What To Drink During National Barbecue Week - May 27th-June 2, 2014

No matter what the weather, National Barbecue Week gives us license to kick start a summer of weekend grilling. An impressive drinks menu is just as important as the quality of the food on the grill at a successful barbecue party. Here’s a top six pick of the best serves to complement barbecue food (cocktail imagery is available):

Whitley Neill Gin & Tonic

Why it’s a good BBQ drink: Whitley Neill Gin is based on African botanicals, cape gooseberry and super-fruit baobab, which makes it slightly softer than more traditional gins. The taste is citrusy and sweet, making it an ideal accompaniment to spicy foods. This G&T is made with orange wedges, rather than lemon, complementing the African botanicals.

Ingredients for a single serve: 2 shots Whitley Neill Gin, dash Peychaud’s bitters (optional), premium tonic water, three orange wedges

Method: Build over cubed ice in a rocks or highball glass and garnish with the orange wedges

Whitley NeillGin is available in Selfridges, Hedonism Wines, Waitrose and Tesco priced around £32.99.

Lamb’s Spiced Swizzle

Why it’s a good BBQ drink: New Lamb’s Spiced has a lower alcoholic content (30% abv) than other spiced rums, which makes it ideal sipped on a long summer’s day. The smooth golden liquid is blended with natural spices and hints of cinnamon and caramel, which give it a sweetly spiced flavour.

Ingredients for a single serve: 50ml Lambs spiced rum, 25ml passion fruit juice, 12.5ml acacia honey or

honey syrup, 12.5ml Falernum, 12.5ml lime juice, dash of almond syrup (optional), sprig of mint.

Method: Add all the ingredients to a bamboo glass with crushed ice, swizzle with a swizzle stick and garnish with the mint.

Lamb’s Spiced is available in Tesco priced £14.49 for a 70cl bottle.

Lamb’s Navy Punch

Why it’s a good barbecue drink: A punch is the perfect sharing drink to break the ice at a party and iconic British rum Lamb’s is the perfect tipple for British garden parties.

Ingredients for a single serve: 40ml Lamb’s Navy Rum, 
10ml peach liqueur, 
10ml grenadine syrup, 
25ml fresh lime juice, 
17.5ml pineapple juice
, 37.5ml orange juice
, 2 dash Angostura bitters, fresh peach

Method: Shake all ingredients into a hurricane glass filled with cubed ice and garnish with a peach fan. (nb. multiply the ingredients by number of guests and serve in a large punch bowl for multiple servings.)

Lamb’s NavyRum is available from all major supermarkets priced around £14.50 for 70cl.

Bootlegger Moonshine Cooler

Why it’s a good barbecue drink: Long and refreshing cocktails are ideal for afternoon-into-evening barbecue parties. The lime juice and mint garnish make the Moonshine Cooler ideal for staving off the thirst after an abundance of spicy skewers.

Ingredients for a single serve: 50ml Bootlegger, 25ml lime juice, 25ml sugar syrup, cloudy apple juice, fresh mint sprig

Method: Shake all the ingredients, expect the apple juice, together and pour into a tall glass over cubed ice, top with the apple juice and garnish with the mint sprig.

Bootlegger is available from Harrods.com and other premium retailers priced around £37.50.

Tsingtao Beer

Why it’s a good barbecue drink: Every good barbecue needs a great beer and as Tsingtao (pronounced Ching Dow) is brewed with rice, it has a refreshing clean flavour, which makes it ideal served chilled with spicy meat and fish. Tsingtao is available in 640ml and 330ml bottles, from all major supermarkets.

Tequila Rose® Strawberry Split

Why it’s a good barbeque drink: after the food, Tequila Rose Strawberry Split, is the ideal digestif, served with fresh strawberries. Tequila Rose is a luxurious blend of premium Mexican tequila and real strawberry flavoured cream liqueur.

Ingredients for a single serve: 50ml Tequila Rose, 15ml Banana Liqueur, 15ml Coffee Liqueur, fresh strawberries to serve

Method: Layer in a shot glass and serve with fresh strawberries.

Tequila Rose is available from The Drink Shop priced £15.16.