So last night, (as you'll know if you read my insta feed) I was living the rock and roll dream and staying well and truly in on a Saturday evening. This, in part, being down to Covid, but also my car is in the garage for some work for a couple of weeks so I couldn't go anywhere even if I wanted to!
I know full well that I am not alone in my new Saturday night traditions. Gone are the days of everyone heading to clubs and pubs to drink their bodyweight in booze whilst being crammed into a nightclub with what feels like 4000 other people, listening to godawful music and breathing in the joyous aroma of the overenthusiastic 'dancers' next to you, before inevitably vomiting on someones shoes (probably your own) and crawling into bed at 3am.....good times!.... and whilst some folk are braving the newly opened bars, lockdown has definitely had a lasting effect and seeing a fair few remaining in at home.
Enter - Stir Crazy Drinks
Brain child of the lovely folks at Doctor Inks Curiosities (an incredible cocktail bar in Exeter), Stir Crazy Drinks came about during the recent pandemic and ensuing lockdown, where the bar industry came to a grinding halt... Doctor Inks was no exception. The team, unable to serve drinks from the bar itself, decided (quite rightly) that people still needed cocktails... and thus 'Stir Crazy' was born.
I believe the delivery service started with simply local drop-offs of ingredients, and has since grown into a national delivery option, and despite Doctor Inks now being re-open, the service's popularity has meant that it will continue... meaning that folks like me can still have our cocktail nights without ever having to leave the house or put on clothes without an elastic waistband....winner.
Boxes are available fortnightly and these are limited and do sell out so get in there quick! The included cocktails vary but always sound absolutely incredible! When the lovely folks at Doctor Inks got in contact and offered to send over a box, I was over the moon... and this was multiplied tenfold when I found out that this weeks would be melon flavoured cocktails... one of my absolute favourite flavours. Despite all my bitching and moaning about sickly sweet gins, I know I know, I'll quite happily demolish a sweet cocktail in a matter of seconds! Whole different subject! Gin should taste like gin....cocktails are just for fun!
So back to the boxes at hand... the boxes make TWO different delicious cocktails, and included in the box are the ingredients in usefully numbered bottles (check my insta highlights for a sneak peek of how the boxes arrive) so you know which is which when it comes to making your drinks, some gorgeous garnishes, and an instruction leaflet with the breakdown of the ingredients and then a list of the equipment and extras you will need (minimal) and a step by step guide to making your drinks. To accompany this, there is a Facebook Live video at 8pm on the Saturday which is then saved so you can watch it any time.... but if you don't catch that then you have your instructions included anyway. Jobs a goodun. I personally highly recommend watching the video as I imagined it just to be a 'how to'...but it actually turned out to be so much more and included so much fascinating history about the spirits and cocktails included, and and extra cocktail and tips to boot!
Making up the cocktails was incredibly simple, all the ingredients are ready to go and things like foamer etc are already mixed in and included so its a case of pouring shaking and serving.... anyone can give it a go! The flavours are out of this world and showcase some items such as cordials, shrubs and the like, made by the team at Doctor Inks themselves. These guys really know their cocktails, I do not say this lightly, their passion for not only the drinks, but the history and the creative process around them is reflected in the end result. If you are even vaguely local to Exeter, I highly recommend you pay them a visit in person, you won't regret it!
First up this week was a beautiful 'Emerald Eyes' cocktail, inspired by the Duke of Devonshire Emerald, the largest uncut Emerald in the world, blending the Pisco Sour and the Midori Sour into one and boy it was gooooood! Included in the box was the sugar crystal emerald which is then affixed to your glass for added 'instagram-ness'. This cocktail features in Doctor Inks Curiosities current menu. Next up was a brand new cocktail created just for Stir Crazy so we were the first to try it... was an incredibly refreshing 'Sandita Highball' featuring kaffir lime infused blanco tequila, blanc vermouth, acid adjusted mint and watermelon cordial, and soda water.
At just £12 a box (which makes two incredible cocktails), not only is this great value for money considering how much you would spend on drinks on a night out, but such a great alternative for your Saturday evening drinks (or whenever you chose to have yours, honestly, you don't have to drink them on a Saturday guys, you wanna treat yourself on a Tuesday mid morning, you do you!)
A great idea for cocktail nights in with friends, cocktails over zoom, a celebration or just to treat yourself!
To order head to www.stircrazydrinks.co.uk
Thanks again to the lovely folks at Doctor Inks for sending this box over to me to try. Whist this was a gifted item, all views are my own.
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