By Sacha Delfosse
Sydney small bar Grasshopper has come up with a creative and entertaining way to engage its guests when it comes to ordering cocktails.
The bar has introduced a new 'Cocktail DIY' concept, with a form for guests to fill out that allows them to choose from a set list of ingredients, which are then mixed to order by the bartender.
Grasshopper co-owner John Toubia said the form includes six different categories that form the basis of any good cocktail, including spirits, liqueurs and sweeteners.
"The idea is to give our customers the freedom to design cocktails that they want to drink. It's a fun, creative and interactive experience that all our customers enjoy."
The concept was introduced at the start of September and is a natural extension from the bar's philosophy of hand-crafting drinks to suit a customer's specific taste.
"It's been very popular, especially with our after work crowds. It also tends to be a hit with a large group of friends," Toubia said.
Although the final choice is in the customer's hands, the bar has made sure to select a range of user-friendly ingredients to ensure no matter the combination of ingredients chosen, the end result is usually a good drink.
"The options for the six categories were chosen carefully, keeping in mind that our customers are not bartenders and will make mistakes. So any products overly bitter, anise-flavoured or genuinely hard to mix were kept off the selections," Toubia said.