The Chemistry Of Cocktails At TGI Friday’s Manchester

Using new and exciting ingredients, infusing techniques, and equipment that would be more at home in a science lab, T.G.I. Friday’s has launched a new range of refreshing cocktails offering a multi-sensory experience. Currently being offered exclusively in Manchester at Friday’s new Royal Exchange restaurant, which has one of the largest Friday’s bars in the world, these cocktails include everything from a Smoked Whisky Old Fashioned, Chili Peach Martini, and margaritas with trimmings of popping candy or salt foam.

Friday’s is known for creating legendary cocktails such as the Long Island Iced Tea as well as designing the classic Collins glass. Friday’s cocktails are made up of premium ingredients and created by some of the best bartenders in the industry. No one gets behind a Friday’s bar without at least 100 cocktail recipes committed to memory, some know over 500 by heart!

Adi Astley, T.G.I. Friday’s UK Head Bartender, who has sampled cocktails all over the globe to develop the range, commented: “Friday’s has always set the scene for cocktail development and we wanted to try something a bit different and add a little theatre to the cocktails that we serve to our guests. Since the opening of the new Manchester Royal Exchange restaurant we’ve already seen some of these cocktails top our sales charts, including the Popping Candy Strawberry Margarita.

“These cocktails take extreme skill to make and we only have our best bartenders serving them to our guests. It’s still early days, but if the success continues you may find these cocktails on the menu out at some of our other restaurants across the UK.”

Here are Adi’s top favourites from the new menu:

Adi says: “We wanted to go back to the classic martini but add a little showmanship. We’ve added the Vermouth to a vintage perfume atomiser to coat the gin.”

Fact: Alan Stillman, the founder of T.G.I. Friday’s was a perfume salesman and this cocktail pays homage to him.

Smoked Bacardi 8 Year Old Rum Mojito

Adi says: “There is a real trend at the moment for smoked spirits as it adds a wonderful oaky flavour to the drink. We smoke eight year old Bacardi Rum for an incredible taste experience.”

Fact: The Mojito is served in a Collins glass which was designed by T.G.I. Friday’s.

Other cocktails on the menu that might tickle your tastebuds include a Foamed Kir Royal, Brûléed Banoffee Martini, Salt Foamed Golden Margarita, Chilli Peach Martini and a Popping Candy Strawberry Margarita.

Friday’s other 53 restaurants around the UK will also be receiving a menu boost in October with an additional 20 cocktails to its already 500+ strong menu. The new cocktails include a range of refreshing martinis, fresh fruit cocktails, and skinny versions of Friday’s classics – all less than 100 calories. From a Skinny Long Island Iced tea to a Royaltini – fit for the Duchess of Cambridge, there really is something for all tastes.