Man, lemme tell you about London Pisco Sour Week. It wasn’t just some fancy marketing thing; it was a proper hustle, a real passion project for me and a few mates. You hear about these “weeks” for various drinks, and usually, it’s just a few places slapping a sticker on the menu. But with Pisco Sour Week, I wanted to get dirty, really dive in and make some noise.
It all kicked off a few months back. I was sitting at my usual spot, just chilling, having a decent Pisco Sour, and thinking about how underrated this drink still is here in London. It’s got history, it’s got punch, and it’s got this amazing fresh zing. So, when the chatter started about a proper “London Pisco Sour Week,” my ears perked right up. I figured, instead of just going to events, why not actually help make some happen?
Getting the Ball Rolling
First thing I did was pick up the phone. I called a few of my pals who run bars – you know, the spots that actually care about their cocktails, not just slinging any old thing. My buddy Tom, who owns “The Citrus Nest” in Shoreditch, was my first call. Told him, “Tom, we gotta go all in for this. Not just a special, but an experience.” He was stoked, thankfully. Same with Maria at “The Copper Shaker” down in Soho. She’s always up for a good time and pushing boundaries.
We set up a little meeting, just the three of us, plus a couple of their head bartenders. We sat there, throwing ideas around, sipping on some samples of different piscos – Barsol, Porton, Quebranta, Acholado… you name it. We tasted ’em blind, argued a bit, laughed a lot. The goal was simple: show London what a real Pisco Sour can be, and how versatile pisco actually is.
The Nitty-Gritty Details
Our plan unfolded. For “The Citrus Nest,” we decided to go big on a Pisco Flight & Pairing Night. It wasn’t just about drinking; it was about learning. We wanted to offer three different styles of pisco sours – one with a classic Quebranta, one with an aromatic Italia, and a really unique one using a Mosto Verde. To really make it pop, we tasked Tom’s chef to come up with small bites that would complement each pisco’s flavor profile. Think ceviche, some spicy empanadas, and even a little sweet something for the fruitier pisco.
Over at “The Copper Shaker,” Maria wanted something more interactive. So, we cooked up a plan for a DIY Pisco Sour Masterclass. A couple of evenings during the week, people could come in, and her lead bartender, Liam, would walk them through the history of pisco, the art of making the perfect sour, and then let them shake their own. We even sourced some cool little mini shakers and strainers for people to use – gave it a real hands-on vibe.
Sourcing the right ingredients was a whole thing itself. Getting enough fresh, perfect limes in London is always a challenge, even more so when you’re talking about hundreds of sours a night. We ended up calling in favors, getting daily deliveries directly from a supplier who usually only works with a few high-end spots. And the eggs! You need fresh egg whites for that perfect foamy head. That meant morning runs to the local market, picking out the best ones myself sometimes, just to be sure.
Hiccups and Hustle
Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. There was one frantic Tuesday evening at The Citrus Nest. We had a massive surge of walk-ins, way more than we expected for the Pisco Flight. We nearly ran out of the Italia pisco! Tom was literally on the phone trying to get an emergency bottle from another bar down the street. It was pure chaos for about twenty minutes, but we pulled it off. Someone zipped over on a scooter and saved the day. That’s the kind of last-minute scramble these things often involve.
Another time, one of the crucial blenders for the masterclass at The Copper Shaker decided to die right before a class. Liam had to quickly adapt, showing everyone how to do a “dry shake” with just ice, then a “wet shake” – making it part of the lesson, actually. He even joked, “This is for when your blender decides to stage a coup!” The crowd loved it, thought it was part of the show.
The Buzz and the Payoff
But when the week finally rolled around, man, the buzz was incredible. Both places were absolutely packed. At The Citrus Nest, people were really getting into the flights, discussing the nuances of each pisco and how it changed with the food. I saw so many folks’ eyes light up when they discovered a new favorite. The masterclasses at The Copper Shaker were a riot. People were shaking, straining, garnishing, laughing – everyone left with a huge smile and, more importantly, the knowledge of how to make a killer Pisco Sour themselves.
I spent most of my evenings jumping between the two spots, just soaking it all in. I’d grab a pisco sour from Tom, then one from Maria, chatting with folks, hearing their feedback. It wasn’t just about selling drinks; it was about sharing a passion, educating people a little bit, and showing them something new and exciting. Seeing people genuinely enjoying what we had put together, that was the real payoff.
By the end of the week, we were all exhausted but buzzing. We had gone from just a loose idea to two thriving, packed events, all centered around a drink we all loved. It showed me that if you put your back into it, get a few good people together, and focus on delivering a real experience, you can make something special happen. Definitely didn’t miss out on this one. And honestly, I’m already thinking about what we can cook up next year.
