“Professor” Erick Castro at the Eveleigh making it look so easy.
Just because I know how to enjoy a well-made cocktail doesn’t mean I know how to make one. (Although I do make a mean Boulevardier, hee.) So when I was invited to the Gin Master Class hosted by Beefeater Gin at the Eveleigh bar/restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, you know I jumped at the chance to get schooled in the ways of drink making by mixmasters extraordinaire Dave Kupchinsky (The Eveleigh) and Erick Castro (Beefeater Gin ambassador, formerly of Rickhouse in San Francisco).
Guests of this private affair were given a quick tutorial on how to make one of the cocktails featured that night. I picked The Eveleigh cocktail as it was the most potent out of the bunch with its mix of Plymouth gin, rooibos-infused Vermouth Blanc and Barolo Chinato (a medicinal spirit). More my style. Jumping behind the back bar, which is located on the beautiful Eveleigh patio, with Erick, I measured, stirred, poured and garnished myself. Wee!
Didn’t really pick up any tricks of the trade as, let’s face it, it wasn’t that complicated a recipe. But I did learn that when stirring this cocktail to do it about 40 times. And while watching Dave instruct Alie Ward of Alie & Georgia, I did observe how one should hold the stirrer, with its back to the mixing tin’s interior. So there’s that. In any case, The Eveleigh is a simple cocktail you can make at home, if you just infuse the Vermouth yourself with Rooibos tea.
If you don’t believe me, here’s my good friend Busy Beth going through the steps with Erick.
STEP 1: Add 0.75 ounce of Rooibos-infused Vermouth.
STEP 2 & 3: Add 0.75 ounce of Barolo Chinato and 1.5 ounces Plymouth.
STEP 4: Add ice and stir.
STEP 5: Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice.
STEP 6: Garnish with an orange peel or rosebud. Enjoy!
For the this recipe as well as those of other cocktails featured that night (including the Red Carpet Rosie which we had enjoyed during this year’s Blogger Barhop) and photos of the sumptuous dinner that followed, hit the jump.
The Eveleigh
- 1.5 oz Plymouth Gin
- 0.75 oz Rooibos-infused Vermouth Blanc
- 0.75 oz Barolo Chinato
Pour the ingredients in a mixing glass, fill it with three or four ice cubes. Stir well but not vigorously. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with a rosebud.
Tonic of Life:
- 2 oz Beefeater Gin
- 1 oz Tonic
- Top with 4 oz soda
Bon Poire
- 1.5 oz Plymouth Gin
- 0.75 oz Pear and marjoram Vermouth
- 0.5 oz Cocchi Americano
Red Carpet Rosie
- 1.5 oz Beefeater 24
- 0.75 oz Campari
- 0.75 oz Rosemary simple syrup
- 0.75 oz Lemon juice