Grey Bear Bar Company Grey Bear is Lloyd Brown ' s bar consultancy that specialises in residencies , tasting evenings , bespoke cocktail menu design and employee training . They will also cater for your event . Go to www . greybearbarcompany . com for more details .
26
Where do you get your inspiration for new cocktails from ?
I tend to follow the seasons , and I love meeting up with the Dorset Food and Drink folks and seeing what they are coming up with , that ’ s usually enough to keep me busy ! The festive period is always a fun time to create new cocktails , all rules are thrown out of the window , and you can really have fun with bold flavours and strong drinks .
What makes a good bartender ?
It all comes down to talking to your customers . Going out to a bar for great drinks is one thing , but you also need to be made to feel welcome . I love our bars to have the feel of the traditional pubs I grew up with just with a different menu .
Why do you like using locally produced spirits and ingredients ?
Not only do I like to support the local community that support me but because they are all genuinely fantastic . We are spoilt in Dorset with field and coast providing a bounty of flavours . I ’ m starting to learn from Fraser Christian , a local forager , the flavours he can find are amazing . I never knew we had seeds growing here which had the same flavour as cardamom !
Are artisan craft spirits better than massproduced ones ?
Yes , if it ’ s a true artisan product . Quite often , it comes down to the base used . For me , British wheat can ’ t be beaten but the mass-produced brands will cut corners . Something that is produced on a small scale with love is hard to beat .
What are the next trends in cocktails and spirits ?
Think ' low and slow '. Low in alcohol and slow sipping drinks . Also sherry is the spirit to watch , in particular dry sherries .
Can you tell us about any new spirits coming in 2018 ?
Let ’ s just say watch out for a very special sugar cane product …
What mistake do novices make when creating cocktails ?
Too many flavour combinations . Keep it simple and don ’ t over dilute . Shaking might look good and get rid of the bingo wings , but overdo it and you get a watery drink .
What ’ s the most unusual cocktail request you ’ ve had ?
An unusual and controversial one was a foie gras champagne cocktail , with some tinkering ( fat washing ) and expense it worked well for the client , deep rich and buttery with the autolytic flavour from a good local fizz .
Drink in Dorset Lloyd picks his five favourite bars in the county …
1 . Pursuit of Hoppiness , Bridport In a time of dominating old-school breweries it ’ s great to see one of the independents win . Al McNab has created a new community hub in Bridport . The ever-changing range of beers plus teaming up with Ilaria Padovani from Mercato Italiano for Apertivo nights makes this my firm favourite
2 . Dorshi , Bridport With a menu curated by thermal engineer Nick Devlin and whipped up by Chris ‘ OC ’ Kemm , this intimate bar has an East
Asian look , a touch of Italian style in the cocktails and West Country roots . Try the Magic Winter Fix ; you ’ ll never look at an espresso martini the same away again .
3 . The Anchor Inn , Seatown What David Smith doesn ’ t know about cocktails isn ’ t worth knowing , he ’ s had a big impact on my cocktails after seeing him at Hix in Lyme Regis , and he ’ s a big advocate of keeping it local and injects his Scottish roots into his recipes , Irn-Bru reduction ? Genius !
4 . Station Kitchen , Bridport You have to visit the Station Kitchen for Ross Diaper . He ’ s fun , friendly and an absolute superstar bartender . Big bold flavours and interesting mixes , pull up a stool in the ticket office of the station and enjoy his rum-based delights !
5 . Vinny @ 6 , Dorchester Zachary Paton , ex-The Pig , has thrown everything into the launch at Vinny ’ s . A stylish bar , accomplished menu , it ' s unpretentious but refined , perfect for a Sunday session over a long winter .
Grey Bear Bar Company Grey Bear is Lloyd Brown ' s bar consultancy that specialises in residencies , tasting evenings , bespoke cocktail menu design and employee training . They will also cater for your event . Go to www . greybearbarcompany . com for more details .
www . menu-dorset . co . uk