John takes requests from friends of The Sun Tavern. Hear Miles Kane, Carl Barât, Brix Smith and more, picking their tunes to get us through lockdown.
Author: atadmin
test
The DSC Show – ep30 Lockdown Mix
John introduces an extended mix to get you through lockdown with big, big tunes from start to finish, reminding us all of of those DSC nights.
The Sun Tavern Show – ep32
Mark & John pay tribute to Andrew Weatherall and play tracks by The Waitresses, Van Morrison, The Beta Band and many more.
The DSC Show – ep28
Hear songs from The Temptations, Billy Garner, Salt and more, while John tells of Jamaican influence on Hip-Hop, and The Marvelettes influence on The Beatles.
Nothing But The Plum – Guest Cocktail – DSC
March’s guest sees us collaborate with Empirical Spirits who’s expertise lies in super-artisanal, and sometimes seemingly, off-the wall spirits. Nothing But The Plum is based upon their liquid, The Plum, I Suppose, which leans heavilly on the addition of plum kernel, giving a nuanced marzipan appeal. A tart fruity kick is gained from White Vermouth and a milk washed plum jus brings yet more fruit and an added creamy mouth feel.
Nothing But The Plum – Empirical Spirits ‘The Plum, I Suppose’, White Vermouth, Milk Washed Plum Jus
The Sun Tavern Show – ep31
John & Mark get a little festive a seasonal tune from Eels amongst cuts from The Stones, Wanda Jackson, Father John Misty and many more, whilst taking tangents about the Multiverse.
The DSC Show – ep27
A slightly under the weather John plays tunes by Stevie Wonder, Etta James, Them Two and many more from the Soul & Funk spectrum.
The Sun Tavern Show – ep30
John and Mark play tunes from The Viagra Boys, Serge Gainsbourg & The Big O amongst others, while comparing and contrasting Cream and some pretenders to their throne.
INFINITY GIMLET – GUEST COCKTAIL – DSC
February is the lover’s month and our guest, Infinity Gimlet, is a sharing cocktail best paired with a partner. With not one, but two of Sipsmith’s fine gins – their London dry gin and their sloe gin – which are brought together with our secret infinity cordial. The perfect start, end or middle to Valentine’s Day, but be sure to book – bookings@discountsuitcompany.co.uk.
Infinity Gimlet – Sipsmith London Dry Gin, Sipsmith Sloe Gin, Infinity Cordial
DSC 6th Birthday New Menu Launch
15th of January marked our sixth birthday and to celebrate we launched a new menu. A lot has happened since we first opened our doors, but our passion for forgotten classics with our own twist of modernity is unerring, and as much was to be found from our eight new friends gracing the cocktail list.
Dry January was seemingly a mere myth as the bar was full from 6pm with customers, friends, and family alike, all sampling the fruits of our labours. The guys behind the stick worked at a heady pace to keep the customer satisified, and that they did!
By the time our resident DJ hit the decks playing our signature sounds of Funk ‘n’ Soul, the revellers were ready to let loose – there were certainly some bears with sore heads the next morning.
Check out the cocktails below….or join us to try them in the basement!
Whipping Boy – Ocho Blanco Tequila, Lillet Rosé, Citrus, Olive Brine, Agave
Cockney Touch – Dewar’s 2yr Whisky, Fino Sherry, Citrus, Bitter Grapefruit Syrup, Club Soda
Hug Me Not – Seven Tails Brandy, Akvavit, Acorn, Maple, Umbrella Brewing Sparkling Cider
Burn Baby Burn – guest cocktail – dsc
Leaning heavily on Kamm & Sons Islay Cask (that’s Kamm & Sons which has been rested in an Islay Whisky cask for three months). We’ve paired that up with some Dewar’s 12yr, sweet vermouth, honey, and bitters to give us a brimming, bold concoction to loosen the lips – after all it is Burns’ Night on the 25th.
Burn Baby Burn – Kamm & Sons Islay Finished Aperitif, Dewar’s 12yr Whisky, Sweet Vermouth, Honey, Bitters
Nakatomi Fizz – Guest Cocktail – DSC
December’s Guest Cocktail pays homage to everyone’s favourite Christmas film – Die Hard. Named after the tower where the film is set, we’ve collaborated with Ford’s Gin to bring a Christmas twist to the evergreen Gin Fizz. The secret to the festive spin is our Yippe-Kai-Yay Syrup, which leans on seasonal staples, cranberry, cardamom, and nutmeg to bring the yuletide spirit. Stop by for a glassful of Christmas cheer.
