Dan Murphy’s has revealed it is planning to highlight and celebrate the key drinks trends of 2018 with the opening of an interactive pop-up in Sydney next month.
The ‘House of Discovery’ features a drinks list created by Dan Murphy’s new Spirit Ambassador, Charlie Ainsbury and will reflect the at home bartender, tequila and food matching trends.
For the at home bartender the House of Discovery will feature a Tiki Bar and 1950’s Martini Bar where guests can taste cocktails and learn how to make their own.
“Where beer and wine used to be the go-to entertainment drink, consumers are increasingly interested in learning the tricks of the trade from behind the bar,” Ainsbury said.
“My role with Dan Murphy’s is to help make the home bar more accessible by encouraging everyone to play around with new flavours and learn the foundations of what makes a good cocktail. A ‘sour’ cocktail is simply two parts spirits, one part sweet and one part sour. Once consumers know the basics there are no limits.”
As premium tequila becomes more of an important category in Australia, this experience will help guests navigate the category and understand that salt and lime are no longer required.
Finally in addressing food and matching trends, guests will learn about pairing food with beer, wine or spirits through a ‘drinks first, food second’ experience.
Ainsbury added: “The tradition of food and drink matching is people selecting their meal and then a drink to accompany, but on-premise we’re seeing that order reverse with dishes served to match the drink choice. There’s no doubt this will follow into the home.”
The House of Discovery will take place in the Sydney suburb of Chippendale from Thursday, 8 March to Saturday, 10 March.