Friday night I did a thing with a friend and we had hella fun!  Liquor Lab has entered the downtown Nashville social scene and I had an opportunity to try out a social mixology class at their launch party and test my skills as my own personal bartender. 

What Is Liquor Lab?

Liquor Lab is an exciting one-stop shop for adult drinks.  Its event space, merchandise, mixology classes, and education on the history of spirits all rolled into one interesting venue. 

“Liquor Lab was founded by cocktail guru and industry pro, Owen Meyers, who created a team of cocktail celebs, who speak what they shake when it comes to drinks. As a concept, Liquor Lab is a media darling and has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, Forbes, US Weekly, New York Post, Vogue, Eater, and more.”

So, if you’re looking for a nightlife experience the goes beyond the honky-tonks, restaurants, and bars of Broadway, this could be it!

Location: 144 2nd Ave. N. Suite 10 Nashville, TN 37201

Parking: (Street parking. If you can find a spot). Nearby lots range from $6.75-$25 / for 2+ hours

I had a chance to spend the evening mixing some nice drinks and chatting it up with my buddy Tomiko Harvey of Passports And Grub. Here’s a glimpse at my creations. 

Liquor Lab Social Mixology Classes and Event Space

Cucumber Collins

Me and my partner for the night arrived a tad late (trying to find parking lol) so we missed mixing up the first drink of the evening. But no worries. We still got to make 3 cocktails before the party was over. 

This Cucumber Collins was such a sweet surprise. Before we began, we learned what goes into making the base of this drink, a delicious cucumber simple syrup. Then we dove right into cocktail mixing. 

This was my favorite one of the night. It’s the perfect combination of gin, cucumber simple syrup, lemon juice, and crushed ice. It’s finished off with a thin slice of cucumber. 

The taste was sweet, but not too sweet. It’s super refreshing and goes perfect with this sweltering summer weather we’ve been having. 

SoHo Park Swizzle

This cocktail was semi-difficult to make.  You had to follow the steps just right to end up with the color combination and desired flavor. So talking during this one should be kept to a minimum so you don’t miss a beat. 

Boulevardier Martini

Stirred not shaken. I’m sure you remember the famous line from the James Bond films, “Shaken not stirred” as James would refer to the way he likes his martinis.  Well, in this case, making a good Boulevardier is all about your stirring skills and sis (meaning me) has some excellent skills!

I have to admit this one wasn’t my favorite of the night. It’s definitely an acquired taste and strong!  

My Nashville Liquor Lab Experience

I had a great time learning something new and trying out drinks that I otherwise wouldn’t have known existed.  I got to taste flavor combinations that surprised me and had fun meeting new people in a relaxing social setting.

There was no assumption of understanding the basics.  Pretty much everyone in the class started out at the same level and we learned so much about fresh herbs and how to extract oils from zests. Plus, ya girl learned how to shake drinks properly and release the mixing glass from the cold shaker like a pro! It was a really fun experience. 

The instructor was very engaging and funny. Plus, he seemed to take notice if people needed help or correction on how they were making their drinks. 

The crowd was inviting and nice. People were genuinely having a good time and open to interacting with people they just met. 

I would definitely do this again and again! 

Nashville is full of so many awesome experiences outside of the Honkey Tonks and Bus Tours.  I’m so glad I had a chance to sample this night at the Liquor Lab to give you an insider’s view of what it’s like at a mixology class. Do you think this is something you might like to try?

Have you ever been to a social mixology class?

Share your experience in the comments!