Enchantment Awaits at @TheCauldronPub, NYC’s Epic New DIY Mixology Bar

@sixpoint
@bavaria_nyc

Last weekend, we had the distinct pleasure of trying out a bar that’s been a hit in London, and has finally made its way overseas to NYC. The Cauldron Pub, is a fantasy-themed bar where you get the distinct pleasure of mixing your own drinks, just like a potion, and it was even better than we expected!

The experience is run via reservations, which run around an hour and a half long, allowing just enough time to get acquainted with your equipment, sip some mead (included in your package) and make yourself two additional cocktails. They also have a post-mixing menu for you to indulge in once you’re done (more on that later).

When you first walk in, you’re greeted by a ‘witchy’ waiter who gives you your wand, and brings you to your table (note: you are asked to put your credit card on hold to ensure you return the wand when you leave). You’re dressed in a robe–Hogwarts style–and introduced to your potions master.

After the initial review of how the process works, along with a demonstration which ends in a sampling of the bar’s specially brewed mead, you’re given the instructions for your first potion, and a second after that. Your ingredients come in vials and the potion contains some pretty magical elements to it, by using methods of molecular gastronomy. One potion is brewed in an actual cauldron, and my inner witch was in full force!

The bar has a lot of thought put into its decor. Each station has a quote written in ancient rune, which is decoded with the use of a cipher. It pays homage, not just to Harry Potter as people typically associate it, but to the fantasy genre as a whole.

Also created by bar? Custom beers courtesy of a collaboration with Sixpoint in Brooklyn. They feature a custom mixed drink on tap, which includes a combo of fruity flavors, and it tastes amazing. Matthew Cortland, one of the owners, is a tech “wizard” who created the magical tap, which is activated by tapping certain areas with your wand.

He told us his favorite beer is the Hootie, an American Pale Ale, but they’ve also got a Pumpkin Ale called Hell’s Broth, and a lager called, Alpenflo.

On the after-potions-class menu are some magical drinks too, including one that sparks and catches a flame—the clear and obvious choice.

The popup bar is open from now until January, so show them some love; they might even stick around! We can’t wait to see what other tricks they have up their sleeve, especially come the holiday season. You can find them on the second floor of the Bavaria Bar, on Stone Street in FiDi. Check out the open slots and buy your tickets here.

The words, “This is peak,” were uttered several times and it may not have been an exaggeration. If I’m being honest, I’d go back again tomorrow.

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