Whilst many people squirm at spicy flavours, they actually enhance your taste buds and promote digestion. As it is National Hot Sauce day tomorrow (Friday 22nd), drinks retailer The Bottle Club has ‘sauced’ five spicy cocktail recipes, guaranteed to enliven your palette.
From combinations of Mexican beer and tabasco to cucumber wasabi and gin, here’s how to crank up the heat:
Michelada
The Michelada is one of the easiest drinks to mix up at home and great for those who get easily bored with drinking beer all night and fancy something a little stronger. From the hot sauce to the beer, the entire drink can be customized to fit your taste and requires very little effort.
This is where you venture into the back of your condiments cupboard, as the key ingredients here are Tabasco sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. Oh, and let’s not forget the Mexican beer- don’t worry it isn’t as bad as it sounds.
The Bottle Club tips: “When adding spice to a cocktail, it is important to remember that the alcohol will enhance the heat. Even if you love spicy food and drinks, start with the recommended amount and try it before adding more.”
Ingredients:
1 serving
● 30 ml of lime juice
● 3 dashes hot sauce (Tabasco)
● 3 dashes soy sauce
● 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
● Ground pepper (to taste)
● 340 ml Mexican beer
● Garnish: lime slice
Method:
- Fill a chilled beer mug or pint glass halfway with ice and add the lime juices, sauce and pepper. Stir until well mixed.
- Slowly top with beer and garnish with a slice of lime.
- If you’re feeling decorative, rim the glass with salt or mix it with cayenne pepper if you like.
Cucumber Wasabi Martini
The only place you would ever dream of eating wasabi is in a Japanese meal, right? However, it is also an alternative way to get a spicy drink without using hot pepper ingredients.
Spicy drinks are all about balance, and cucumber wasabi provides exactly this as the Japanese horseradish paired with gin and cooled down with fresh cucumber to create a very exciting and intriguing cocktail.
Whilst you would normally put vodka in a martini, the array of botanicals in a gin gives the cocktail dimension, playing nicely against the pungent wasabi paste. Pickering’s With Scottish Botanicals Gin is gorgeously herbaceous and subtly floral.
The Bottle Club tips: ”If you see a flavour which instantly puts you off, try and keep open minded! This may not be the drink for everyone, but if you’re an adventurous drinker, try it. It may just become a new favourite!”
Ingredients:
● 3 slices cucumber
● 1 pea-sized dollop of wasabi paste
● 15 ml simple syrup
● 40 ml botanical gin
● 15 ml of lemon juice
● Garnish: cucumber slice
Method:
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cucumber slices, wasabi, and simple syrup.
- Fill with ice and add the gin and juice.
- Shake well and strain into a martini cocktail glass (straining is crucial because it will help filter out bits of wasabi and cucumber.)
- Garnish with a slice of cucumber
Cucumber Wasabi MartiniMicheladaNational Hot Sauce DayNational Hot Sauce Day cocktailsthe bottle club
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