British Alcoholic Beverages

Whisky or whiskey is a spirit made from fermented grains, typically corn, rye, wheat, and barley, and is always aged, predominantly in oak barrels. The story of its discovery provokes heated debates, since both Irish and Scots claim whisk... READ MORE

Scotch is the renowned whisky variety hailing from Scotland. Although it can be made with the addition of other grains or cereals, the original Scottish whisky has to be made with a base of water and malted barley—barley that has be... READ MORE

Although the name pale ale originated in 18th-century England, it was mainly used for brews that were made with pale barley malt and which were slightly lighter than the standard dark and brown beers. To add to the confusion, the name was... READ MORE

Stouts are top-fermented beers that are typically dark and have distinctive roasted flavors. Their introduction is closely connected to British porter—a style that was developed in London sometime in the 18th century. Stout evolved ... READ MORE

Brown ale is an old and versatile beer style whose origins lie in the British brewing tradition. In the 19th century, the name was used as a generic term for various types of beers that were produced from brown malt. With the introduction... READ MORE

London Dry gin style is a quality designation for a specific gin variety in which all the flavors have to be natural and added through distillation. This gin is also distilled from a neutral base spirit that is enriched with various botan... READ MORE

India pale ale is one of the most intriguing beer styles whose origin is still widely disputed, but it is believed that it first appeared out of necessity to transport pale ale brews to distant British colonies—namely India—be... READ MORE

Eggnog is a warming, spiced, creamy, and thick wintertime drink that combines milk, sugar, eggs, and alcohol. There are several theories about its origin, but the most probable claims that the combination of eggs and alcohol was an adapta... READ MORE

Black and Tan is a beer cocktail that contains two types of beer: pale and dark. As the name suggests, beer is layered into a pint glass to display a combination of light and dark beer. To prepare it, one should slowly pour stout beer ove... READ MORE

Imperial stout is a strong and opaque dark beer that was first brewed in London, but which is mostly associated with Russia, Baltic countries, and recently with the United States. Modern imperial stouts will typically range from deep red ... READ MORE

Espresso Martini is a rich and creamy cocktail made with a combination of vodka, espresso, sugar syrup, and coffee liqueur. All ingredients are first mixed in a shaker with ice, and then strained into a Martini glass. There should be a ni... READ MORE

Contrary to its name, barley wine is a beer style that is best known for its dominant malty character. It is a type of extra-strong ale that has originated in England, but it is now produced worldwide. Although the name first came into us... READ MORE

Gimlet is a simple yet classic cocktail that originated in England. The cocktail is named after Sir Thomas Gimlette, who supposedly invented it at the end of the 19th century. In the past, Gimlet was mad... READ MORE

Sweet stout is a beer style that is usually brewed with the addition of milk sugar (lactose). It is also known as cream or milk stout, and it emerged in England sometime in the early 1900s. Sweet stouts are dark and full-bodied beers that... READ MORE

Scotch ale is a beer style distinguished for its malty character and rich caramel flavors. These big, bold, and full-bodied beers are typically light copper to dark-brown and mostly have a high alcohol content, usually falling between 6 t... READ MORE

Porter is a beer style that was created in London sometime in the 18th century, but well-balanced and aromatic modern varieties do not share many similarities to the original version. Roughly defined, porter is a versatile dark ale made f... READ MORE

Sack posset also known as posted or pochette was a British hot drink made with spiced cream with either ale or wine. The drink was most commonly used as a remedy for a cold or flu as well as a general treatment for some other min... READ MORE

This gin-based aperitif is officially classified as fruit cup—a beverage that is meant to be mixed into a long drink. It was invented in 1840 by a London oyster bar owner James Pimm who first offered it to his guests as a health ton... READ MORE

This sub-style of the classic stout is brewed with the addition of oatmeal. The style first became popular in England, sometime in the late 19th century. The beers falling in this category are typically dark and smooth, with a roasted malt charact... READ MORE

Sloe gin is a tart liqueur made by macerating sloe berries (blackthorn) in gin, usually with the addition of sugar or sugar syrup. The combination is left to macerate for several months, resulting in a deep ruby or mahogany-colored drink ... READ MORE

Bramble is a spring cocktail that was created by Dick Bradsell in 1984 in London. The cocktail consists of dry gin, lemon juice, sweet blackberry liqueur, sugary syrup, and crushed ice. It is named after blackberry bushes which are common... READ MORE

