Cocktail Contest Night

Whether you live with friends, family or a partner, a sure-fire way to add some excitement to an evening is with a cocktail competition night! 

Here’s how it works: 

1. Each person gets to choose a cocktail to make for the rest of the group, and they’re in charge of getting the ingredients, making and serving their own cocktail. 
2. This can be to a specific theme or just let everyone freestyle. 
3. Explain your cocktail choice, maybe even pair it with a good story!
4. Everyone judges the cocktails based on taste, appearance, originality. 

Cocktails are fun on their own, but a bit of healthy competition can make it all the more enjoyable (especially after a few drinks). Give this one a go and make sure to use Didsbury Gin to take your cocktails to the next level.

Virtual Gin Tasting

While we wait for places to reopen again, have a fun virtual night in with your friends and a selection of new gins to try!

Gift each friend a Spirit of Life set, with 4 miniature bottles of the core Didsbury Gin range, then get on a video call and try the flavours together. It’s a great opportunity for a much-needed lockdown catch up and a fun way to find your new favourite gin with the help of your buddies.

Turn your gin bottles into home décor

It’s a sad feeling throwing away an empty bottle of gin for a number of reasons. One being that the gin itself is finished, but another being that it seems like such a waste of a beautifully designed bottle.

Well there’s a way to avert this feeling. Just recycle your bottles into tasteful pieces of home décor! 

We’ve loved this customer’s idea of turning a bottle into a lamp, perfect for adding something different to your home and for flaunting on social media. Here’s a great tutorial for how to do it. 

You can also try turning it into a vase for a small dried bouquet or even a unique candle holder. Don’t forget to tag us on social media with your creations!

Infuse your own gin

Fancy a bit of DIY? We’ve got you. There are plenty of ways you can infuse your own gins to enjoy for yourself or even for personalised gifting.

Here’s an example, try infusing our Original Didsbury Gin with rhubarb! Take 800ml of DG,  1kg pink rhubarb and 400g caster sugar. Chop up the rhubarb into 3cm lengths, then put into a jar with the sugar. Give it a good shake, then replace the lid and leave overnight. The sugar will draw out the rhubarb. 

The next day, add the gin and give it another shake. Replace the lid and leave it to infuse for 4 weeks. Give it a try every week or so to check it’s doing what you want and leave for longer or less depending on the intensity of the flavour you’re after.

Well done, you just infused your own gin! Rebottle for yourself or give out to your friends and let them know it’s your own special creation. 

Surprise someone you know with a gift

After nearly a year of lockdown, we all know how far a thoughtful gift can go. Why not surprise a close friend with a gin treat to remind them how much you care?

From our giftsets to our relaunched Manchester Tart, there are plenty of great gift options to make someone’s day. Plus, you’ve got the option to add a small note to let them know who it’s from and add a small message of your choosing.

Make your own dried fruit garnishes

Dried fruit garnishes add a beautiful touch to cocktails, plus they keep for a long time so they’re perfect for laidback mixology. 

Have a think about your go-to additions for your favourite Didsbury Gin flavours, then have a crack at making your own personal stash of fancy dried garnishes.  

How to do it:

1. Put your oven on its lowest setting
2. Slice your chosen fruit thinly
3. Place the fruit onto baking parchment and put into the oven
4. Check every 30 minutes. It should take several hours but you’ll need to keep an eye on it as this time depends on the fruit you’ve chosen. 
5. Leave the fruit to cool before using
6. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar or a freezer bag. Store in a cool, dry place and they’ll last up to 4 weeks!

Our favourite fruit garnish choices include grapefruit for Didsbury Gin Original, lemons for the Strawberry & Sicilian Lemon, raspberries and vanilla for Manchester Tart or elderflower for Raspberry & Elderflower.

As we wait for lockdown to draw to a close, spice up staying at home with these fun activities that’ll take your gin to the next level. Share your creations with us on Instagram at @didsbury_gin and Twitter at @didsburygin.