How to get bar quality drinks at home during lockdown 2.0

Bars may be shut right now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t drink in style at home.

And if you’d rather leave the bartending duties to the experts, you’re in luck – because you can get top tipples delivered to your door (or available to collect) throughout lockdown 2.0.

Here’s a few to try, from canned cocktails and freshly poured draught beer to frozen margaritas and live wine tastings.

Fuller-Fat Old Fashioned in a bottle from Hawksmoor

We love their luxury meal kits, and now Hawksmoor has now expanded its ‘at home’ range with the launch of Cocktails at Home, available to order for nationwide deliveries from their online shop.

The range features four bottled and four canned cocktails and includes signature classics such as Fuller-fat Old Fashioned alongside new drinks such as a grown up take on the ‘80s classic – 20/20 Cosmo. Bottled cocktails serve two and are £48 for a set of all four, while canned cocktails are available as a set of four for £28.

Live virtual wine tastings with Grape to Grain

With branches in Prestwich and Ramsbottom, Grape to Grain delivers winning wines to your door – and live virtual tasting experiences with a focus on fun.

Choose a session and the amount of each wine you’d like (from a 100ml taster to a full bottle), then the lovely people at Grape to Grain will deliver the selection directly to your door prior to the live tasting, with national delivery available for a small fee and free delivery for many Greater Manchester postcodes. I Love MCR readers can get a special discount, too!

Cocktails for collection at Ducie Street Warehouse

Gethin Jones, Ducie Street Warehouse’s bar manager, has created a range of cocktails which you can order for collection. At 75cl, each one has enough for 10 servings – ideal for a lockdown night in.

Cocktails include the Sazerac Blanc, an indulgent take on the New Orleans classic, including Hennessey Very Special, cacao Blanc, absinthe, oak honey, and creole bitters washed with white chocolate; the smoky Paradise Islay, featuring Ardbeg 10; and After Hours, a tart and fruity take on the classic Martini. All cocktails can be ordered online and collected at the Gooey kiosk, Thursday – Sunday.

Draught beer and schnapps from Albert’s Schloss

Drink and dine Alpine, with food and booze from Albert’s Schloss delivered to your door in Manchester city centre and beyond thanks to Deliveroo.

You can order freshly poured draught beer from their Bier Liste, alongside cans, cocktails, wine and homemade schnapps – plus hearty food including kebabs, wursts, burgers and schnitzels.

Frozen margaritas and other cocktails from Escape To Freight Island

The team at Escape to Freight Island has now introduced Escape FROM Freight Island – their brand new home delivery and click-and-collect service.

As well as huge pizzas, top tacos and brilliant burgers, you can also get drink packages from the Platform Bar including good cocktails (we love the frozen margaritas), beer, wine and soft drinks.

Booze bundles (and 22″ pizzas) from Common

Order before 6pm to chong on a bundle of @deyabrewery Steady Rolling Man + a bundle of 22 inch Nell’s Pizzas to your doorhttps://t.co/DlPTaPZRyG pic.twitter.com/omrTVjRZ41

— Common (@common_bar) November 12, 2020

If you live within an M1, M2, M3 or M4 postcode, the team behind recent ‘Slicegate’ sensation Nell’s will come and drop off a very definitely substantial 22″ pizza – alongside a new addition of booze bundles – right on your doorstep.

Booze bundles include cans from the elusive Deya Brewing, Manchester’s finest from Track (and more), natural wines and canned cocktails, and you can order via their app.

Bloody Mary delivered from Your Buddy Mary

Your Buddy Mary, the brainchild of local food and beverage coordinator Simon Burgess, will deliver everything you need for the perfect hangover-busting Bloody Mary to your door.

They’ve created their own bold, balanced and medium spiced signature mix called ‘About Bloody Time’ with the option to add extra Tabasco, horseradish sauce and garlic pepper as well as garnishes.

Restaurant wines at retail prices from Sam’s Chop House

Sam’s Chop House is still not able to reopen. But you don’t need to miss out on their wealth of experience, with a new wine club offering guided online events, vineyard visits with expert guides, and of course the chance to buy world-class wines.

And when it comes to trying the top wines at home, monthly wine subscriptions offer you the chance to try new wines every month, hand-chosen by the Chop House sommeliers. At retail prices, rather than restaurant prices.

Gin by post from Nautilus Smugglers Club

Gin fan? Offering subscriptions from £45, Bolton’s Simon Sharp, or the Captain as his customers have started to refer to him, will drop off his cargo on your doorstep if you live in the North West: a bottle of the craft gin of the month, some high-quality mixers, garnishes specially chosen for the gin, and tasting notes, all in a nautically themed package.

Simply choose whether you’d like the delivery every one, two or three months.

Spanish wines from Evuna

The restaurant is temporarily closed, but Evuna is still offering the finest selection of Spanish wines on its online shop.

All of the wines are vegan, organic and sourced from independent, family-run wine makers so you can snuggle up and relax with a delicious tipple.