Brighton Rocks

Brighton Rocks made me feel rather homesick, as it reminded me so much of our own bar ‘400 Rabbits’. Truly a ‘bartenders bar’, making everyone and anyone feel welcome. With quirky décor and banging drinks they know what they’re doing!! Without having the pleasure of staying long enough to see the bar in full swing late at night I am positive how fantastic the vibe there must be! With lovely and chatty bartenders, I was so comfortable I almost forgot why I even was in Brighton in the first place!

Plotting parlour

Just gorgeous! At The Plotting Parlour you will find such talent and skill behind each cocktail, all of which have been created in house. The setting is so comfortable, a very, very, very nice public house feel! There is character within every nook and cranny in this beautiful bar. Showing their dedication to helping the environment, they make sure everything is utilised and nothing is thrown away, so for example after juicing the fruit for their drinks they boil up the skin to then make into a chewy sweet as a garnish. Everything about this place is just fab!

Pull and Pump

When you find a bar recommended by other bars: GO!

With a backbar crammed with Agave goodness you can’t go wrong! The staff were so lovely and keen to find out more about us at Casa Agave. The lady working the bar that day gave a fantastic description of one of our Mezcals: La Medida Tepeztate. It reminded her of her favourite aunts house, who is a collector of antiques and the spirit gave her a sense of walking through the hallway and breathing in the history. I promised her I’d quote her on this as it’s one of the best descriptions I’ve heard! They even serve Sangrita and Verdita and dissuade people from the dreaded salt and lime, so for that alone I will love them forever!!

It’s lively, cosy and right in the heart of Brighton centre, a must see for any Tequila & Mezcal fan!

The Black Dove

Wherever you look in The Black Dove you will detect something new and fantastic that you weren’t expecting! I dread to think what was in the cage!! Although I arrived early and before their opening times the bartender was so kind to let me inside and sit at the bar while he opened up shop, such friendliness and openness is rather rare these days. This is, in my opinion, why we should be supporting the locals and the independents as they are out for making people happy, it’s just beautiful! I stayed far longer than anticipated but this was simply because I felt so at home, so comfortable and just didn’t want to leave my seat at the bar, chatting the poor bartenders ears off (He seemed to enjoy it!!)

Carlito Burrito

There are few places these days where an entire team is bursting with energy and passion for their work! Carlito Burritos is certainly one of those rare few. Such a pleasure to see such an exciting vibe and so much love for what I brought in with me… Just fab! The venue burst with the energy that was so visible in each of its staff, creativity pouring out of its walls, colours celebrating each corner and the music to match. Hugely recommend to anyone, whether old or young, classy or casual, its energy will flow through you!!

Twisted Lemon

Another absolute favourite would have to be Twisted Lemon!! Finding it was challenging but when you find the little alleyway you skip through it knowing you’ve found your destination and want to grab a drink to reward yourself! Twisted Lemon is one of those places you might plan to go for one or two but you stay all night! There is no escape and you will love every second as time flies by! With a backbar crammed with goodies and a passionate and bubbly team you will certainly feel spoilt!

In conclusion: What I found in Brighton was completely unexpected!

There is so much more to Brighton than a beautiful sea side. When you go down the hidden roads, talk to the locals you will find gems that you otherwise wouldn’t have known of.

With Tequila and Mezcal on the rise I am positive that Brighton will easily push it to its limits in her fair streets, through her fantastic bartenders and creatives.

Brighton is without a doubt one of the most fabulous cities I’ve come across with a great buzz.

See you soon Brighton, my new found love!

Salud, Jen

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Throughout my time in the Tequila scene I’ve heard heaps about Ojo Rojo Mezcaleria in Bournemouth. It did not disappoint! What a delightful place! The décor, the atmosphere and the selection was fantastic! It’s such a pleasure seeing people so passionate about the Mexican spirit (and spirits of course!).

They even have a book entirely dedicated to their impressive selection of agave spirits, explaining varieties, production and the individual brands. Simply excellent and would hugely recommend anyone going there! If I lived closer I would probably be a strong regular… One day, maybe!

The food was excellent too, and it is certainly not easy to find authentic dishes in England. The ceviche in particular was divine!

My next stop was Eden, fabulous little secret! They are an outside bar which can of course be covered up so you can still enjoy the outside whether it rains or shines. They have just given their backbar a little refurb too, expanding their selection of spirits. With a lovely team behind it, the bar is a must see for a cheeky tipple or two.

After being recommended to see the guys at 1812 at the Royal Exeter I took my trusty bag and introduced myself, to which I was surprised when the bartender said ‘Word is about that you are in town’! How absolutely splendid! The bar is really swish, and I felt a tad underdressed but they welcomed me with open arms and eagerly tried my offerings. Joe, who was working the bar, even made a few drinks for me using some of my products:

La Medida Espadin built with fresh lime, Tekali Almond Liqueur and topped with ginger beer and some good old fashioned angostura bitters – so easy and so good!

The second one was La Medida Espadin shaken with a dash of fresh lime, honey and yellow Chartreuse – herbaceous and delicious!

Whilst there, more and more bartenders and managers from other bars in town accrued which is always a great sign! If you fancy a well made quality drink I hugely recommend trying this gem out with a very knowledgeable team.

After meeting a chap from Level8, Skybar at 1812 I had to go see him of course. What a view! Located at the top floor of a hotel you will be greeted with not only a wonderful view, beautiful setting and a lovely team but also a nice array of spirits including a healthy dose of Tequila! But there’s never enough of the good stuff, right?

Afterwards I headed towards the beach to see the Urban Beach, predecessor of Urban Reef. Also within a hotel and as with Level8, everyone is welcome! Here I met a wonderful girl who had just come back from travelling Asia and she told me that the only thing she missed when there was Tequila! Music to my ears! She tasted, we talked, it was good! A lovely bar that makes you feel on holiday somewhere far away…

Finally my last stop in Bournemouth, or rather Southbourne, was the Larder House. Another recommendation and I will certainly recommend further and tell you all to check it out! They have a lovely Library upstairs that sends you to another time. Sit down with a book, a wonderful cocktail, created inhouse and just relax, letting the bartenders take you on a journey. What more can I say? Jim, who happily saw me, despite me dropping in unannounced, told me all about the story of the Library and the Larderhouse and was keen to learn more about the items in my little bag. Already having a vast knowledge of Agave spirits, he enjoyed my booze, which made me happy!

All in all: go to Bournemouth! What a splendid and happening place full of keen people who show real passion in what they do and can guarantee you a great night out. What’s more is that despite Ojo Rojo being the most authentic Mexican bar & restaurant in the area, I guarantee that the Tequila & Mezcal scene is booming there too, with loads of bars and bartenders insisting on a good backbar selection of agave products!

See you soon!!

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