Nakatomi Fizz – Fords Gin, Citrus, Yippee-Kai-Yay Syrup, Fizz
The DSC Show – ep26
Fast & Loose – Guest Cocktail – DSC
November’s guest comes courtesy of Woodford Reserve just in time for Old Fashioned Week. Fast & Loose is an Old Fashioned of sorts which hones in on the spicier notes of Woodford Reserve Bourbon and compliments them with the ginger beer syrup made from our very own Umbrella Brewing ginger beer.
Old Fashioned Week lasts from 1st November to 10th November (we know, people are becoming quite liberal with the term WEEK!), but Fast & Loose will be available for the whole month, so you’ve got no excuse!
Fast & Loose – Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Pimento Dram, Umbrella Brewing Ginger Beer Syrup, Abbott’s Bitters
DSC X FORDS GIN X BALDERDASH
Discount Suit Company are taking a trip with their friends at Fords Gin. 25th October sees them leave their Spitalfields basement and head due East to takeover Copenhagen’s champions of whimsy and wonder, Balderdash.
Two signature Martinis from Discount Suit Company and Fords Gin will be served along with some of Discount Suit Company’s greatest hits from menus past, all gin based, naturally. Oysters will be shucked on the house for attendees.
Serenidad – Guest Cocktail – DSC
We teamed up with the folks at Patron Tequila for October’s Guest Cocktail – Serenidad. As the Spanish word for serenity, it uses traditionally calming ingredients; lemon balm, chamomile & eucalyptus all making an appearance.
The Serenidad has been created especially for LCW and is available for just £6 to Festival Pass Holders between October 3rd – 13th, but as our guest for the month, you’ve ample time to check it out. Get your LCW pass now.
Serenidad – Patron Silver Tequila, Lemon Balm, Chamomile & Eucalyptus Honey, Citrus.
Halloween Ripper Tour at DSC
Discount Suit Company is plumb in the middle of Jack The Ripper’s infamous hunting ground of yesteryear, so we’re teaming up once more with the award winning London Walks – proprietors of THE Jack The Ripper Tour.
All Hallows’ Eve sees the return of our Jack The Ripper Tour. It will commence at Discount Suit Company, 29a Wentworth Street, where you’ll receive a hot punch upon arrival, to warm your cockles before you embark on your amble
You’ll then slalom the backstreets of Whitechapel and Spitalfields, guided by Simon Whitehouse, a blue badge holder and mentored by Donald Rumelow – “the leading authority on Jack The Ripper”.
You’ll learn of both, Jack’s exploits and the bungled investigations that followed. The tour will conclude at Discount Suit Company, where you can digest all you’ve taken in with a Jack The Ripper themed cocktail – the Gin soaked Saucy Jack.
Saucy Jack – Gin, Amontillado Sherry, Blackberry Syrup, Citrus, Bitters
There tour starts at 18:45 and lasts approximately 90 mintes. Tickets are £20 Sterling, inclusive of two cocktails and the walking tour itself, so wrap up warm and spare not the horses squire!
Book yourself in here.
The Sun Tavern Show – ep29
Yorkie – Guest Cocktails – DSC
We’ve collaborated with the good people at Victory to put together our guest serve for the month of September, with both their gin and bitters range featuring heavily.
We’ve decided to call the new kid on the block Yorkie, and it’s a heady mixture of Victory Gin, Victory Bitter, cacao liqueur, citrus, with an added kick thanks to a dash of strawberry & black pepper syrup.
The perfect autumnal sipper to see you through September. It’s available all month long at £8.50 a pop.
Yorkie: Victory Gin | Victory Bitter | Cacao Liqueur | Citrus | Strawberry & Black Pepper Syrup.
The DSC Show – ep25
El Pájaro – Guest Cocktails – DSC
We collaborated with Ocho Tequila as we entered the sweltering month of August with a refreshingly cool customer which we christened El Pájaro (‘the bird’).
Ocho’s Blanco Tequila was firmly at the base of this libation, to which we added Grapefruit & Umbrella Brewing Cider Sherbet, Citrus, and a generous splash of Tonic.
Feast your eyes on our fair-feathered friend below.
El Pájaro – Ocho Tequila Blanco | Grapefruit & Umbrella Brewing Cider Sherbet | Citrus | Tonic.
Subterranean Summer at DSC
This August, Tequila Ocho are teaming up with Discount Suit Company and another four of East London’s best basement bars to bring you their Subterranean Summer, just when you need a little respite from the sun (and some of that sweet AC!).
