Gin Genie: Spirit It! Gets You in the Mix

Ah, gin. You’re my go-to liquor at every bar, whether you’re lurking in dirty martinis or gin and tonics. Something about your musky flavor, that clean bitterness and dry aftertaste has me hooked. That – and you don’t give me hangovers.

So it felt like fate that Beefeater 24 was the designated subject of Spirit It! chief Bob Louison’s April cocktail-making class. A bartending consultant by trade, French expat Louison has concocted drinks at some of the poshest bars in London, New York and Paris, and now earns his living demystifying mixology for the public.

Myself included. I couldn’t wait to finally dissect the workings of my favorite poison. The venue was the darkly lit Swiss Restaurant and Bar, where a long winding table speckled with individual stations awaited. As I slipped anxiously onto a bar stool, I examined the tools – a mixer, a “Boston” glass, a bar spoon, a strainer and a double strainer – in all their gleaming glory.

If you're lost, trust me, so was I. I’d never mixed, shaken or stirred a single drink in my entire life. My bartending experience was limited to decanting dubiously measured shots of vodka or tequila.

And I soon discovered that I was no suave mixologist. I struggled to retain Bob’s directions while painstakingly measuring, pouring and asking for clarification, over and over again. Not at all the slick moves I'd associated with making drinks – I felt more akin to a mad scientist than a real bartender.

Meanwhile, Bob was whisking, twirling and free-pouring from bottles with ease. A splash of Grand Marnier here, two dashes of bitters here, garnished with a cucumber or macaroon.

Though I lacked such panache, and may have overdone the lemon juice (albeit to suit my own penchant for sour tartness), I was having a great deal of fun. I was proud of my first efforts – a mishmash of ingredients ranging from ginger to lavender syrup – and made more aware of the nuances of booze than ever.

The real test came at the end, though. Just as we were all preparing to pat one another on the back, bloated with alcohol and self-satisfaction, Bob announced a competition: to come up with our own cocktail, using only the remaining ingredients.

I think you can guess how I fared. The clues are all above, from my inability to absorb Bob’s instructions to my unshared enthusiasm for lemon juice. While I didn't place first (or even second or third), I savored my own creation immensely. And isn’t that all that matters?

Bob Louison hosts a mixology course every month. Email bobspirit.it@gmail.com for more details.

Photo: Ian Wong