Wacky Cocktails

Back
8th January 2024

Jump to

The Gold Coast of Australia has always been synonymous with fun, sun and laughter. A tourist hotspot, and home to a multitude of ‘surfer dudes’, few places are as busy and vibrant as Surfer’s Paradise.
But even the laid back locals have raised a few eyebrows at the latest cocktail being served at House of Brews. It is not the drink itself that has upset them; a delicious mix of gin, St Germain, elderflower liqueur, cloudy apple juice, grape and lime juice, orget syrup and rhubarb bitters, the Purple Haze is in high-demand with regulars and tourists alike.

The controversy has come from the instrument used to create the drink. A utensil shaped like a bong is used to pour the cocktail into the glass. The smoke effect created is theatrical and exciting, and exactly the impression the bar owner wanted to give.

Concerns have been raised over whether this performance trivializes drug use, but the bar owner has denied this as his intention, saying, “We absolutely do not encourage the use of drugs.”

The Purple Haze is not the first cocktail to cause a stir over the way it is served. Take a look at these wacky designs:

Coquetier


This scrumptious combination of rum, chocolate and cinnamon is served at Pret a Diner, Germany. The special twist comes in the form of an eggshell, which the beverage is served in. The recipe is a variation of a classic drink that was served in an egg cup in the 18th century in New Orleans.

The Crapper


A favourite at Las Vegas bar, Rock and Rita’s, The Crapper is a chocolate-based cocktail served from a mini toilet bowl. Luckily, that is where the distasteful bit ends, as the actual drink is quite delicious! It’s a variation of the Pina Colada, garnished with a Snickers bar. And the best bit (maybe) is that you get to keep the toilet glass when you have finished! Drinking out of The Crapper has never been so tasty!

Gunpowder Plot


If you like your cocktails steamy, the Gunpowder Plot could be just want you’ve been looking for. Created in Sydney, a concoction of dry ice, liquid nitrogen, and jelly is lit and the whole drink is held under a cloche so that the gin, fernet branca and egg whites in the glass are infused with a gunpowder-like taste.

The Sourtoe Cocktail


If you cast your minds back a few months, you may remember our blog post based on the Sourtoe Cocktail. Any drink can be transformed into the gruesome-sounding cocktail, the only requirement is that it contains an old pickled toe. Sold in Yukon, Canada, brave drinkers must ensure the toe touches their lips to earn a place in the Sourtoe Cocktail Club. And yes, the toes take some sourcing, but they are real, amputated human limbs.

In order to make a name for themselves in the bartending industry, cocktail enthusiasts need to come up with weirder and wackier ideas all the time. Thankfully they always have an eager audience ready to test out new ideas.

Pardon the interruption

Did you know that you can become a member for free, taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. You can save your My Bar ingredients, make tasting notes, have personalised Tried and Want to try lists and more.

Filed with tags

More to explore

The History of the Snowball Cocktail

Every year we have dreams of a white Christmas, but unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way....

The Travelling Cocktail Drinker: The Best Bars in Lapland

A week and a half before Christmas and The Travelling Cocktail Drinker could really only visit one d...

The Travelling Cocktail Drinker: The Best Bars in Singapore

In a country that is constantly evolving and developing, it is no surprise that Singapore is home to...

Tag cloud

Explore more with our randomised tag cloud.

Bartender's top tip

Choose the perfect glass. The shape, size and design of a glass adds to the experience of the curated cocktail. Invest in a few key pieces of glassware, with a design that matches your style.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get tips straight into your inbox.

Upgrade your mixology

Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. Or become a premium member to rise to cocktail greatness.

  • Save your bar forever
  • Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
  • Create personalised cocktail menus for all your events, bars or parties
  • Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
  • Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
  • Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
  • A personalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
  • And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)

Create your own cocktail menu!

Use our interactive cocktail menu creator for free, and create wonderful looking cocktail menus for your next party, gathering or bar.

Great looking pre-built designed themes, group your cocktails, choose what to show on them and a host more options.

Get creating