We are the robots

Robotic bartenders! There is such a thing as a robotic bartender that mixes cocktails better than any human mixologist could do.

At least that was the sales pitch I received via email last week introducing Yanu, the robot bartender from the future made in Estonia. I skipped on the offer to give me a call as the email was definitely meant for bar owners rather than writers.

But as I was intrigued, I did some research. A promotional video on YouTube shows the CEO explaining that Yanu is more like an old-fashioned gentleman bartender as it can make jokes.

It showed a pod like construction that took a glass, added ice and some coloured liquid and placed it on the counter. Now, I was wondering where was the pretty umbrella?

This is not the first version of an automated mixer (as that what is it in my opinion) as the hotel Townhouse Duomo in Milan has one on their rooftop called Dolce Vita by Makr Shakr – again no pretty umbrella. Is this really the future?

I am already offended by the banks removing people from the counter and referring you to the machine to do your banking and don’t get me started with the self-checkout at the supermarket.

It has been a while since I have been in a bar and one of the quirks I get is the banter with a bartender, watching him/her skilfully shaking the beaker and arranging said pretty umbrella (or other delightful decoration that makes a cocktail an occasion).

I had amazing conversations with bartenders – also some really boring ones – and was able to ask for different options than that was on the menu. Can a robot do that? I doubt that.

In a bar in Spain I tried every drink on the menu (it wasn’t that long and not over one night!) and at the end I asked the barman to surprise me (quick note: it’s a bad idea to tell anyone behind the bar to surprise you!).

Now imagine I said to a robot ‘hey petal, just surprise me’ – unless there’s a cocktail called Surprise Me I doubt that I would be surprised.

I have also seen robot cooks in Japan (not that I have been in Japan but I get weird emails) that made omelettes. The question is, where is the soul, talent, skill and wit that makes each bartender or cook so unique?

The future looks bleak in my eyes if this is really where we are heading.

I still remember the first time I entered a cocktail bar. It was in Berlin and the bar was called Juleps. A julep is a cocktail made with bourbon, mint and sugar syrup. Although I am not a whiskey drinker, I did enjoy the drink. I also remember the chat I had with the very handsome bartender.

My favourite cocktail bar in London is Mr Fogg’s which transports you back to Victorian times in a very relaxed atmosphere.

Here in Cork we have Cask and the River Lee Club, both amazing bars that know a thing or two about cocktails. My first cocktail was a pina colada in the Dominican Republic (before I visited Juleps) served at the swimming pool and it is still my favourite cocktail – made by a human bartender with a little pretty umbrella in cold glass.