A great vibe and good company are best accompanied by a good glass of bubbly or a perfectly mixed cocktail.
This festive season Sowetan caught up with a man who is well versed in mixing the perfect cocktail and he’s currently working with local whiskey brand Three Ships Whiskey to bring life to authentically South African cocktails.
Peter Lebese a.k.a the #Gintleman is a well-travelled mixologist who has worked in the US as well as trailblazed back home.
The 29-year-old Lebese says his stint abroad showed him that there is more to the hospitality industry than what South Africans think.
“When I was in America I saw bartenders that made a career out of bartending. They lived in really good houses and had beautiful cars and their kids were going to college, whereas in SA if you’re a bartender or a waiter you struggle to even pay for your kid’s school fees etc.”
Lebese says that what he learnt is to invest himself into it, which is how he came up with the varied approach to his career.
“When I came back I was like, I can either be a bartender or be a personality that works within this industry. So I’m showing that there is more to [the job] than just clocking in and clocking out. If you really want, you can make it a career.”
Lebese says you can even go into consulting for brands if you position yourself right.
The inspiration behind the signature cocktails he designed for Three Ships was easy (easy for people to replicate), while adding that distinctly South African flair.
“We just felt that the best way to go for it is to go the classic route; less is more. Our whole approach was how do we add one or two light elements to it that would resonate. So adding something that’s local but then keeping the drink super simple, like just having Three Ships whiskey with a koeksister sherry topped up with a bit of soda and then lemon twist. When you have this drink you have that little bit of nostalgia, you trigger those senses of local nostalgia,” he says.
Named Kasi Flame, Lemon Select, Pineapple Slinger, and Timeless 10, they roll off the tongue with words like "naartjie" and "saamie". You can try your hand at one of these cocktails with this recipe:
Kasi Flame
- 35-50ml Three Ships Whiskey Select
- Top with ginger ale
- Garnish with a naartjie wedge
Of course if you’d rather not make your own cocktails, you can head out in a safe manner to Marble in Rosebank, Aurum in Sandton and PDL Lifestyle in Pimville for ambiance, the Cradle Boutique Hotel in Lanseria for the view as well, to get some lovely drinks.
Here are some other cocktail recipes to try from the restaurant Tryn.
Caribbean Mule
25ml Reyka vodka
25ml Spytail Rum
50ml Bottings apple, lemon, ginger and ginseng
10ml Fresh lime juice
Sparkling water
Combine vodka, rum and ginger beer in a Hobstar glass filled with ice. Add lime juice. Stir gently. Add sparkling water and top up with crushed ice.
Garnish with lime
Tryn’s Mimosa
25ml Amaretto Disaronno
50ml Bottings peach and tarragon puree
50ml Orange juice
100ml Steenberg 1682 chardonnay brut mcc
50ml Sparkling water
Pour amaretto, Bottings peach and tarragon puree, and orange juice into a wine glass, add ice, then sparkling wine, stir lightly, then top up with sparkling water
Garnish with orange and rosemary.
