Five Timeless Tropical Cocktail Recipes

There’s nothing like an ice-cold cocktail on a hot summer day. Ideally, tropical cocktails, with their luscious fruity flavours and spicy, rum-infused aromas, should be enjoyed in a hammock overlooking the ocean. And even if you can’t catch the next flight out to the Caribbean, don’t despair. Here are five timeless cocktail recipes that are guaranteed to bring the beach to you, turquoise waters and all!

Mojito

This, the national ...

Bartending Tips: How to Deal with Underage Drinkers

As an RSA-qualified bartender, it is your responsibility to ensure that underage drinkers have no access to alcohol. Underage drinkers are defined by RSA laws as being under the age of eighteen. If you’re caught selling drinks to young people under this age-limit, the consequences are serious. You can lose your job and incur a hefty fine. You’ll also cause irreparable damage to the reputation of your bar. In ...

Ten Essential Cocktails All Bartenders Should Know

Do you want to work in a bar? These days, it takes more than simply knowing how to pour a good lager (although that’s a skill in itself!) Bar managers are looking for energetic, passionate staff who know how to differentiate between a Tom Collins and a Gimlet. Why not get a head start on the competition by brushing up on some cocktail essentials? Here is a list of cocktails ...

The Best Cosmopolitan Recipe

What a Girls’ Night Out with a round of decadently pink Cosmopolitans? This Friday night favourite is deliciously sweet and tangy combination of citrus vodka, triple sec, tart cranberry juice and a scintillating splash of lime. It whisks you away to imaginings of pulsating nights on the town; Manhattan skylines and the sassy buzz of an upmarket nightclub. But how did this legendary cocktail originate? And more importantly, can it be made at ...

8 Christmas Cocktail Ideas

Sure, it may be hot outside at Christmastime. You’re definitely not freezing like your friends in the UK. In fact, you’re more likely to be found around the pool than around the Christmas tree, and yes: it’s not about the turkey, but about the barbeque. This doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in a little Northern-hemisphere charm. If you want to give a traditional slant to your summer Christmas party, how about trying out ...

How to Make the Best Sangria

There’s nothing quite like enjoying a pitcher of sangria on a lazy summer afternoon. This summertime favourite has been a hit for many years around the Saturday lunch table. It originated from the tables of Spain and Portugal – “sangria” is derived from the Spanish for “blood,” “sangre” in reference to the drink’s deep red colour.

Will the Real Sangria Please Stand Up?

These days, anything goes in the ...

How to Curb Alcohol Abuse

For most of us, there’s nothing quite as relaxing as that first drink after a week of hard work. In fact, many people who use alcohol in safe and responsible manners find a spot of weekend drinking to be a harmless pastime. However, for other people, alcohol is an insidious drug that gives rise to many dangers and problems. People who abuse alcohol often experience problems in both their social and professional ...

How to Stay Safe at a Nightclub

There’s nothing like a night on the town to shake away the stresses of the week. A good evening on the dance floor, in particular, is a wonderful way to unwind, meet new people and burn off a few unwanted calories. Not all nightclub patrons, however, are there for the music and the dancing. The sad fact is that many clubs also attract people with sinister and harmful motives. How ...

Alcohol Abuse in Teenagers in Australia

Research shows that over 90% of Australian teenagers have over the age of 14 have drunk alcohol at least once. Over half of that percentage use alcohol on a weekly basis. Although alcohol is legal and viewed as a socially acceptable drug that “all kids eventually try,” it can lead to many problems if used irresponsibly. Unfortunately, where teenagers are concerned, alcohol, inexperience and peer pressure form a nasty cocktail that ...

The Best Pina Colada Recipe

Pina colada comes from the Spanish “pina” for pineapple, and “colada” for strained. It’s seen as the quintessential tropical cocktail, conjuring images of white-sanded beaches, azure skies, turquoise waters and swaying palm trees heavy with coconuts. It consists of white rum, pineapple juice and cream of coconut, all blended in a heavenly concoction that is topped with a maraschino cherry.

The pina colada has been recognised as Puerto Rico’s national drink ...