Islay is a Scottish island and one of the officially recognized Scottish whisky regions. There are nine operational distilleries on the island, and most of them produce strong, robust, smoky, and peated whisky, but there are also fruity a... READ MORE

Often dubbed as the whisky center, Speyside is one of five official Scottish whisky regions. Although it is geographically a part of Highlands, this area is a separate appellation, because of the large concentration of distilleries and th... READ MORE

Bitter is a classic British beer style used to describe cask-conditioned ales mainly sold in UK pubs. The style is quite versatile and includes brews of different color, strength, and flavor, but most examples have a malt-driven character... READ MORE

Cask ale, also known as real ale, is a traditional type of beer made with natural ingredients and served directly from the vessel in which it was fermented. It is allowed to mature naturally, and it does not include any injection... READ MORE

Vesper or Vesper Martini is a cocktail made with three shots of dry gin, one shot of vodka, and half a shot of Kina Lillet (nowadays known as Lillet Blanc), a dry French vermouth. It was invented by Ian Fleming, when it was menti... READ MORE

This Scottish liqueur is a created with a secret blend of aged Scotch whiskey, honey, herbs, and spices. Its history dates back to the 18th century when allegedly Prince Charles Edward Stuart passed down his secret recipe to Clan Mackinnon. In 191... READ MORE

Old ale is a dark and malty English strong ale. These beers were initially aged in wooden casks, and they usually had a yellow-brown color, firm body, slight carbonation, and mellow flavor. Hop character was not present. Modern interpreta... READ MORE

In terms of size, Highland is the largest region designated for the production of Scottish whisky. It covers most of the Scottish mainland, and though it sometimes includes the islands, they are mostly regarded as a separate region. Becau... READ MORE

English pale ale is an incredibly versatile beer style that first originated when breweries started to use pale barley malt, which resulted in brews that were lighter than standard varieties at the time. Its place of origin is mainly asso... READ MORE

English India pale ale is to some extent more traditional version of the classic India pale ale style. The examples of the style typically range from golden amber to light copper, while their alcohol content should fall between 5 and 7.5%... READ MORE

Tom Collins is a classic cocktail hailing from London. It's made with a combination of gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, and soda water poured into an ice-filled glass. It is believed that this refreshing drink was created by the head waiter... READ MORE

Snakebite is a cocktail that combines equal parts of lager beer and cider. When served with a dash of blackcurrant liqueur, it is called Snakebite and Black, Purple Nasty, or Diesel. The variation that includes a shot of vodka is known as... READ MORE

Black Velvet consists of only two ingredients in equal parts - dark lager (traditionally Guinness stout) and sparkling wine (typically champagne). This classic cocktail was created in London in 1861 by a bartender who mourned the death of... READ MORE

While the American version of Boilermaker is a cocktail customarily served with beer as a chaser taken after a single gulp of hard liquor, such as whiskey, in the United Kingdom the term refers to a cocktail consisting of equal parts mild... READ MORE

Despite its unusual name, English barley wine is a beer style that is often dubbed as the grandfather of all brews. This style is strong, rich, and usually moderately hoppy with pronounced malt flavors, and typical aromas of bread, toast,... READ MORE

In the group of British bitters, strong bitter is the highest gravity version. The examples range from dark gold to copper, while the alcohol content falls between 4 and 7% ABV. They have a malty c... READ MORE

Plymouth gin is made with grain alcohol, soft Dartmoor water, and seven botanicals that include juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica root, orange and lemon peel, orris, and cardamom. It was created in 1793, and it is still produced ... READ MORE

English brown ale is a malt-forward beer style that has two distinct varieties—Northern and Southern English. Although the term brown ale has existed since the very beginnings of brewing tradition in England, these modern styles do ... READ MORE

Pink Gin is an English cocktail made with a combination of Angostura bitters and Plymouth gin, hence its other name, Pink Plymouth. To prepare it, a cocktail glass is first chilled, then coated with bitters. Chilled gin is then a... READ MORE

Mild ale is a British beer style that probably originated sometime in the 19th century. It comes as a traditional dark mild variety or as a less common lighter-colored version. The most distinctive feature of mild ale is its low hop bitte... READ MORE

Contrary to its name, this cocktail does not have much in common with a classic Martini. Porn Star is a version that combines vanilla-flavored vodka, passion fruit liqueur, lime juice, and passion fruit purée, while a shot of Champ... READ MORE