the mixer
There are sophisticated cocktails to be sipped slowly and there are cocktails designed to get you drunk. Shooters, of course, fall into the latter category - high-octane charges that are consumed in one gulp, at the drinker's peril. Too many, too fast and your evening is over. Made well and deployed sparingly, however, they can add a buzz to an occasion or kick off a party.
One of the most interesting shooter menus in town is that at a bar in Central named 65, which unsurprisingly draws a young clientele. Several of the drinks are made with Bacardi 151, which boasts 75.5 per cent alcohol - the strongest liquor in town barring medicinal alcohol, according to manager Jeffery Man.
The Puerto Rican rum can be mixed with cola and is the bar's speciality - empty bottles adorn the walls. The golden-coloured liquor works best in shots, though. These include the 65 Lemon Drop - packed with fresh lemon juice, the sharp bitterness of which softens the punch - and the Sunkist, a more lethal concoction in which gin, vodka, peach schnapps, passion fruit syrup and orange juice also feature.
'The Sunkist proved so popular we now serve it as a full cocktail, though it's very strong,' says Man.
Because of its high proof, 151 is easily flammable so is often used in flaming drinks. Customers at 65 like potent drinks, as the names of some of the bar's signature shooters reflect: Crazy Tea, a version of the Long Island Iced Tea; Liquid Cocaine, a mix of vodka, Bacardi 151 and Jagermeister; and Star Wars, a stomach-churning mix of spirits and liqueurs.
The Mixer recommends ignoring these teenage kicks in favour of the simpler shooters, such as the Lemon Drop, which can act as a freshener for weary revellers. If you want to experiment further, you could even freeze it for a zesty palate cleanser with a kick.
Try Man's cocktails (HK$60 to HK$70) and shooters (HK$55 to HK$70) at 65, 65 Wyndham Street, Central, tel: 2804 6333.
Sunkist
1/2 shot Bacardi 151
1/2 shot vodka
1/2 shot gin
1/2 shot peach schnapps
1 shot Monin passion fruit syrup
Orange juice, to top up
Shake all the ingredients over ice and pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with a wheel of lemon.
65 Lemon Drop (makes six shots)
3 shots Bacardi 151
11/2 shots fresh squeezed
lemon juice
11/2 shots sugar syrup
To make the sugar syrup, boil equal quantities of water and sugar for 10 minutes. Cool and keep in the refrigerator. Shake the rum, syrup and lemon juice together over ice and strain the mixture into six shot glasses.
