Promotion
THIS was one Confidential team assignment that had no shortage of volunteers. Six were invited, seven turned up. No matter. They can handle a crowd at Be At One. It's only been open a few weeks but it's already buzzing at the weekends. The brand comes from London but its pretension-free, good-times approach to cocktails seems to suit Manchester well.
The whole experience was fun, interactive and fast-moving. Perfect for a party or as a warm-up for a night out.
De-mob happy, the seven of us descended the spiral staircase that used to take you into the Circle Club, and now brings you to Be At One. Coloured lights twinkled over the high top tables. James Brown played on the stereo. Glasses gleamed on the back bar amongst a dizzying array of spirits.
Our hosts were Glenn and Colette, two trainers who move around the country getting each Be At One team up to speed.
Be at One - Cocktail Masterclass from Manchester Confidential on Vimeo.
To get things started, Glenn showed us how to make their most popular drink; the ever-present Porn Star Martini. It was followed by the Screaming Orgasm. And later, Candy Pants. There was a theme developing. Hen parties are welcome here.
What about Stag parties though? They're welcome too but they don't get many all-guy groups in for the masterclasses. Cocktails are a girl thing, in the UK at least. Glenn thinks it's because most men aren't sure what to order and don't want to risk walking away from the bar with something pink and sparkling in a flirty flute glass. He recommends the whisky section – strong, short and to the point. Think Don Draper sipping an Old Fashioned in a sharp suit.
That was the vibe I wanted to channel with my drink – a whisky sour. Colette guided me through how to make it. One ounce Gentleman Jack. Three quarter ounce lemon juice. Pasteurised egg white. Sugar water. Garnished with a manly slice of orange. I'd told myself I would just make it, not drink it, as it was only 2pm. One sip changed that. Don wouldn't have left it half finished.
We went in pairs to mix ourselves a cocktail and I liked the way we could choose whatever we liked from the extensive menu. The only drinks off limits were those involving ice cream. They can go horribly, horribly wrong in inexperienced hands, apparently.
Glenn and Colette showed us how to measure, shake, smash and pour, which all sounds easy enough but I couldn't help noticing that they were a world apart from us in style and confidence. When I poured it was like a trembly old lady serving tea and missing the cup. Ice spilled everywhere. I wasn't sure where to put the orange.
In contrast the professionals were fast and casual but unswervingly accurate. They don't use a jigger to measure their spirits – they free pour. Yet I didn't get the sense that they were showing off and performing party tricks while we all stood around ooh-ing and aah-ing. They just got on with helping us make some really good drinks with good quality spirits (think Absolut and Sipsmith rather than the no-mark brands you might get in your local pub). I was discovering a new respect for mixologists, if that word still exists.
Soon we had a bar full of cocktails to sip, from the subtle but refreshing Swedish Death Nettle to the sweet-shop dream of Popster, a butterscotch schnapps milkshake topped with popcorn.
And once we were a little bit tipsy, they introduced the games. Olivia in Marketing can now proudly say she can make a Woo Woo blindfolded. I can add 'Winner of One-armed Mojito Race' to my list of accomplishments.
We all made a couple of cocktails each, plus the ones we made blindfolded and one-handed (which actually tasted okay).The whole experience was fun, interactive and fast-moving. Perfect for a party or as a warm-up for a night out.
Sadly we all had to return to the office and continue with our work day. Be At One offers these classes as team-building events, which is a great idea, but plan it for the end of the day rather than the middle. Not a lot of work was done that afternoon at Confidential Towers.
Cocktail Masterclasses at Be At One last for 90 minutes and cost £25 per person. Visit Be At One Masterclasses for more info and to book.
Powered by 
