However, as Whiley says, efficiency is still a key component for any bar. “We can spend time creating a beautiful cocktail behind the bar, precisely and with little waste. But ultimately if our customers have to wait too long for a drink they won’t come back.”
Speed service, therefore, must not be forgotten. In October last year, BBC programme The Gadget Show tried out the world’s first cocktail machine, the Barmate Infinite. The machine works in a similar way to a coffee machine – place a glass on the drip tray, choose your drink and wait to be served. Although the flavours of the cocktails weren’t well received by the show, the potential is there. It is easy to imagine high-volume bars in the future having several of these machines operated by ‘hands-off’ bartenders. These types of DIY machines will probably replace home bars for the middle class and, after a period of time, the resurgence of handmade cocktails will return, but that’s for another day.
As consumers get to grips with the next level of innovation, the cycle will undoubtedly continue and the industry’s thirst for better, quicker and more exciting drinks will renew. The next step for any cartoon genius is to innovate without alienating its trusty, dependable sidekick.
