The BYOC team have recently opened up their newest bar in Camden so we decided to go along and take a look. The concept has been successfully proven in their Covent Garden and Brighton branches and now North Londoners can join the BYOC bar revolution.
The concept is simple, you bring a bottle of spirit of your choice and the bartenders will whip up a range of exciting cocktails crafted to suit your exact tastes and preferences. A two-hour slot is £25, which should get you plenty of bar time with the incredible cocktail experts. There is no alcohol on the premises and no bar menu but you only need to worry about picking your favourite spirit for the night and the venue will take care of the rest.
One thing I absolutely loved was their vegetable cocktails and trust me, they taste a lot better than they sound! Personally, I love cocktails but get put off by the sugary syrups and juices that they contain. The vegetable cocktails had a hint of sweetness but their fresh and unique flavor combinations more than made up for the lack of fruit and sugar. Unusual ingredients like artichoke bitters, yellow pepper juice and fresh rosemary were blended with ginger, cucumber, citrus fruits and of course the spirit, which in this case was vodka. But if this isn’t your bag, just tell your skilled bartender what is, and they’ll craft something suitable just for you, whether you love passionfruit, ginger beer or mint.
All of their ingredients including the juices, herbs, fruits and vegetables are extremely fresh which shines through in the cocktails but what really stands out here is the bartenders’ finely tuned palates and ability to craft such personalized, delicious cocktails. The flavours are distinctive but delicate, and each cocktail recipe has the ability to wow, with its bold ingredients.
The bar is themed like a casino with several stand-alone games tables serving as bars. It has an old-time 1920s classic feel to it and the bar tenders dressed in sequins and bow ties only add to this. It would make a perfect week-night out with friends but would also suit any special occasion. BYOC is a great experience, which ultimately comes down to enjoying incredible cocktails in a fabulous environment.
Bookings are essential, for more information visit their website: www.byoc.co.uk
