Led by Karl Stanley and Sam Taylor, Bar Manager and Head Bartender respectively, the team behind this new menu are regular fixtures (and winners) in cocktail competitions both national and international.
Combined with accolades for the bar itself (including shortlists for The Observer’s Best Place To Drink 2018, Imbibe UK’s Bar Team of the Year 2019 and being crowned Bar of the Year at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2018), this makes for a formidable formula and a unique approach to menu development.
Adam Wilson, Head of Menu Development and Drinks Training across the group of bars (including other award-winning names such as Crazy Pedro’s, The Liars Club and The Bay Horse Tavern), had this to say;
“The Science of Simplicity is a concept I’ve played around with for a while. The notion of using these incredible tools we have to produce drinks that, while looking pretty “normal”, have a lot of technique behind them, and a huge amount of expertise and effort going on behind the scenes. Something I try to stick to throughout my work is the idea that your guests don’t need to know how much you know – they just need to benefit from it. This list is the embodiment of that philosophy.
“We create a lot of flavour using the lab, and batch ingredients together in advance to reduce the number of movements required for each drink, as well as recycling a lot of ingredients: Making syrups and aromatic sprays from offcut citrus peels, and using fruits for infusions, then preserving them to create a garnish for that same drink.”
The menu itself is split into short sections for ease of understanding, with beautiful illustrations and short, snappy tasting notes to make deciding as easy as possible.
Highlights from the new menu include:
10,000 Points on Tetris
A luxurious, ludicrously complex rum old fashioned. Funk and weight come from the Plantation OFTD (Old Fashioned Traditional Dark), punchy at 69%. Rounded out by the eight-year-old, El Dorado Demerara Rum and a blend of pimento (allspice) infused Lustau Pedro Ximinez, Esprit de Figue (a fig liqueur); further depth comes from the Mancino Rosso Vermouth and Black Walnut Bitters. Everything fits together so well, it’s like scoring 10,000 points, on Tetris.
Pinot Colada
Science & Industry’s sleek, silky-smooth interpretation of this all-time tropical favourite. A double hit of rum offers fresh coconut aroma alongside the rounded, citrusy brightness of an aged white rum – with the grassy notes enhanced by the pinot-grigio based coconut syrup.
Sage Advice
A simple but effective take on the classic Sour. Armagnac, the lesser-known country cousin of Cognac is a favourite of the bar team, and this drink is inspired by Adam’s tour around the region last year. The combination of fresh herbs, rich, honeyed brandy and fresh red grape notes evokes the aromas of the French countryside while cleansing the palate – the hint of vinegar cuts through and encourages the drinker to finish it off and order another.
Mom’s The Word
A blue drink with class! Built around the punchy, old-school flavours of Berry Bros. Gin – resurrected from a single vial of 1950s spirit found at No.3 St. James’ Street – their home since 1698. Sweetness and body comes from a syrup created using lime leaf, fresh Green Cardamom and gunpowder green tea – a particularly rare variety from China, taking its name from the tiny, dark balls it is rolled into. Citrus and bite come from Suze and a touch of Blue Curaçao (of course!), and everything is rounded out with a splash of Franklin and Sons’ Sicilian Lemon Tonic.
Charlemagne
Inspired by the unrequited love Stanislau Cobianchi (creator of Amaro Montenegro), had for Princess Elena of Montenegro – later to become the Queen of Italy. Served up, in a flute, this drink is the perfect marriage of bittersweet, herbal amaro and fresh raspberry cordial – tied together with rosemary and rounded out with the gentle effervescence of prosecco.
Girder Swizzle
Does not contain girders. The Swizzle is a Caribbean classic – usually made with rum, mint, sugar and lime, along with some kind of soda. We’ve flipped this on its head and concentrated our favourite drink from North of The Wall into a rich, aromatic syrup and combined with the lesser-known, lighter version of Chartreuse to create a cocktail that tastes like childhood, but WAY more fun.
Black Emerald (vegan)
If an Espresso Martini had a fight with an Irish Coffee – all cacao and coffee, familiar undertones of Irish Whiskey, but with added weight from being finished in ex-stout barrels. We top the drink with a totally vegan foam, no eggs or dairy in sight, flavoured with unctuous tonka bean, and aromatic vanilla.
The full menu is available at Science and Industry now. Click here to see the full menu.
Science and Industry, 49 – 51 Thomas Street, Northern Quarter Manchester, M4 1NA
