Alyssa Jiosa
Ever wonder what it takes to be a bartender? Liquor Lab has answers—and they’re sharing them with Nashville’s cocktail enthusiasts.
The brainchild of West Point grad and entrepreneur Owen Meyer, Liquor Lab puts the art of mixology in the hands of those who typically sit on the receiving end of the bar.
“I wanted to not only create a unique interactive cocktail experience, but to also demystify the art of making delicious cocktails,” Meyer says.
Here, guests are taught how to shake, stir, and sip their favorite drinks while learning the history behind them from a category-specific professional. It’s a concept that’s gained traction with visitors to their flagship location in New York City—including a few celebrities.
“We had a private event last year where one guest put a dollar bill on her forehead and began chasing our Chief Cocktail Officer [former Broken Shaker and Bordel bartender Freddie Sarkis] around,” shares Meyer. “As I went to tell her to take it easy, one of my partners grabbed me and said ‘That’s Tiffany Haddish. You should probably let her keep having fun.’ I realized she was making a joke about tipping your bartender and we all had a great laugh.”
Alyssa Jiosa
Just a few months old, the Nashville location, which is triple the size of the NYC outpost, features a ticketed bar where guests assemble to concoct their drinks. Each session takes on a locally connected theme and pairs it with catering from a Music City hot spot. Recent sessions include a “Bourbon and BBQ” night with Peg Leg Porker and a “Margaritas and Tacos” night with East Nashville’s beloved Mas Tacos.
Along with the classroom/bar, the space features a private speakeasy equipped with a 360-degree immersive video experience from Sony Pictures Entertainment—the first bar in the world to incorporate the technology. After class, guests can opt to enjoy another cocktail in the speakeasy while being visually and acoustically transported to a beachside retreat, a mountain escape, or wherever the evening’s theme dictates.
The adjacent retail shop is stocked with cocktail kits, flasks, shakers, and tools for those looking to brush up on their skills at home.
“Nashville’s growth combined with the experience seekers who travel and live there make it a perfect location for a world-class cocktail experience like Liquor Lab,” Meyer says. “It’s the first of its kind and a complete custom build-out, which we’re very excited about.”
Liquor Lab, 144 2ndAve. N., Ste. 10; liquorlabnashville.com