Mixology Molecular Bar: A Novel Concept

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Mixology Bar
Mixology Bar
Mixology Bar
Mixology Bar

Mixology Molecular Bar is located on the 7th Floor of the Rio Sur mall, adjacent Sixttina Discoteca.

I’d been wanting to check it out for a while, and the opportunity finally arose after a reader meet up at Sushi Light in La Strada.

Jennifer and a Finnish reader were interested in continuing the night, so we first walked over to Sinko Bar at Rio Sur for a drink with some other friends, and then followed that up with another round at Mixology.

The first thing I noticed when walking into Mixology was the lighting. After sitting inside for a few minutes, Jennifer commented that it was too harsh. And I agree, especially looking back at the photos from that night.

The owners of Mixology describe the concept and bar as follows on TripAdvisor:

Mixology Molecular Bar™ is the first molecular bar in Colombia and the only one in Latin America. Is an elegant, innovative and sophisticated bar, characterized by the molecular mixology techniques, developed by ourselves and applied in our products.

In terms of ambience, I think they did well with the interior decor, but the lightning is more akin to a frat house basement than an “elegant” bar.

Jenni and the Sorbete Nitrogenado de Antioqueno
Jenni and the Sorbete Nitrogenado de Antioqueno

Lighting aside, we were there to try the novel drinks developed by Ángel Chocano, a Peruvian mixologist who has lived in Medellin since the bar opened.

Many of the drinks feature liquid nitrogen to create a smoke effect. It’s cool, but a little gimmicky. The question I have when paying $10+ for a cocktail is whether it tastes good.

Our new Finnish friend ordered the Sorbete Nitrogenado de Antioqueno for 22,500 pesos ($12) featuring ice cream on a base of apples, peppermint, and aguardiente, which is all then covered with cinnamon syrup.

Now that I’ve translated the description for the first time, I have to admit we didn’t quite know what was in it at the time. Hell, the fact that a cocktail glass came to him with ice cream in it was a surprise, let alone the rest of the ingredients.

So what’s the verdict on mixing guaro with your ice cream? It was too strong for me, and while the presentation was nice when it was first brought over, as the ice cream began to melt, it turned into a rather unpleasant looking mixture. We left this drink unfinished.

The smokin' Ruso Blanco Molecular can be seen in the foreground
The smokin’ Ruso Blanco Molecular can be seen in the foreground

Next up, we have Jenny’s Ruso Blanco Molecular for 22,000 pesos ($11.50), which is a take off on the classic white russians, a vodka based drink.

This one includes liquid nitrogen to create the volcano effect, but I can’t explain why the drink itself is black instead of white.

Either they added coloring to create a contrast with the evaporating liquid nitrogen, or they left out the cream, in which case it’s really a black russian.

I tasted this one too, and again felt it was too strong. In fact, I couldn’t imagine finishing either of the drinks the others ordered.

A gin fizz with lime foam on top
A Gin Fizz Molecular with lime foam

I decided to play it safe, ordering a Gin Fizz Molecular. We already had cocktails with aguardiente and vodka ordered, so I figured I’d go gin to cover our bases.

A classic gin fizz is made with gin, lemon juice, powdered sugar, and carbonated water. I don’t drink it regularly, and in fact, this may have been one of the few times in my life I’d ordered one.

The server brought the gin on ice in a glass over to the table, along with two pressurized containers. The first was used to fill the glass almost to the top with carbonated water, and the second was used to add a short layer of foam.

At first glance, I thought they were topping my drink with whip cream, and I could hardly believe it. Upon tasting it, I realized it was a flavorful lime foam which served to enhance the drink. I also liked the unique shape of the glass.

The Gin Fizz Molecular was far and away my favorite of the three drinks, yet I still found it too strong. As a result, I didn’t finish it.

We all agreed that Mixology Molecular Bar is worth a try, maybe for a drink at the start of a Friday or Saturday night, before you go next door to dance the night away. It could also be a fun place to take a date, since you won’t find drinks like these anywhere else in Colombia.

While novel, I didn’t find the experience nor the atmosphere sophisticated.

You can still find speak easy bars in the USA. Little hidden gems, without a sign out front. The last one I went to was The Gibson in Washington, DC back in early 2010.

The bar itself was known for its mixologists, and unlike the bar here in Medellin, the lighting was warm and welcoming, not dark and harsh. To my recollection, they also didn’t rely on liquid nitrogen to amp up their mixology credentials.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Hi Dave, I’d avoid those liquid nitrogen drinks if I were you, as a young woman in the UK had to have her stomach removed in hospital after drinking one of those drinks.