Netflix recommendations- Drink Masters

Alcoholics beware!

I always think to myself, what would they think of next!? The “They”, being Netflix, as they’ve tried pretty much everything in a competition style format, and I guess Cocktails and Mixologists were the next frontier!?

For those who have noticed ‘Drink Masters’ appear on their Netflix app but haven’t had the chance to watch it yet, it’s another Reality TV competition show ( like ‘Master Chef’ and other cooking competitions), where contestants are placed into high-pressure situations to be creative and to deliver. However, set aside the poultry and carving knives, and crack-out the cocktail shakers, the distiller, and Martini glasses, as this competition is all about the DRINK! From around the world, 12 of the most talented and creative Mixologists have been assembled to showcase their wares, and for one deserving winner they’ll take home $100K large! And here are my 6 big take-aways from the show:

One. Labour intensive

Holy cow! Who knew having 2 hours to prepare a single drink is almost not enough time!? The effort it took to create a single drink was just as labour intensive as cooking a highly involved meal!? I have to admit I have a greater appreciation for the guys and gals behind the bars now and have a slightly better tolerance/understanding  of the priciness of cocktails.

Two. Progressiveness

I have to admit I don’t usually partake in cocktails as I’m a simple man. But to see all the different techniques exhibited in the show, I’m utterly blown away in how creative and progressive modern bar tending/Mixology has become! Gone are the days of just mixing a few different spirits and serving it up with a wedge of lime!

Three. The cool factor

Have to admit, all of the 12 contestants (bar 1) were pretty cool catz- funky hairstyles/colours, arms covered in tattoos, and various piercings seemed like the standard look of the modern bar tender. Very cool, very cool!

Four. Terms like dry and wet

I’ve always wondered what people meant when they smacked their lips after taking a sip of wine and described it to be dry. But this question has been answered on Drink Masters! A dry alcoholic drink is a wine/spirit/cocktail which is less sweet, and wet implies that a certain ingredient has been applied more liberally than it is normally known for. *Nods sagely*.

Five. My wife is a closet alcoholic

Haaha, I’m just kidding. But Drink Masters has peaked my wife’s interest in alcoholic beverages (prior to this she hardly drinks). I’d say a visit to the ‘Smoking Panda’ may be on the cards for 2023! Woohoo!

Six. Tone Bell, where have you been all my life!?

And finally, how great is Tone Bell! Recently I’ve been uber impressed by Netflix’s casting decisions, as they’ve hit home-runs with all of their show Hosts! And Tone Bell is no exception. Funny, in a Suttle understated way. Smooth and cool when he interacts with the show’s judges and contestants. And his delivery was always spot on, no awkward moments here! So, standing ovation for Tone Bell!

But the one thing which I didn’t particularly like about the show, was the announcement of the winner. And I’ve found this to be the case in most of Netflix’s competition shows. They (they, being Netflix), really don’t know how to nail a suspenseful reveal! Perhaps it’s the lack of advert breaks to draw out the moment, or the fact that they can’t end the final episode on a cliff-hanger (which they’re great with mid-season), but I just find the big reveals to be a bit anticlimactic. That leaves me thinking…. “Really! That’s it? After 10 episodes, you finish on that note?”

But aside from that, Drink Masters was a whole lot of fun, and I hope this helps to bring people back out to their local bars and clubs post-Covid, as God knows how the hospitality industry needs this reinvigoration at this point in time! Add Drink Masters to the mix in your watch list, it’s definitely worth your time!