moleculardrinks.info

Source: http://www.cocktailians.com/2008/01/melbourne-bar-r.html 

Here is an extract from the above blog on Melbourne’s conrtribution to Molecular Mixology:

“…The following evening, I was ready to tackle Melbourne’s, Der Raum, which several people had described to me as the “El Bulli of molecular mixology“. I walked the mile or so from my hotel through the leafy boulevards of Richmond, to its rather drab, unassuming entrance. Once inside, I was immediately taken aback by the vast array of bottles dangling from the ceiling on bungee cords, and owner/chief bartender Matt Bax’s fine abstract paintings lining the walls. At that point, I knew that I was in for a total sensory experience rather than just great mixology.

I took my seat at the bar and chatted with the bartenders for a while about this and that, while poring over the drink menu. I finally settled on the Latin Threesome: Pitú Cachaça from Brazil, Capel Alto de Carmen Chilean Pisco grape brandy, and Havana Club Añejo Reserva, with crushed pineapple, fresh lime juice, and brown sugar served in a double old-fashioned glass. Combining the Cachaça and Pisco, typically rather harsh liquors, together with the other ingredients resulted in an elegant, smooth tropical libation that I will definitely be attempting to duplicate down in my Tiki bar during the next couple of weeks.

Next up, a Jamaican Blackstrap: Myer’s Dark rum, pomegranate molasses, lime juice, orange bitters, gomme syrup, and a couple of splashes of Bundaberg Ginger Beer, strained into what appeared to be a cough-syrup bottle, and served in a brown-paper bag. The result was exceptionally smooth (probably due to the addition of the gomme) and appropriately medicinal, but oddly flat. I would’ve expected the ginger beer to give it a bit more fizz. Still, it was a worthy tipple.

Finally, my expense account stretched to the breaking point, I felt I should wind things up, so I decided to once again take advantage of being outside the US, and asked the staff to recommend something with Absinthe. After much stirring, pouring, and spritzing, they delivered unto me Hemingway’s “Death in the Afternoon” adapted from a humorous 1935 celebrity cocktail book titled, So Red the Nose, or Breath in the Afternoon. “Death” arrived in the form of a champagne coupe filled with a mix of Mr. Jekyll German Absinthe and champagne. Floating in the center of the glass was an Absinthe-tinted ball of ice with a sprig of rosemary embedded inside. A spritz of extra-virgin olive oil completed the presentation. Words fail me at this point, quite possibly because I was getting so drunk that my synapses weren’t firing properly any longer, but suffice it to say that when I die, this cocktail is what I want to see floating at the end of that long, dark tunnel.

I found myself returning to Der Raum on Friday night, and in the interest of not taking up the entire Cocktailian front page, I’ll limit myself to listing the drinks consumed, along with a brief description:

Bizzy Izzy Fix: a cobbler named after 1920s G-Man, Izzy Einstein: small-batch bourbon, tawny port, muddled pineapple and lemon, and dark brown sugar. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned on this trip, it’s not to overlook bourbon as a potential ingredient in tropical drinks.

Wie Bitte Cocktail: one of Matt Bax’s original creations: Amaro Montenegro Liqueur, cardamom, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters combined to produce an exceptionally smooth and well-balanced drink, with a nice bitter edge, and a lovely cardamom aftertaste.

Prohibition Long Island Ice Tea: I was surprised to learn that Melbourne had its own Prohibition during the early 20th century. During that period, many coffee and tea shops took to serving alcoholic drinks disguised as caffeinated bevvies. Appropriately, Der Raum’s version comes in an oversized coffee mug, with a creamer full of Coca Cola on the side to add as desired. This was quite good, both with and without the cola.

Well, jet-lag beckons me now towards the arms of Morpheus, so I’ll wrap up my narrative. Hopefully, I’ll be able to return to Melbourne later in the year, and pick up my barhopping where I left off, as I haven’t even scratched the surface of what’s there to be imbibed.”

Images courtesy of John Laurie, official photographer of Der Raum.