I was recently introduced to this cocktail at the lobby bar in The London Edition. I recalled from previous visits that the bartenders there are fantastic mixologists, and I asked for something off menu. After a large fanfare of measuring, shaking, and pouring, the bartender handed me an East 8 Hold Up - a delicious cocktail with a rather amusing story.

The east 8 hold up in a glass with purple flowers and pineapple wedges.

This cocktail has a vodka base with passion fruit syrup and fresh pineapple. It is fruity, refreshing, tangy, and bitter-sweet. The lobby bar's bartender said that the key to making their version extra-tasty is to use pieces of fresh pineapple rather than juice. So that's exactly what we're going to do!

The East 8 Hold Up was created in 2010 in London by Kevin Armstrong of Milk & Honey. He lived in an area of London called E8 that had its share of unsavoury characters, and muggings were common. After a night out, Kevin parted ways with friend Sam Jeveons, who stopped to relieve his bladder on the way home, pants down around his ankles.

A couple east 8 hold up cocktails garnished with purple flowers.

A mugger approached from behind, stepped on Sam's pants and demanded that he hand over his wallet. Things didn't go to plan as this hold up ended with Sam chasing the mugger down the street, pants still around his ankles and belt wrapped around his fist. Kevin decided to name his cocktail creation after that memorable evening.

How to make an East 8 Hold Up

Supplies you will need:

To make this cocktail you will need a cocktail shaker, a muddler, and a cocktail strainer. You may have to do a little searching to find passion fruit syrup. I bought mine at a cocktail specialty shop. You can also easily buy it online.

Directions:

Take about two tablespoons of diced, fresh pineapple and use your muddler to press it into a purée.

A muddler puréeing fresh pineapple pieces.

Measure all of the other ingredients (vodka, Aperol, freshly squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, and passion fruit syrup) into your cocktail shaker, along with the pineapple purée and some ice cubes. Shake very well, then strain it into an ice-filled cocktail glass.

East 8 hold up cocktail in a glass with ice.

If you are making two there is enough room in a cocktail shaker for both. Just double the ingredients to save on time.

I garnished my cocktails with wedges of juicy pineapple and bright flowers to go with the cocktail's delicious, tropical flavours. The true-to-recipe garnishing is a pineapple and lime wedge.

The east 8 hold up in a glass garnished with purple flowers.

Cheers! And don't get caught with your pants around your ankles.

A hand holding an east 8 hold up garnished with purple flowers.

I used this:

cocktail bar set

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East 8 Hold Up

5 from 10 reviews

Author: Asha
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
Category: Cocktails
Cuisine: British

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Description

This delicious cocktail from London, England, is vodka-based with passion fruit and fresh pineapple. The result is fruity, refreshing, tangy, and bitter-sweet.

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoons fresh pineapple, diced

1 ½ oz (45 ml) vodka

½ oz (15 ml) Aperol

½ oz (15 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice

¼ oz (7.5 ml) simple syrup

⅙ oz (1.88 ml) passion fruit syrup

Instructions

Muddle pineapple pieces into a purée.

Add all ingredients into cocktail shaker along with some ice cubes and shake very well.

Strain into an ice-filled cocktail glass.

Garnish with a pineapple wedge and lime wedge, or optionally add some colourful flowers.

Equipment