Cocktail delivery services to beat the UK hospitality curfew

After the announcement of a 10pm curfew for pubs, restaurants and bars in England this week, people may be looking for ways to keep the night going at home - or for brands who could facilitate a whole night in - with bar-quality serves.

Here, we have curated a few suggestions for brands that will deliver cocktails to your door:

• New app Martini Genie is offering customers in London the chance to get their hands on bar-quality serves at home. It is partnering with bars across the capital to keep delivery times under 30 minutes. Users can choose from a list of more than 20 classic cocktails, and the nearest bar to them will prepare it. The cocktails are strained into single-serving pouches and couriered to the drinker, with clip-on pouches for ice and garnish. The venture has been founded by former mixologist Khadine Rose and her husband, Chris. Martini Genie has also pledged to donate 10,000 takeaway kits to bars across the city.
• Sipful Drinks launched earlier this year with a range of canned cocktails and wine, with more set to follow. It was inspired by founders Darius and Emily Darwell's camping trips and the desire for more on-the-go drinking options. The cans are sold in packs from the couple's website or through Amazon. Sipful has also recently launched a susbription service, with three, six and 12-month packages available.
• Bottled cocktail purveyor Black Lines has a range of classic and signature serves encased in elegant glass, with options including Negroni, Margarita and Elderflower Collins. It brought forward the launch date for its online shop in the Spring after the shutdown of the UK on-trade sector due to Covid-19.
• Hospitality group Lollipop launched a range of cocktails for home delivery at the start of the UK lockdown, as a way for the group to continue trading and keep staff on while its venues were shut. The range includes Aperol Spritz, Espresso Martini, Bloody Mary, Piña Colado and Sunny Sangria. The company now also sells bottles of wine for home delivery, too.
• In response to the on-trade slowdown, Rewfus Brode, founder/owner of London-based mobile bar service The 43 Club, has diversified his business into The Cocktail Delivery Company. It is an online cocktail courier service providing fresh, professional cocktails, with a range including classic cocktails, signature serves, mocktails and party boxes.
• Strongman's Tipples was launched in 2017 by Tomas Lenko and has built a reputation for cocktail events, consultancy and creation. This year Tomas partnered with Lukas Etsu to bottle his cocktails and bring them to a wider audience. The Strongman's Tipples range includes five carbonated "sharing" cocktails, including the Apricot Americano and the whisky-based Little Rituals, and three nightcap cocktails for sipping inlcuding variations on an Old Fashioned and a Negroni.

25 September 2020 - Bethany Whymark