On Monday night, the wettest, windiest, flooded night in Newcastle I found myself sitting on the metro (!), battling with a broken umbrella and frizzy hair on my way to Rub Smokehouse – Newcastle at The Gate. I’d been invited as part of the Ellefluence Blogger event, to take part in their cocktail making and tasting showcase of all that Rub Smokehouse has to offer. The prospect of trying out the entire 2 for 1 Rub Smokehouse cocktail menu is quite possibly one of the only things that could make me venture out and brave both public transport and the elements on a bleak Monday night.

Rub Smokehouse cocktail night, Newcastle

There’s been an influx of restaurants it seems all over Newcastle at the moment, and up towards The Gate is no exception. Let’s be honest it was in need of it, and with Rub Newcastle, aka ‘Rub on the Tyne’, opening in October, it’s brought with it a lively atmosphere that was so desperately needed in there. Located on the second floor, the restaurant is the creation of three lads with a combined love of creating ‘epic’ food, alongside a lively party atmosphere.

Being a smokehouse, meat is heavily the focus, and quality meat at that. All their meat is sourced from Sykes House Farm, The Chefs Butcher near Wetherby, and they have a long standing relationship with them following the success of their restaurants in Birmingham and Nottingham. They’ve finally brought it up north.

Midori & Gin cocktail, Rub Smokehouse Newcastle

A full repertoire of Rub Smokehouse cocktail creations were on the menu for us this particular evening, and as we were taken inside and sat around tables in groups of six my first impressions of the place were how bright and colourful it is. It was a real carnival of colour throughout, even down to the details. My favourite detail were the Pinterest worthy stripy straws. We were introduced to the General Manager James, and award winning barman Joe who would be hosting the evening for us and taking us through their cocktail menu.

The 2 for 1 cocktail menu features the usual classics, but Joe explained the ‘Rub’ aim is to take these classics from the 60s and 80s and reinvent them, giving them a quirky twist. One by one and led by Joe, we ticked each one off the list, learning the unique ingredients that make up some of the well known favourites we all love. Old Fashioned’s, Cosmo’s, Bramble’s, Whiskey Sourz and Daquiri’s – I’m sure you know them well!

Midori & Gin cocktail, Rub Smokehouse Newcastle

Rub Smokehouse bramble

Rub Smokehouse cosmopolitan

Joe clearly knows his stuff and takes pride in his work, everything you need from a good barman – one that can tweak and adapts everyone’s go to cocktails and still come up with the goods. He’s recently won a global bartending award for one of his own creations at the Opihr Gin World Championships, so we were in good hands. It was a lot of fun trying them out for ourselves, and finding that actually it isn’t as easy as it might seem. It’s not a simple case of hoying a bunch of ingredients together, giving them a shake and pouring them into a pretty glass – AT ALL.

Rub Smokehouse cocktail night

As Joe ran through his instructions of measuring, pouring, shaking, adding ice, stirring, shaking again with more ingredients, pouring back out, serving up, and adding decoration – you still with me? – I was frantically trying to write down the correct order and timings. Who knew you actually have to let some cocktails ‘expand‘? Prior to this I didn’t! But you could tell the difference with a frothy top and a flat as a fart concoction let me tell you!

After attempting all the classics, Joe picked out some further cocktails off the extensive Rub menu for individual tables to try. Each one brought in spirits and liqueur’s of top notch quality from around the world. Disco inspired rum cocktails from the Caribbean, and Bubblegum flavoured Hemingway’s from Cuba both spring to mind, and really compliment the party, carnival, fun vibe delivered by the Rub Smokehouse brand.

At one point we were even challenged to create our own. Ours became a ridiculously sweet, desert cocktail with crumbled meringue and strawberry sauce topping. We named it the ‘Messy Rub’, given it’s resemblance to an Eton Mess (and the mess we left in our wake). I wish I could say it tasted as good as it looked – ha! Judge Joe was very kind in his summary ‘it’s beautifully presented’, aka ‘taste’s like crap’! But you know, this is why I’m a cocktail drinker not a cocktail maker!

We decided it was safer to leave it to the experts, and ordered some of our personal favourites from the bar. Two of my go to cocktails, a mojito on the sour side, and an espresso martini were pretty special!

Rub Smokehouse cocktail night

Rub Smokehouse mojito

Despite this event being all about the alcohol, we were given some amazing tasters of the food on offer. Pulled pork nachos, pigs in blankets and mini burgers made a very brief appearance before they were all whipped up by a hungry bunch of bloggers. I’ve since read their full food menu and honestly it sounds mouth watering. ‘Slow cooked brisket smoked over hickory and coated in JD BBQ Gravy’ anyone?!

I enquired about a Christmas menu as well, and was promised a festive selection of cocktails is on the cards and likely to be released very soon. Well, if you can’t over indulge on meat and alcohol in a fabulous atmosphere at Christmas when can you?

* A big thanks to Ellefluence for the invite, the fabulous bloggers I had the pleasure of spending the evening with, Rub Smokehouse for hosting us, and Joe for bringing his worldwide cocktail expertise to Newcastle!