Gin expert Chris enters into the spirit with masterclasss

Gin expert Chris Hoy spent time with students from our BTEC Hospitality with Events and Level 3 Food and Beverage Service courses, giving them a masterclass in the drink that has gone from being ‘mother’s ruin’ to a premium spirit.

After delving into the drink’s history, students were told about the distillation process and the different types of gin before Chris, who is senior brand ambassador and key account manager for Masons Yorkshire Gin, created three simple cocktails.

These included a breakfast martini and a bee’s knees which were made using the company’s tea gin before he used lavender gin as the base for a bramble cocktail which was created by Soho’s Dick Bradsell who was dubbed the ‘Cocktail King’.

Chris explained: “The masterclass was all about showing how easy it is to put a slight twist on a classic cocktail while at the same time educating the students about the Masons Yorkshire Gin brand.

“Gin is something that has had a major makeover in the past few years, there has been a massive gin revolution. It is now considered a premium spirit and different brands are becoming available all the time.”

Charlotte Gordon, of Fever-Tree, was also involved in the masterclass held in the ground floor Brasserie at Summer Row and she described how the brand had developed, introducing students to the various different varieties of tonic water.

Lecturer Christine Alberto said the event was the perfect way for students to be given an insight into the hospitality industry with industry experts sharing their knowledge.

“It is vital that our students keep up-to-date with developments within the industry so it was excellent that Chris and Charlotte could share their expert knowledge with us,” she explained.

“It was fascinating to hear how gin has evolved through the ages and interesting to see how a modern twist could be made to cocktails making them even more delicious!”