Brockmans Gin Cruise

An alternative title for this post might be ‘Kings Cross Cocktails’ as this was the tail end of London Cocktail Week and involved gin appreciation with Brockmans Gin on the Vestal Voyages canal boat, KERB 3rd birthday and a cocktail crawl….

Starting with the Brockmans Gin boat party with Gin Club with a Reading Problem:

The two key botanticals that differentiate Brockmans Gin from others, Blueberries and Blackberries, creating the berry taste. The essence of these fruits is added in post distillation, which means it’s not a London Dry style of gin, but very fruity!

This was our boat awaiting on a sunny Friday afternoon – beautiful for October!

Quick boat selfie

All the botanicals in Brockmans

Along with the blueberry and blackberry, they use dried orange and lemon peel for their citrus, almond powder to combine the flavours, coriander to give a sweetness in the high notes and liquorice root for an earthy sweetness. Classic botanticals of orris, cassia and angelica hang out in the background giving depth and combining the flavours.

We started out with the Brockmans perfect serve – pink grapefruit peel, blueberries and moustaches! (Moustaches not necessary, but definitely fun!) The oils in the citrus zest bring out the freshness of the gin.

The way to eat the blueberry garnish is to drink a little gin first, then eat a blueberry for a refreshing interlude. The best serve is with a bowl of blueberries on the side!

After our tasting and cocktails we decided some food was in order and as it was KERB street food market’s 3rd birthday, we toddled off there…

The girls doing some posing!

My favourite KERB trader – Donostia Social Club, all about the sangria and tapas!

Quick get the free seats!

The Donostia menu – everything is delicious

From top left prawns a la plancha, the black pudding topped with quails egg, the mixed meat and cheese plate and the lamb cutlets… All soooo good!

The Meet me at the Grand – camomile tea infused vodka with St Germain elderflower liqueur and champagne.

The Old Man and the T – tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice and maraschino

Gorgeous setting in the booking office too

From here we nipped over to the GNH Bar at Kings Cross

Wee pic of the lovers embrace at St Pancras

The cocktail at the GNH bar was the Smoky Plum Cocktail – Laphroaig whisky, gin, lemon juice, plum and cinnamon – but I forgot to get a picture….

Oh and they also like gin at Drink Shop Do – here are two I sampled from their top shelf!

As would be expected Saturday morning was a write off after all those cocktails – but boy was it fun!