First, you might want to consider whether or not hosting private cocktail classes or a cocktail experience is right for your event. Of course, everyone loves cocktails, and they’re appropriate for any event where alcohol is permitted. From team-building away days, a birthday party, or a hen do group activity, you can almost always find the right mixologist for you.
But how to you know if it’s going to work for your event?
Choose Your Vibe - Private Classes, Public Classes, or Something In-Between
One of the main things you're going to want to consider is the occasion - of course, hosting a cocktail club for a baby gender reveal might not hit the right tone (although with a non-alcoholic pornstar martini and other non -alcoholic options, this could actually be a brilliant event). As such, you should think about your audience, the exact purpose of the event, and start planning from there.
Pick Your Venue (Cocktail Club? Mobile Masterclass? Portable Bars?)
Once you know what you are looking for out
of the class and mixologist, it’s time to look for the perfect venue. Luckily,
there are loads of cocktail masterclass venues for hire in London, so you’ll
have a full array to choose from. The location matters just as much as the
class itself. It needs to be somewhere that will also fit the group. After all,
you don’t want to bring your work group into a bar that’s meant more for
students, cocktail class or not! Most classes fit will with their venue, so by
researching them, you should be able to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Think About Location
Another thing that must be considered when looking for a cocktail masterclass is where the venue is located - an event held in East London may be very different to a North London event. When alcohol is involved, you need to ensure that your guests have an easy way to get home safely. Especially with group bookings (e.g. a stag 'do), you'll really need to think about this one. Your choice of class won’t be a popular one if it takes the group too long to get to or to get home from, so you’ll need to factor that in when looking for cocktail masterclasses. Having it close by will mean that everyone will relax and enjoy themselves a lot more and won’t be checking their watches if it goes on longer than expected.
What About Dinner?
After a healthy session making cocktails, most groups will have only one thing on their mind: how ready they are to explore the range of food options available. Check to see if the place you are having your masterclass in also has a restaurant where you can all go to - as a lot of cocktail bars, especially if you choose a cocktail bar station with a private booking, will have food options. If that doesn’t work with your plans, think about organising a meal beforehand, if your class is a little later in the evening. While a cocktail masterclass is great fun, no one will hang around for long afterwards if they are hungry.
Signature Cocktails, Mixology Galore
If your masterclass is for a special event,
there is always a chance for you to request particular cocktails to be made up
to match. For example, one named after your company or even your boss! There
are lots of things that you can play around with to make the day feel truly tailored
to your group. Think about a funny take on a Mr and Mrs cocktail for a hen do or
something unique for a birthday party. Everyone in attendance will love the
attention to detail that has gone in to getting everything just right.
Make it a Taster
You don’t have to make full-sized cocktails
for each person. If you are looking for more variety out of your event you can
give everyone sample size glasses. This means that there will be less waste for
those cocktails that aren’t popular, and you can make a larger variety of
different mixes for the group to try. It can make the event much more involved
as you’re not sitting around sipping full-sized cocktails every time you make
something.
Make it a Game (e.g. perhaps hand out food vouchers or gift vouchers for guests to get their hands on)
Big public cocktail classes (and small cocktails classes) don't need to be a serious affair. There are lots of games that can be played while you mix up your drinks so ask your bartender about incorporating some in if you have the time. For example, why not host interactive classes with delicious drinks as prizes, where guests could perhaps win a complimentary cocktail? Or perhaps you could host an introduction of cocktail class where guests choose from a range of liquors and mixers to create an original cocktail of their own, and then you could vote on the best concoction? The options are endless!
Make Sure There’s Something for Everyone
Not everyone can or wants to drink alcohol,
so if you’re planning a cocktail masterclass for a group, it’s important that
they aren’t left out. Most cocktails can be easily altered to be non-alcoholic
so long as your mixologist knows in advance, so there’s no reason why anyone
should miss out on the fun! No one should have to sit on the side-lines just
because they aren’t drinking, and the people running your masterclass will be
used to tailoring what they do for everyone’s tastes. You’ll also need to keep
in mind any allergies that the group might have to particular fruits or other
items in case they appear in the menu.
A cocktail masterclass can be anything you
want it to be, so don’t be afraid to be inventive! Your mixologist is sure to be
helpful in making your event exactly what you have envisioned, so don’t be
afraid to let them know your different ideas for the event. It’s the perfect
type of class for a whole host of different occasions because it can be
tailored to suit almost any theme.
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