‘Bring a bottle and we’ll do the mixing’
SECRET SPEAKEASY WILL CREATE COCKTAILS WITH YOUR OWN FAVOURITE SPIRIT
DON’T be fooled by the closed sign hanging on the door – but if you haven’t got a password, you’re not getting in.
By day, it’s an unassuming cafe. But at the weekends, this Chorlton coffee shop comes alive, after hours, as a secret speakeasy – where YOU bring the booze.
Bring & Mix Manchester promises a drinks experience with a difference, inviting customers to bring their favourite spirits for its bartenders to make cocktails with.
Alex Moore, one of the owners, said: “You’ll bring your own bottle of whatever you want to drink and we make on-the-spot cocktails with it. There’s no menus, we make it to the person’s taste.
“Our ingredients larder extends from fruit juices and home-made syrups to popping candy, Horlicks, Nutella and savoury flavours like rosemary and basil.”
Guests need to make a reservation online and pay a £20 entry fee as well as bringing along a bottle – a recommended 500ml minimum between two. They’ll typically get to drink between four and six cocktails during each two-hour sitting.
“We pride ourselves on the quality of the cocktails you get to try rather than the amount,” said Alex.
“We make sure any drink is as good as you’d get in a leading bar.”
Any spirits people don’t finish can be taken home again – and the bar also offers a ‘bottle babysitting’ service, bagging and tagging them so customers can collect from the cafe at a later date.
So where does your money actually go, if not on the booze? Essentially you’re paying for the service and experience – and Alex insists it works out cheaper than a night out at a normal cocktail bar.
“When you break it down and calculate what you’d pay for a cocktail in a bar, we’re about half the price and you’re getting an experience as well,” he said.
“We think it’s value for money. As far as an event goes on a Friday or Saturday night we’re on the cheaper side.”
Bring & Mix started out in Southampton two-and-ahalf years ago and launched its Manchester pop-up eight weeks ago.
“We’ve been really excited to try to bring this experience to Manchester,” said Alex.
“There’s a few bars like it in London but there’s nothing like this here.
“People in Chorlton have been quite open to something a little bit different.”
Bring & Mix Manchester takes over Junipers Coffee Shop at 514 Wilbraham Road every Friday and Saturday.