This August, Company Below, the botanical drinking den tucked beneath Balls & Company on Soho’s Greek Street, will host the great and the good of London’s bar scene for a month long Summer Cocktail Shake-down.
Each week will see a new guest bartender take over the speakeasy with an intimate cocktail masterclass, where guests will be able to try their hand at mixing a drink or two under the guidance of the very best in the business, and sample a one off, specially created signature drink, exclusively available at Company Below for one week only.
First to step up to the bar will be Miguel Arbe Rey, Executive Bartender from the Ceviche group, who will be binging Pisco to the party with a masterclass celebrating the national spirit of Peru, which will also feature in his guest cocktail, in the form of ‘Jamming’, made with Barsol Acholado Pisco, corn water, coriander and black peppercorn cordial, garnished with a hit of Amarillo chilli oil.
Gabriele Manfredi, Head Bartender at the award-winning Oriole in Smithfield Market, will be next up taking inspiration from the fruits of exile, empire and exploration, in a class themed on a trip around the world featuring flavours from the far flung corners of the earth.
The Blind Pig, Jason Atherton’s revered bar just opposite Company Below, will be at the helm for the third week, where Bar Manager Jay Doy will be shaking up the ‘Lost and Found’, made with Pisco, triple sec and toast and marmalade syrup, demonstrating to guests the art of creating perfectly balanced and technically precise libations.
Rounding off the line-up, hosts Company Below will be making their botanical inspired cocktails and teaching guests how to master their ‘Feel Good Inc.’ cocktail, complete with hue’s of soft pink egg whites and a dusting of Bamboo Charcoal.
Balls & Company founder, Bonny Porter said, 'We’re so excited to welcome all these amazing talents behind the Company Below bar, and can’t wait to see how they shake things up downstairs. They are all stars of the London bar scene who bring a totally new style of craftsmanship to what they do, and it’s going to be a real honour to watch how they work, and share a drink or two with them and our guests to celebrate the summer.'
Of course, cocktails will be in good company with deep fried bao buns, the perfect partner for a tipple or two. Bao’s will come filled with short rib, pickles and salted chilli mayo, salt and pepper tofu with peanut chilli mayo and brown butter pecan ice cream with chocolate and praline.
There’s also Montgomery cheddar churros and blue cheese arrancini balls, as well as their full list of signature cocktails infused with botanics, from the Vane’s Decline; spiced rum, rooibos, rosewater and black pepper, to the Smoke Without Fire; mescal, aloe vera, lime, chipotle and rhubarb soda.
The Summer Cocktail Shake-Down at Company Below will start at 7pm each Tuesday in August, and will be priced at £15 pp inclusive of 2 cocktails, the masterclass, and 50% off snacks at Balls & Company to enjoy on the evening.