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Last winter, London’s Sipsmith Gin took over the rooftop bar of Soho’s Ham Yard Hotel to celebrate Hot Gin Roof, a pop-up serving delicious hot cocktails with gin at their base. The pop-up also brought the Hot G&T back into the public consciousness (thank you!).
Well guess what? Hot Gin Roof is making a return to this swanky sky-high rooftop for 2018. Come January, Sipsmith will be taking up a month-long residency, with 90-minute gin sessions taking place on the roof every night of the week.
This time around, the Sipsmith team is turning the heat up a notch. Inspired by their findings from the history books, some of the drinks on the menu will be warmed using red hot pokers straight from the fire.
The ‘poking’ technique (oi oi!) sees specially forged bar tools plunged into drinks straight from the fire, causing the cocktail to bubble and steam. The team will be poking G&Ts as well as a porter-based gin cocktail called the Hangman’s Blood – that poke giving the porter an extra caramelised quality.
Like last year, the rooftop will be set up for the winter months with outdoor heaters and cosy blankets (not to mention twinkly lights). And other warming drinks on the menu include a Hot Singapore Sling served with a charred pineapple garnish and a warmed-up take on The Last Word, with gin, green chartreuse and maraschino liqueur. Hot stuff, indeed.
Hot Gin Roof is at the rooftop at Ham Yard Hotel, One Ham Yard, W1D 7DT from Wed Jan 17 to Sun Feb 17. Tickets for 90-minute sessions cost £18 and include a hot G&T and one other cocktail of choice from the menu. Tickets will go on sale in January at www.designmynight.com/hotginroof.
Find more fiery concoctions in Time Out’s guide to the best hot cocktails in the capital.
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