"When I first got to Sydney (six years ago) from the UK there wasn't much of a cocktail culture at all - so now it's really exciting."
And don't think cocktails are just for girls. British-born Collins says he sees more and more men ordering them.
"When I first got here a lot of guys thought drinking cocktails was quite feminine ... but it's not like that at all anymore. We sell a lot of Moscow Mules to business men and young guys."
A Moscow Mule, explains Collins, is a mix of Belvedere vodka and home-made ginger beer, served in a little masculine copper mug.
During summer there is an abundance of fruit in season such as pineapples, mangos and strawberries - perfect ingredients for plonking in a blender with a few other special liquids and whizzing into a delightful concoction.
Collins says summer has always been a popular time for drinking cocktails.
He recommends the refreshing Dark and Stormy - a mix of dark rum and ginger beer - for a hot summer evening.
Other favourites are the Tiki cocktails, says Collins, who likes to return to the original recipes from 1930's Hawaii.
"We've got a great drink called the Honolulu, which is a gin-based drink with orange juice and pineapple juice and bitters, which is shaken," he says.
"Also for summer you can't beat a classic Mai Tai, served in a pineapple or a Pina Colada served in a coconut."
Even if the weather isn't so steamy Collins says there is a cocktail for every occasion.
Try a Vespa martini, he says, which is two-parts vodka, one-part gin.
But if you're stuck for cocktail inspiration, Collins has provided his guide for cocktails for every occasion.
* Man offering a cocktail to a woman - "I think a classic daiquiri is a great drink," he says.
Another good ice-breaking drink to liven or lighten the mood is a Tiki cocktail or a champagne Bellini (champagne and peach juice or nectar).
* Woman offering a cocktail to a man - "Offering something that is light and easy to drink (girls) stand a good chance of hitting the mark - something like a Moscow Mule, because there is nothing in it to dislike. They are nice and easy to drink."
* Best fruity cocktail - "An Asian sling is one our all-time classics - it's nice and refreshing even in winter."
A mix of vodka, lychees, fresh ginger, apple juice and kaffir lime, shaken and served long over ice, Collins says it's perfect as an appetiser before a meal.
* Best creamy cocktail - "I don't think you can go past a Pina Colada," Collins says.
* Best citrus cocktail - "A classic margarita or a citrus sorbet gimlet, which is a twist on the 1800s classic which was originally gin and fresh lime. Zeta's version is citrus vodka, with homemade sorbet and fresh lime served straight up in a martini glass. Very zingy and fresh with a citrus kick."
* An aphrodisiac cocktail - "We've done a classic dry martini served with oysters. But we also do a strawberry and champagne martini, which would be a good one to do the ground work with."
Collins describes it as a strawberry martini with a layer of flavoured champagne bubbles, called an emulsion on top.
* Best mood-lifting cocktail - "Drinking a lot of alcohol is not going to be great for your mood so look for something uplifting - something fun, adventurous."
Collins says a Mai Tai, which is served with a sparkler in it would be good. Or a fun, deconstructed edible cocktail where cocktails are transformed into jellies and sorbets.
"Chat to the bar staff and get your mind off things," he says.
* Grant Collin's all-time favourite - "I'm a real classic sort of guy. I like my cocktail to be as classic as possible.
"I like a Vesper martini, (vodka shaken with Lillet Blanc - a vermouth - with a lemon twist in a martini glass) or a straight-up gimlet, made with Boodles British Gin that Ian Flemming and Sir Winston Churchill used to drink back in the '40s.
"In the summer I like a Tiki cocktail or a Dark and Stormy."
Australian lychee and mint muddle recipe
Use this delicious recipe for a basic lychee fruit punch, that can be served virgin, adult or as a frappe.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp caster sugar
20 fresh lychees, peeled and deseeded
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup of ice
750ml bottle of lemonade or bottle of sparkling wine
Method:
1 Blend sugar, 10 lychees with mint leaves and ice. Place into a large jug and top with lemonade. Halve remaining lychees and add to the mixture. Serve in chilled glasses.
2 To make an adult version of this muddle; simply replace lemonade with sparkling wine.
3 To make a frappe, blend sugar, 15 lychees, mint and 2 cups of ice. Place into a large jug and top with lemonade or sparkling wine.
- AAP
