We had the terribly tough job of going around and compiling a list of our favourite pop-up places to drink during the fringe this August. Tripadvisor isn't great for suggesting non-permanent venues, so we thought we'd create our own, slightly biased list. Having been busy running our own pop-up, it’s taken us a little longer than hoped to get around them all but we’ve managed to give you our top picks for you to enjoy in the closing week of this year’s festival.

In alphabetical order:

Cocktail Kitchen @ The Food + Flea Market

The Cocktail Kitchen based at The Food + Flea Market is just off the Royal Mile. Ideal if you don’t want to have to fight crowds to get a drink but still want to be close to the action.  Run by Solid Liquids, who have some of the most experienced bartenders in the city, you can expect some amazing, refreshing delicious cocktails served with style.  Just check out one of their top sellers below. Soak up the atmosphere as you suck up a Frozen Salted Caramel Pina Colada through a paper straw #savetheturtles. Live music, tasty cocktails, what is not to love!? Definitely one of our favourites.

Great for: Live music, saving the turtles and Instagram snappers.

Mr Sippy’s Taptails

Our friend, ‘Mr Sippy’ is causing quite the stir with his ‘tap’tails. Cocktails on draft is nothing new, but having served our Raspberry Ripple from a  keg during this year’s Juniper Festival I can assure you, getting them to taste good, let alone phenomenal is quite the art. Mr Sippy is a master of this art and because the drinks are on draft you won’t be waiting long for your drink to be served. Also based at The Food + Flea Market, you really are spoilt for choice at this venue. The market is operated by the team from the pitt so if you’ve been down to Pitt Street before you’ll know just how good a day out at their venues can be.

Great for: Quick drinks, Pitt Lovers, drivers (yes, they do alcohol free taptails too!) Taps aff to that!

R33KERS @ Rag and Bone Barbershop

Obviously, our list wouldn’t be complete without our own pop-up in the mix. Minus 33 have teamed up with Peatreekers whisky to create their own pop-up bar in a BARbershop this Fringe. Operational barbers by day, illicit drinks lab by night. Located in between the Pleasance and Waverly, it’s an excellent pre-show/ post-show nightcap venue. With cocktail names inspired by haircuts, come and sample over six cocktails and see just how a barbershop can be transformed into a bar each night.

Great for: Gin and Whisky fans, Speakeasy bar fanatics, nightcaps

Sips In the City @ Niddry Street

We love a good pun – and just like their puns, their drink selection is great too. A wide range of drinks and an entry that has more than just cocktails. Cider fans will love this spot. Just off the Cowgate, it is a relaxing space to enjoy a few drinks and serves as a fantastic pre-fringe meeting spot too. Watch the world go by as you listen to live music and indulge in the odd Jaeger bomb.

Great for: cider lovers, jaeger bombers, live music aficionados.



Tanqueray Gin Garden

Tucked away behind 56 North, a UK leading Gin Bar, is the Tanqueray Secret Gin Garden. Ideally situated for George Square, each year a vacant parking lot is transformed into an amazing gin garden. With slushy and regular cocktails complimented by a fantastic menu from the bar, you can spoil yourself with an array of cocktails and nibbles. Great atmosphere and managed by a top Edinburgh venue, you know you’ll get knowledgeable staff who know just what drink you’ll like the most….you can always pop inside if it’s raining and enjoy a Minus 33 as well…so there is that!

Great for: slushy fans, people fed up with long queues in George Square, going inside for some Minus 33s ;-P

Try them all out and let us know what you think. Likewise, if you find a hidden gem, let us know and we can add it to our to do list.

What the juice is in that sachet?

Is it a bird, is it a plane, is it something you’d find in your grandma’s underwear drawer? Wait, what!?! No, no and a resounding NO to all the above.

Despite it’s rather alternative appearance, that little white sachet is actually the best way to deliver our fresh little gift to you. Yes, gift, we are nice like that. Free delivery, (check) cool packaging (check) and now a little gift?( Check)  We like going the extra mile, it's in our veins (along with that healthy dose of Minus 33 we consumed earlier).

So what is this gift and how do you use it?

Inside the sachet is a handful of dried hibiscus petals. 

Geek alert: Hibiscus (/hᵻˈbɪskəs/ or /haɪˈbɪskəs/) is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. (Yes we stole that from Wikipedia)

Now some of you may be familiar with hibiscus in syrup, used to add some colour and sweetness to champagne/ prosecco. The idea behind our inclusion of this sachet in each pack is not too dissimilar....

Where possible, we love to jazz up our drinks with simple, natural add-ons and a 33 & T should be no different. Just add one or two petals to your low-calorie gin and tonic to bring a nice rich, wholly natural, pink colour to your marvellous creation. It works with a variety of cocktails too.

Does it change the flavour?

As part of a cocktail it won’t have much effect, in strong concentrations it can add a surprisingly pleasant sour flavour, but unless you let it steep in just the spirit, by itself, it shouldn’t change the taste of your drink. So use it sparingly after adding your mixer.

What more can you tell us about Hibsicus?

Not only does it add to the visual appeal of a cocktail, Hibiscus is reported to have health benefits as well. We’ll leave those claims to the doctors and researchers, after all, we are adding it to alcohol - so we can't take the medical high ground here. But everything from lowering blood pressure, to aiding weight loss and potential anti-cancer properties (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15922006) have been linked with this awesome flower. 

All we know is it looks great! So next time add a sprinkle and enjoy.

Order yours here