Participants can claim one Ocho Tequila cocktail per bar for just £5 throughout the whole month, and with the menu-cum-checklist you can cross off the serves from each of the bars as you sip your way through them. Those who manage to get a stamp from all 5 can claim a free cocktail for their endeavour, at whichever of the bars they desire.
DSC’s offering is their twist on a Paloma, El Pájaro -Ocho Blanco Tequila, Grapefruit & Umbrella Brewing Cider Sherbet, Citrus, Tonic
The other bars involved are Spitalfields duo, Bar Three & Hawksmoor Bar; Ruby’s Bar & Lounge in Dalston; and London Bridge’s Nine Lives.
There’s no sign up required, just go to any of the participating bars and ask for their Subterranean Summer serve, they’ll do the rest.
June Whisk(e)y Cocktails at TST
Speyside-based Glenfiddich were next up under the spotlight, as our monthly Whisk(e)y Cocktails initiative marched on into June.
Their iconic 12-year lay at the base of our daring duo of bespoke serves. One of the world’s best-selling and most-awarded malts, the famous triangular bottle is a fixture in practically every bar on the globe, so we’d like to think we’re dab hands at getting the most out of it.
The liquid boasts a unique freshness thanks to the Highland spring water that they’ve used since 1887, and – since it is carefully matured in the finest American and European oak sherry casks for at least 12 years before being mellowed in oak marrying tuns – it boasts distinctively sweet and subtle oak flavours.
Creamy with a long, smooth and mellow finish, this 12-year old is the perfect example of Glenfiddich’s unique Speyside style, and is widely proclaimed the best dram in the valley.
Our two-strong cocktail list – and our iconic beer ‘n’ a bump was available all month long, 7 days a week, at £7.50 a pop. If you missed out, never fear – we’ve got a brand new cocktail list for July featuring the fittingly light and vibrant Nikka Days Blend.
Check out last month’s line up below:
Robbie Dhu – Glenfiddich 12yr | Orange | Citrus Lemon Grass | Umbrella Brewing Ginger Beer.
Pink Stag – Glenfiddich 12yr | Rinquinquin | Bitter Orange | Citrus | Peach.
Loco Nouveau – Guest Cocktails – DSC
July’s guest cocktail here in Spitalfields is this smooth customer, which we’ve dubbed Loco Nouveau.
This month, we’ve collaborated with Haiti’s best kept secret in the form of Clairin. For those not in the know, it’s found in the island’s most remote parts, and it’s a highly artisanal eaux-de-vie that shares multiple similarities to white agricole rhums whilst retaining its own character.
And now we’re bringing it to the streets of east London at the base of this serve, to which we’ve added some Basil Dolin Blanc, Absenteroux, Menthe Blanche and a dash of White Cacao to create a heady, surprisingly sophisticated libation.
It’s available all month long at £6.50, so why not come and say anchante before it packs it’s bags?
The Sun Tavern Show – ep28
May Whisk(e)y Cocktails at TST
Venerable old bourbon distillers, Jack Daniel’s, were next to be featured in The Sun’s Whiskey-based serves as we arrived in the warmer climes of May.
Their Tennessee Rye is the first bottle they have dropped since the dark days of Prohibition and – in our humble opinion – it was well worth the wait.
It’s made up from 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley, and is put through the same charcoal filtration process as Jack Daniel’s iconic, instantly-recognisable bourbons.
The result is a mellow and sweet whiskey that’s enlivened with distinctive rye spice. With all that in mind, we placed a hearty measure of it at the base of each of our two whiskey serves in May. It also formed the kick in our trademark ‘beer ‘n’ a bump’, available at £6.
Our daring duo were available all month long, 7 days a week, at £7.50 a pop. If you missed out, never fear, there’s a refreshed menu every single month.
Click here to be directed to The Sun Tavern Calendar, where you can get the low-down on all that whisk(e)y-soaked goodness as it happens.
Stick ‘Um Up – Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye | Bán Poitín | Fourpure Easy Peeler IPA | Banana | Citrus.
Kansas City – Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye | Pomegranate Sherbet | Umbrella Brewing Cider | Citrus | Club Soda.
The DSC Show – ep24
April Whisk(e)y Cocktails at TST
We had a brand new Whiskey Cocktails lineup down in Bethnal Green for April, last time out featuring Buffalo Trace’s iconic bourbon.
