Post: #1

Alcoholic Architecture: The London bar where breathing gets you buzzed

Quote:Cocktail fans in London will want to take a deep breath when they enter a pop-up bar that will open on the site of an ancient monastery in Borough.

Alcoholic Architecture features a walk-in cloud of cocktail composed of fine spirits and mixer at a ratio of 1:3. It's made using powerful humidifiers to super-saturate the air. Alcohol enters the bloodstream mainly through the lungs but also the eyeballs. Guests are advised to "breathe responsibly."

It's the project of Sam Bompas and Harry Parr, two friends who specialise in experiences based on flavour. Previous Bompas & Parr events include one where whiskies were consumed from the contours of bodies of people the same age as the drink.

Guests will descend through a series of dimly lit passages into a monastic-themed changing room, where they will be robed in protective clothing to keep them from smelling like a cocktail when they go home. After that, it's into a crypt-like bar that appears hewn from rock. The drinks will be based on those made by monks, including Chartreuse, Benedictine, Trappist beer, and Buckfast fortified wine. From there, it is a short step into the cocktail chamber.

"Inside, the sound is modulated so that it is like you are right inside the glass," Parr said. "It's a dense atmosphere that builds into a thunderstorm with lightning. It's a new way of experiencing drink, and it's social because it's an immersive shared environment. You all have the same flavor sensation.

"It's like going to the seaside and finding that fish and chips taste better. Part of that is that in a human environment, your ability to perceive taste is heightened. It's the opposite of being in an aeroplane. Alcohol tastes better, with more nuances: You can detect more subtle flavours when it is humidified."

Guests will be allocated one-hour time slots so they don't have time to get drunk on the atmosphere; Parr estimates it at one unit of alcohol per hour. Entry is £10 (NZ$23.6), or £12.50 at peak times. Canonical Cocktails from the bar will cost £8 and Sacred Shots £5. Mixed drinks for sharing include a loving cup made from a human skull.

Price comes to about USD $16.



Would any of you guys ever try this? It seem like a boring gimmick to me and I hate humidity too.

Do you think it's safe? Imagine somebody fell asleep in the corner and nobody noticed - is it possible for them to die?

Post: #2

Wait....this isn't some religious ritual ?

Quote:they will be robed in protective clothing to keep them from smelling like a cocktail when they go home

Quote:Alcohol enters the bloodstream mainly through the lungs but also the eyeballs

Seems legit.

I'll pass on this and enjoy a good old drink via glass.

Post: #3

Parks & Recreation already covered this concept. I agree with Ron Swanson.

Post: #4

Sounds great, trapped in a plastic bag in high humidity and getting buzzed without enjoyment of a nice drink.

Post: #5

Vaporizing alcohol is a great way to kill yourself. You'll OD so much faster with less liquor. Concept seems legit...

Post: #6

There's nothing more enjoyable on a Friday night than running around with a plastic bag over your head while looking at fat British women grind on some Ali G-esque "urban youth."

Post: #7

Reminds me of the old arthritis medicine that you would rub onto your joints. Gum spirits of turpentine or something, basically just a different kind of alcohol, methyl I think, absorbed through your skin and you would get completely plastered. Dangerous stuff really.

Post: #8

Post: #9

I take it there's no smoking allowed inside then?