CHEERS 2023, HELLO 2024
The best cocktails to bring in the New Year
What s New Year’s Eve without a cocktail or mocktail? Those delicious potions that put smiles on faces when the balance of sweet, sour and tang is just right. Whatever layer of cocktail life suits your fancy, whether its spicy, bubbly, salty or bland with booze or without cocktails are synonymous with celebration.
Being a lover of the perfectly balanced Margerita or Paloma, I bonded with co-owner of Thirst Bar Services Clyde Ackerman at many events where he was tending bar and I was DJing. Clyde and his partner, Rael Lasarow, learnt bar alchemy working in London s West End, and launched their own bar service back on home shores. In 2011, Thirst ran the most extensive training programme for bartenders on the African continent for Diageo. To date, they’ve trained more than 65,000 barpeople across Africa. So we thought they were just the right people to create some New Year’s cocktails to bring 2024 in with style. Let’s get shaking.
What is Thirst and how did it come about?
Thirst is a premium mobile bar service for any event or occasion. I started it with Rael Lasarow in 2004.
What s the inspiration behind these cocktails?
We ve had fun taking classic recipes and putting a twist on them. They’re designed to suit the South African market.
What s your favourite party drink?
The Paloma. It’s fresh and delicious without being overly sweet. You mix a good tequila with lime juice and grapefruit juice and serve on the rocks.
What goes into designing a delicious drink?
Ingredients that work together and balance each other in terms of taste to give a great flavour.
What s the best party you ve ever worked at?
It was a Hindu wedding we did in Mauritius. I took a team of 12 barmen from Cape Town. The wedding lasted for seven days and was held in different locations all over the island. I got to meet some really influential people who helped set me up a new client base in India.
What s the drink of the moment?
Anything with tequila, Margaritas, Palomas or a double Don Julio, fresh lime and soda.
What are your New Year s Eve plans?
We have a number of events happening in the Cape. My new year will be focused on delivering an exceptional outcome for each client.
What s your favourite classic cocktail?
I love a well-made Margarita. Four simple ingredients go into this delicious masterpiece but there are also so many cool, interesting variations that can be made using the classic as a base.