Five Extra Strong Cocktails For After 10pm

We all love a good cocktail. This time last year cocktails were reserved for cute nights out with the girls or for a cheap night out at the Student Union. The overpriced drinks barely tasted of alcohol, but they were cute for Instagram, right?

Then lockdown hit and everywhere shut down. People started exercising, finding new hobbies, and if you’re like me, you probably took up cocktail making!

Our friendship group lived for weekly Zoom calls during the height of lockdown. We had pub quizzes, games, and a good old girly catch-up. Instead of buying some Vodka and lemonade and calling it a night, I decided to fully amerce in the experience and make margarita’s, Aperol spritz, and Long Island Iced Tea’s.

Even when the bars reopened, it was still a super handy skill to have picked up. After 10pm there is nothing wrong with continuing the post-curfew after party at home with several swanky cocktails served in a mug.

But at the same time I’m a massive believer in being able to taste the alcohol content in your drinks. Yeah, you can pay £10 for a pretty cocktail that might get you 20 or 30 Instagram likes but what is the point if it tastes like capri sun.

So I think its about time we add to the collection of cocktail blogs which I’ve been slowly posting onto this site. This time, it’s the big guns for after curfew- here are five extra strong cocktails you need to make when the pubs close.

Long Island Iced Tea

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Before lockdown, my only interaction with Long Island Iced Tea was at Weatherspoons in two giant pitchers. When you look at the recipe the idea of four (five if you count the triple sec) spirits in one cocktail could sound a little daunting, especially when you’ve got just a dash of coke and lime as a mixer. But honestly its a taste sensation for those who can take a stronger drink. Some people call it bitter, and if that’s the case for you could I recommend that you view this recipe, which chucks some strawberry into the mixture.

Ingredients:

• 25ml Gin

• 25ml Vodka

• 25ml Tequila

• 25ml White Rum

• 25ml Triple Sec (I substitute this with Cointreau)

• 25ml Lime Juice

• Dash of coke to top it off

Fill a Collins glass with ice, add the ingredients in and stir with a cocktail spoon (if you want to get extra technical with this part, stirring slowly with the spoon on the outside adds extra dilution).

Negroni Fizz

I know a handful of people who use the Negroni Fizz to set the bar at new pubs and clubs. If you can’t master the Negroni Fizz then we do not want the drinks that you’ve got to offer! I personally see this as a bit more of a brunch drink, purely because of the delicate martini glass it gets served in.

Ingredients:

• 125 ml  (4 fl oz) ready-made Campari Negroni

• 125 ml (4 fl oz) blood orange juice

• Champagne, to serve

Recipe:

• In a jug, mix together ready-made Campari Negroni and blood orange juice; divide among 8 glasses and top them up with Champagne to serve.

Zombie

Zombie cocktail, Leiria Portugal 2020 #portugal🇵🇹 #leiria #zombiecocktail

I bloody love a Zombie, it’s even more acceptable to make this cocktail now halloween is almost upon us. Ooky Spooky season means that now is officially the perfect time to start making this strong yet sweet bevy.

Ingredients:

• ¾ part white rum

• 1 part Mount Gay® Eclipse Rum

• ½ part Trader Vic’s® Dark Rum

• ¾ part Cointreau®

• 1 part pineapple juice

• 1 part lime juice

• 1 part grapefruit syrup

• 1 dash of Angostura® Bitters

• ¼ part Mount Gay® Overproof Rum

Recipe:

• Add all ingredients in a shaker except Mount Gay Overproof Rum.

• Top with ice.

• Shake well until chilled.

• Strain over fresh ice.

• Top off with Mount Gay Overproof Rum.

We recommend serving in either a collins or Belgian beer glass. Fill with crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig and/or pineapple wedge if you’re feeling fancy.

Sazerac

Any type of Sazerac is a winner, the strong AF drink is perfect for those looking to take a classy photo for social media and actually have an enjoyable drink alongside it.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey1/8 oz Absinthe

• 2 dashes of Peychaud's Bitters

• 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters

• 1 Sugar Cube (white)

• 1 Lemon Peel

• This drink is neat, so no ice!

Recipe

1. In a mixing glass place the sugar cube at the bottom, add bitters and splash of whiskey; muddle until mixed

2. Add the remaining whiskey and ice then stir

3. In a separate, chilled old-fashioned glass, add Absinthe and turn glass to coat the inside, pour out any excess

4. Strain stirred cocktail into the old-fashioned glass and garnish with lemon peel

Nail In The Coffin

I thought I’d slide in another halloween cocktail into this blog, I’m feeling spooky and it’s the season to sesh. If you’re planning on hosting a halloween party for your household this year (because let’s be honest, the idea of having anything else feels pretty impossible this year) then I recommend giving this one a whirl.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces Yamazaki 12-year-old whisky

• 3/4 ounce dry Madeira wine

• 1/2 ounce Licor 43

• 1/4 ounce Fernet-Branca

• Garnish: shaved black cardamom

Recipe:

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice and stir.

2. Strain into a Nick & Nora or coupe glass, and garnish with freshly shaved black cardamom.