They have a strong claim to the title of oldest bourbon distillery in the world. Their Frankfort hub opened its doors all the way back in 1792, which means they’ve probably had enough time to learn a thing or two about making a pretty good whisky.
The result of their centuries of labour and refinement is a smooth, high-quality all-rounder with hints of vanilla, barrel char and spicy complexity.
We placed it firmly at the foundation of our two-strong cocktail list, as well as in our trademark ‘beer ‘n’ a bump’, available at £6.
Our daring duo were available all month long, 7 days a week, at £7.50 a pop. If you missed out, never fear – we’re welcoming another member of the bourbon royal family in the form of Jack Daniels to town in May.
Here’s a tantalising review of what we had on offer across April:
What’s The Story – Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Reisling Syrup, Fennel Salt, Citrus, Club Soda.
Red Dog – Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Ruby Port, Toasted Pineapple, Coconut, Lime, Umbrella Brewing Ginger Beer.
Italian Stallion – Guest Cocktails – DSC
May 4th is more than a holiday for Star Wars fans.. it’s also the day where the sounds of rumbling hooves fill the air and plenty of bourbon fills punters’ glasses – the grand ol’ Kentucky Derby.
And our guest for this month is heavily inspired by the heady atmosphere, iconic scenes, and trademark Mint Julep tins of this most famous of American horse races – and also has an eye firmly trained on Mint Julep day which falls on 30th of this month.
To that end, we’ve put some Woodford Reserve Rye at the base of this libation – and topped it up with Italian twists a-plenty in the form of Amaro Montenegro and Chinotto Cordial, with Black Walnut Bitters and Club Soda to cap it all off nicely.
It’s available all month for £6.50 as per tradition. Have yourself a gander below:
Italian Stallion – Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey, Amaro Montenegro, Chinotto Cordial, Black Walnut Bitters, Club Soda.
Paddy’s Day 2019 @ TST
On 17th March we celebrated Irish Christmas for the fifth consecutive time here in Bethnal Green.
We spent the evening honouring the man who helped rid the motherland of snakes… and drinking a fair bit of the pure drop to boot.
We opened our doors at midday and spirits were immediately raised as high as our glasses thanks to live musical sounds courtesy of a traditional ceilidh band.
Come the evening our favourite shucker, Oyster Boy, was on hand once more to add some sustenance to the night ahead.
He was dishing out the Oysters for nothing, taking a break from his regular vending activities down Columbia Road, Broadway Market and Leyton Food Market, to bring a bit of East London tradition to the table.
On top of this, for this year’s celebrations we teamed up with the lads from Slane to create three whiskey-soaked cocktails – which included some of our favourite serves from times past.
Predictably, they all went down a treat and the pure drop was flowing like the Shannon come sundown.
Then came the main event, as none other than Suggs from Madness took to our decks with an eclectic rock ‘n’ roll set that kept spirits Himalayan ‘til the wee hours.
All in all, a great night full of good craic and plenty of good vibes.. resulting in more than one Monday morning hangover we’ll wager.
Hope to see you all down at The Sun next time round!
March Whisk(e)y Cocktails at TST
Our new Whisk(e)y Cocktails initiative continued on into March, and last month we welcomed Taiwanese Whiskey producers, Kavalan, to Bethnal Green.
Established in 2005, Kavalan is Taiwan’s first whiskymaker and the nation’s only family-owned whisky distillery. Kavalan takes the old name of Yilan county where the distillery is located in northeastern Taiwan.
The pure water and fresh air make this part of the subtropical island the ideal environment for the production of whisky.
For our bespoke whiskey list, available at £7.50 a go, we shone the spotlight on their flagship Single Malt – lively, clean and floral with characteristic hints of mango juice on the finish.
Have a browse of our lineup below and see what you reckon:
Swede Manhattan – Kavalan Single Malt, Cocchi Torino, Angostura Amaro & Chestnut.
Yilan – Kavalan Single Malt, Suze, White Port & Lemon.
Tiki Taiwan – Kavalan Single Malt, Pineapple, Orgeat, Lime & Merlet Pear.
I Can’t Think of A Name – Guest Cocktails – DSC
April’s guest cocktail is this rather mysterious fella, which we’ve decided to imaginatively call ‘I Can’t Think of A Name’.
Featuring a healthy dose of H by Hine at its foundation, this libation is then made up of a glug of Cocchi Americano, Suze, Creme de Menthe, Cherry Shrub, Club Soda, and some sharp citrus to cut through those strong, decadent notes.
It’s available all month for £6 as per tradition. Have yourself a gander below:
