursuit of the perfect cocktail-success tasted sweet on our lips. There was the Manifest Hunters Tea (mine made without tea ), infused with a spoonful of orange marmalade and maple syrup, washed down with berry juice, a concoction of stickiness that cleansed the palette ever so delightfully. And there was the Jägermeister Sour, a patchwork of citrus delight, lemons and oranges dancing in an acidic rave across our lolling tongues.
The crowd was quieter being a Sunday, but we welcomed the chilled out vibe, making friends with strangers, sipping Jägermeister Sours in melodic unison, until the afternoon faded into early evening and our time there was done. For this was no ordinary hum drum cocktail week, but one characterized by love and laughter, where new friendships were made and secrets were shared. We parted ways with new friends, smiles on our faces as we jumped on the tube to our respective homes. But the memories of a weekend with Jägermeister stayed with us still, as we remembered pouring ice cold shots down our throats, gurgling liquid seeping into our stomachs sweet like honey, manna on our tongues.
Some Delicious Jägermeister Recipes That You Can Make At Home
Jägermeister Sour -What you’ll need (per drink): 40ml Ice-cold Jägermeister, 25ml Lemon juice, 12.5ml Gomme, One egg white, Orange zests, Ice cubes, Tumbler glasses How to Make Step 1: Throw a handful of ice cubes in each tumbler Step 2: Fill your cocktail shaker with everything else – then shake it like you mean it Step 3: Strain the liquid twice for good luck into the waiting tumblers Step 4: Add with slices of oranges to taste. Now it’s all ready for you to drink it!
Jägermeister Manifest Hunters Tea -What you’ll need (per drink): 50ml Manifest, 25ml Jägermeister tea, 12.5ml Maple Syrup, Ice cubes, Half a lemon (just juice!), One spoonful of orange marmalade, One orange, Your favourite tea cup How to Make Step 1: Fill a teacup with ice Step 2: Using a cocktail shaker, mix Manifest with Jägermeister tea, the maple syrup, the juice of half a lemon and marmalade. Shake shake shake! Step 3: Use the strainer to pour the drink in the tea cup Step 4: Cut a thick slice of orange and add it to the mix. Here’s your orange-infused cocktail!
Jungle Hunt What you’ll need (per drink): 20ml Jägermeister, 20ml Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, 20ml Plantation Pineapple, 20ml Lemon Juice, 40ml Pineapple Juice, 15ml Cinnamon Syrup (Giffard), 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters, 1 Pineapple Leaf, de-hydrated lemon wheel, Burnt cinnamon stick How to Make Step 1: Pour Jägermeister, Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, Plantation Pineapple, the lemon juice and cinnamon syrup together into a shaker – aaaand mix! Step 2: Add two dashes of Angostura Bitters Step 3: Decant into a glass of your choice and garnish with the pineapple leaf, the lemon wheel and cinnamon stick – now you’re ready for a hunt in the jungle, with a drink in hand.
Mule- What you’ll need (per drink): 50ml ice-cold Jägermeister, 15ml Ginger beer, Cucumber, 3 Dashes of orange and lemon grass bitters, Soda, Mint leaves, Lime, Ice cubes, Long drink glasses How to Make Step 1: Dash Jägermeister and the ginger beer over ice in your glass Step 2: Top up with your favourite soda Pro Tip: Ginger beers come in many different brands and tastes, from syrup-sweet to eye-wateringly spicy. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find your perfect combination. Step 3: Decorate with a wedge of cucumber cut length-wise, mint leaves, orange wedges and lime chunks to taste. Enjoy!
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*Disclaimer
Please note this is a collaborative post with Jägermeister , where I was given a media pass in exchange for this content but all thoughts are my own and are not affected by complimentary services.
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