BARTENDER'S RECIPE INSPIRED BY MUM'S COOKING

'Pie in a glass' wins national cocktail contest

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE

A WREXHAM bartender grew up loving his mum's apple and blackberry pies.

Alex Davies later developed an interest in alcoholic cocktails and, following a trip to the US, he hit on the idea of combining the two.

The 33-year-old has now made mum Shelly “proud as punch” by winning a national prize for his bourbon-based cocktail. The drink, called “How Mama Made It”, contains hints of apple and blackberry and is topped off with a mini pie.

He said the cocktail was inspired by the fruit trees he grew up surrounded by at the family home in Gwersyllt. Convinced he was onto something special, Alex went up against 60 bartenders in Hickory’s Smokehouse’s annual cocktail-making competition.

After three intense rounds, he made it to the final eight at The Whiskey Jar in Manchester, where his creativity and storytelling earned him top spot.

As well as earning himself a spot on Hickory’s national drinks menu, he won a trip to Kentucky - the home of bourbon.