When you cannot step out of your home in emergency times, it is difficult to follow normalcy. Having a cocktail with your colleagues or friends is one of the activities that you can’t replace. However, you can still create a practical plan for an online happy hour, by inviting participants, making specific tools available to them, and then crafting cocktails on a video conference as a team.
A virtual happy hour is all about moving with a sense of fluidity. With the introduction of new trends and times, ways of organizing a conference have entirely changed. On a video calling app – like Zoom or Google Hangouts – it is impossible to work swiftly, but creating a detailed process for everyone can allow you to work effectively.
A cocktail-themed meeting, however, is not complete without the presence of a professional bartender. If you are a moderator, you can use a mobile bartending service to hire a party bartender or mixologist to teach the class. Since the pandemic has caused the bartending services industry to have a slow period, you currently have incredible talent at your fingertips.
Get started
Before you start organizing a virtual meeting to craft cocktails together, there are some things you need to do. If you are the moderator that is inviting everyone to the cocktail making class, make sure that you tell all participants the specific requirements they’ll need to fulfill before coming online. Send them a list of the specific items that they need to have as part of their “mini tool kit”…
Shaker tin, Cheater tin, Strainer, Fine strainer, Stir spoon, Jigger, Citrus press, etc.
The availability of all these items, and possibly others (depending on the specific drinks), allows proper cocktail crafting amongst the participants. Also, you’ll need ice, water, a knife, and a cutting board handy during the meeting. And don’t forget the ingredients for the specific drinks, which will likely include alcohols (from entry level to our favorite Remy Martin), liqueurs, fruits, syrups, and bitters.
Want a pro tip? If you find the right mixology company to lead your event, they can take care of all of the above for you, shipping all tools and other supplies to your participants in an impressive gift package!
What’s next?
Once you have sent the requirements to all the people taking part in the meeting, it’s time to decide the event date for everyone to come together. For the event, as a moderator or a co-host, you can also lay down specific details (such as goals as a team) to be included and incorporated. Once you get everyone on board, it is essential to let them know what to expect during the video meeting. To understand the flow of the entire event, let’s do a rundown of all you can include.
1. Ice-breaking session
Start with the ice-breaking session, where all the participants will introduce themselves. As a co-host, you can ask each individual about their preferences and background in mixology. Remember, sharing about yourself is one of the most important factors when you’re connecting as a team, so make the most of it.
2. Unbox the packages and prep the tools
Then move on to the packaging part, where everyone will be unboxing and cleaning their tools together. At this point, the mixologist you’ve hired should be able to explain the function of each tool, how they work, and why they’re used in the industry.
3. Review your recipe
Once all the participants have their tools prepped, it’s time to introduce them to their respective recipes. Being a moderator, it is essential to know that these types of meetings and classes are usually planned to promote one objective and bond with each other. So make it interesting and be creative while proceeding with this initiative. Pick accessible cocktail recipes that don’t require many technicalities.
4. Make your drinks
It’s now time for your bartender or mixologist to shine! As a moderator, support them to lead your team through the process of building an amazing cocktail. If they’re really good, they’ll do so with humor and fun, while teaching everyone the true skills they’ll need to put their mini tool kits to use, many more times in the future!
5. Sip and enjoy
Post-preparation, you can take a sip of your homemade cocktail and discuss the recipe and steps you followed. Talk about what it took to prepare the cocktail, and your amazing results in the glass. You can frame questions for one another and wait for everyone to take a sip, before answering the questions and coming together as a team.
Promote connection
The primary purpose of bringing everyone together to craft cocktails over a virtual meeting is to bond with each other. As a participant, you can ask questions about the crafting process and the ingredients used. Or you can simply enjoy the cocktails with each sip, and bond with the other members of your group. Either way, your result is sure to be delicious!
Author Bio: Rebecca Siggers is a full-time content marketing specialist. She has been closely following the wine and spirit industry trends for quite some time. She has dabbled in various domains before the lifestyle industry. On her off days, she likes to spend her time at the nearest vineyard, lift weights or be nose deep in a novel.