The Grotto, the writer's collective of which I am fortunate to be a member, was paid a visit by the ever charming and convivial Tim Warrilow of Fever-Tree. Fever-Tree is a new English brand of mixers that uses natural botanicals and flavourings (my nod to the Brits) and less sugar. The desire to start this company came from the experience that Fever-Tree's founders had in running Plymouth Gin (SF's favorite artisanal brand these days), a lovely and complex product that is easily—as any good gin is—desecrated by bad tonic.



Fever-Tree tonic water is so much better than almost anything on the market that you'll have trouble consuming a standard G&T ever again. It was good to have this reaffirmed last week, though I was also keen to sample the company's other mixers—ginger ale, bitter lemon and soda. All were very fine and worthy of even the most refined gins, vodkas, whiskeys, rums, piscos or whatever you want.



And it was nice to see the writers around the Grotto step out for a little late-afternoon drinking. I know, you'd expect that, in an office of writers, tippling would be a regular occurrence—the earlier the better. Not so, my friend. These writers are so professional and so parental that it's not easy to get even a taste of wine in them. I guess that's my job.