Simone Caporale: P(our) (London)

Simone Caporale is one of the Founders of P(our) in London. He makes us two cocktails, one with gin and Italicus and the second with Tequila and Sparkling Wine.

Simone introduce yourself
My name is Simone Caporale and I am an Italian in London. I started my career in Como Italy in 2003 but quickly moved to London, ten years ago with 2000 euros in my pocket. For me, it was the capital of cocktails where I could learn a lot. I started as a bartender as Roast in Borough Market. Later I joined the Artesian in Langham and work with Alex Kratena for nearly 6 years. There I won the title of Best Bartender of the year at Tales of the Cocktails in 2014 and with the Artesian’s team World Best Bar, 4 years in a row. At the same time, I work on a TV program with Jamie Oliver for 2,5 years showing people how to make cocktails at home and having fun. After quitting the Artesian, we created a consulting agency for bars with Alex Kratena and Monica Berg. Recently we launched together Muyu Liqueur. Right now I travel the world spending time between masterclasses and my job as a bartender consultant.
Regarding P(our) it’s the result of a decision taken in 2015 between 3 bartenders: Monica Berg, Alex Kratena and myself. The idea was to create an annual symposium where the mains topics and themes are generally a tabu for most of brands or institutions. The two mains goals are: create awareness and utilise the monetary donation received annually for a charity project to whom is related directly or not to the bar industry.

The classic you want to show us
Like You None Else
35ml of Gin with Hops
15ml of Italicus Liqueur
25ml of Fresh Lime Juice
10ml of Simple Syrup

The bar you dream of
My dream bar must be in a medium-size city, not bigger than 3 million people. It would be a small bar with less than 20 seats. Guests can only consume 2 cocktails maximum and the payment occurs only digitally, no cash. The rest I will tell
you once is opened 😉

What do you do in your time off
When I’m at home, I like to read books on botanicals, marketing, design, communica­tion. Otherwise, I like to harvest seeds, mostly citrus ones.

The spirit you like the most
I like all the spirits because they are all different. So I have no preferences for particular spirits in cocktails.

What makes a good cocktail
Technically, it’s using good ingredients and the person that makes the cocktail having good awareness. The non-technical part is how you make a person feel, that can really change the flavour of a drink. The taste of the drink is connected to memories, the mood, the environment. It’s easy to make a good drink, it’s easier to make it taste bad.

What ingredient do you enjoy using in cocktails
Right now I have developed an edible formula for making bubbles on top of cocktails and drinks. Previously some bars were using soap, which is something I wouldn’t be proud of. The ingredient for making a bubble is actually obtained from the coconut and it resists the different surface tension from most of the cocktails. Bartending also means this to me; not necessarily making a new drink but finding a creative solution which can be applied to a drink and perhaps in other fields. You create the bubble with the Flavour Blaster with a little water and sugar. The bubble is full of a flavoured vapour you’ve selected, and when the bubble bursts it’s the first scent a person will experience from the drink, just like the one I created on my signature cocktail for this interview.

The signature cocktail you want to show us
Nostrano Spritz
15ml of Tequila
30ml of Italicus Liqueur
15ml of Fresh Pomelo Juice
15ml of Fresh Lemon Juice
5ml of Simple Syrup
50ml of Sparkling Wine
The bubble is made with the Flavour Blaster

Where do you think we need to go to interview another bartender
There are plenty of great bars in countries that are not in the spotlight right now and their palates have developed in a very special way. For example, you should visit the whole of Latin America. In that region, there are eager bartenders who want to rescue the right of doing something good in the bar, despite the stereotypes of working in the hospitality industry, as it’s seen as a “lesser” job compared to other professions. It’s when a person is in this kind of uncomfortable zone, that real magic can happen!

Thank you to Christina Monaco, No Entry and Italicus for letting us do this interview during Simone’s guest shift.

This is our last interview before our summer break. Have a fab summer and see you for our next interview on the 5th of September. Stay safe, enjoy the holidays and Cheers/Sante

5 Comments

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