Mum's love of coffee inspires Ipswich cocktail entry to top competition

Every time Callum Hutchison, from newly opened cocktail lounge, the Gallery, on the Waterfront, smells coffee he recalls how his mum spurred his love of food and drinks.

Mr Hutchison, originally from Scotland, has spent a lot of lockdowns cut off from his family before joining the bar in June.

He said: "The smell of coffee is like being around her and being home and back together.

"She always has coffee before work and she was the one who first got me into it."

The 29-year-old hopes when he takes another trip home, he can make the Jacqueline - made of Scotch Whisky, another drink his mum got him into, Mr Black Coffee Liqueur, Fernet Branca and orange, cinnamon and nutmeg oleo - for his family.

"I wanted to create a drink using flavours that, for me, evoke the feelings of being home, the warming embrace of my loved ones and a place where I feel most at peace with the world," he explained.

His mum was a little "surprised" and honoured to hear about it.

The Halfway House (Image: Jack Coughlan)

Mr Hutchison, who moved to Ipswich to be nearer his girlfriend's family, also entered the cocktail-making competition to put his adopted town on the "cultural" nightlife map.

"You don't hear about cocktails or bars being on the map in Ipswich so to be able to do something like this is great and I hope it will draw people here," he said.

He and his manager, Jack Coughlan, want Ipswich residents' votes to win the Coffee Cocktail Challenge from drinks maker Mr Blacks and Youtuber Steve the Bartender.

Mr Coughlan also came up with the cocktail Halfway House, which draws inspiration from the Siciliano and a Negroni.

He hopes a win will put the Gallery and Ipswich on the map as a destination to visit.

If the Ipswich bartender duo is shortlisted then the Australian coffee company will put their cocktails in a book.

Voting is open till October 26.

To vote for the winning cocktails go here and here.