Back to school, but it's ok because this one's all about gin and it's free

A Monday night typically isn't when I'd consider having a round of cocktails, let alone 12 shots of gin. But Alex Wrethman, the owner of Charlotte’s Bistro and host of Monday night Gin School, seems to disagree. He set up the free weekly meet for people to sample offerings from a range of different producers. It's certainly convinced me it's a great way to start the week.

From the second my friend and I stepped into the warmly lit bar we felt welcomed, despite a small moment of panic outside the door as to whether we'd dressed up enough for the quaint, smart-looking building. It didn’t take us too long to relax and come to the conclusion that Charlotte's is definitely the kind of place where it's acceptable to turn up wearing knitted jumpers and jeans (as we had done) for a nice drink with a small group of friends, or for dressing up and heading off on a date.

It was fairly quiet when we arrived so we took a seat in the bar area and within seconds a waitress welcomed us and brought over menus. It also didn’t take long for her to realise we were overwhelmed with the huge choice of drinks on offer. With no idea which cocktail to pick, much appreciated recommendations were being thrown at us from all angles!

In the end my friend opted for the Fantastic Mr Fox, which is a blend of Stone’s Ginger Wine, blood orange syrup, Colonel Fox gin & Charlotte’s bitters No.1 - a much coveted secret recipe. I tried the Gin and Tea Party cocktail, made simply of Green tea and Beefeater 24 bound together with lemon, sugar and rhubarb bitters. I should add were both delicious, although the latter would definitely be my recommendation!

People soon came pouring into the bar area and the Gin School. It was so popular people had to move up
into the restaurant area, which is separated only by a few small stairs, to take part from there. The fact there seemed to be a large amount of regulars turning up made it very clear it's a great place to return to, although after our delicious cocktails we'd already decided to come back with a group of friends.

At 5 on the dot Ian Hart, this week's specialist, began the rounds of Sacred Gin. I'd been a little bit worried it was going to be too much like school, listening to a few long talks and then trying the free tasters and feeling slightly awkward and on edge. After a few minutes though, I quickly realised I had nothing to worry about. It might be called a school, but it's in name only. I sat comfortably sipping the samples, and even though I’m sure they knew we were gin newbies, people constantly checked my friend and I were ok. This whole atmosphere meant I felt more than happy to ask questions and get involved.

Ian came over with small snippets of information about his home-run business, and although I feel as though the whole evening is aimed at gin aficionados and speakeasy fans with a bit more knowledge, which we definitely lacked, we didn’t feel as though they minded. What's really great is we left actually learning something, while still thoroughly enjoying ourselves.

It's definitely a fun night out, whether your a fan of gin or amateurs like us. I know I'll never look at another gin and tonic in the same way again! If you fancy taking part, here's a list of what's planned for April.

Shannon is a very proud British girl, with a love for a cup of tea and an evening curled up with her cats watching Notting Hill. You'll often find her dusting off the mud after a day with her unpredictable pony Rocky. A procrastinator, she spends most of her time practicing these skills as opposed to doing anything she's meant to be doing.