Southport has its own cocktail

A washed-up barman gave me the recipe but has no knowledge of its birthplace.
Anyone know?
To make, add ice to a shaker, then two parts Southern Comfort, two parts Port, 1 part passion fruit juice. Shake and top up with lemonade.
Tastes better than it sounds!

Perfect gin and tonic?

A traveller tells me that the perfect gin and tonic is achieved by keeping gin in the freezer, microwaving a line for two seconds and using two parts tonic to one part sparkling water.
WTF?

Back to the booze – my first drink will be…

The end of Lent is just a few hours away and I’ll be leaping off the wagon and guzzling as much hooch as I can get my trembling hands on as the clock strikes 12.
I’ve agonised over what to have for my first drink. It’s a choice that needs to taken with care, as I’ve [...]

Skittles Shots

To Knowsley and an ambassadors reception, where I was fortunate enough to witness the birth of a new drink.
Skittles Shots (or Skittles Schnapps , as some called it) involves taking a bottle of vodka and pouring yourself a good measure to drink. Then take a bag of Skittles, those horrible multi-coloured sweets that unsuspecting children [...]

Cocktail hours

Following my post about the difficulty in tracking down a Bloody Mary, I finally secured one at Maloney’s bar in the Scarisbrick Hotel.
I’ve undervalued Maloney’s in the past, tending to tip up there worse for wear in the early hours when all watering holes look the same.
My barman not only made me a first-class Bloody [...]

You know you’re a drinker when….

You plant mint in the garden so that you can make proper mojitos. I’ve been wowing guests with mine – the secret is not to skimp on the fresh mint and give it a good slap before putting in the glass.

Not my night?

Travelling into Southport for a drunk on Orange Lodge day was, perhaps, not the wisest of moves. But for Paul “Kenzie” McKenzie’s birthday, I would bear all unbearable sorrows.
Getting into town early for a warm up snifter sent me by homing instinct to the Mason’s where I was greeted by wall-to-wall desperate men wearing Rangers shirts. “Do you like [...]

Loaded at the Vincent

The new Vincent Hotel is Southport has opened a drinking club for high-rollers.
The 100 Club costs £250pa to join, giving exclusive access to a members bar. Around 60 people have signed up since the club was opened earlier this week.
One of the treats on offer is — what is claimed — to be the hottest [...]

What’s in your head?

The Zombie is a drink that is deceptively strong and needs to be imbibed with caution, but for an instant corpse reviver cannot be beaten.
The cocktail was invented by Donn Beach of Hollywood’s Don the Beachcomber bar in the 1930s. As Donn guarded the original recipe very closely, several variations on the original drink have [...]

I’ve been to a marvellous party

To an ambassador’s reception in Kirkby last night and the party of the year so far.
Details are still sketchy, but highlights included: Tequila slammers from nice guy Paul (Kenzie) McKenzie right; Tricky getting so drunk-uncled that he began to talk in code; his delightfully foul-mouthed sister getting almost as wingdinged; beer, beer lashings of beer.
To [...]