You could be forgiven for thinking that Canberra’s Hippo Co brings a touch of Sydney’s Shady Pines Saloon meets The Baxter Inn.
The upstairs venue in the city centre’s Garema Place welcomes you with dim lighting, exposed brick and taxidermy. And then, there’s a wall of whisky in gold letters beside a back bar accessed by ladder.
Similarities aside, Hippo Co. is one of the Canberra bars you must experience. The prohibition-style bar with split-level and glass frontage that overlooks Garema Place has an equal focus on classic cocktails and whisky. Over 230 whiskies from around the globe feature on the back bar, including some rare drams such as Bruichladdich Black Art and Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu ‘The Peated’ Japanese whisky.
The cocktail menu is easy to follow, with drinks grouped under flavour profiles such as Sweet, Sour, Refreshing and Stirred, each listing the ingredients and the type of glassware.
“The cocktails are a mix between older classics and modern classics”, Bar Manager and whisky curator, Cameron Bray explains. The menu is prep-intensive and the bar team makes house-made syrups, squeezes fresh juices and their own infusions.
The cocktail list tempts you to start with the Limewire, made with gin, Elderflower Liqueur, fresh lime juice, smashed cucumber and fresh mint leaves. Sloe Suzan brings a well-balanced mix of sloe gin, Archie Rose dry gin, Suze with sweet vermouth and Angostura Bitters while the South Passage Scoundrel hits the right spot for a smoky, sweet combination of Ballantines blended scotch, Laphroaig 10 yo, Pedro Ximenez sherry and absinthe.
Hippo Co hold three whisky tastings a week and there’s a Boilermaker menu for when you’re simply after a beer and a shot. When it comes to food, you’d be hard pressed to pass on the Southern Comfort fried chicken.
Whether you’re into whisky or well-crafted cocktails, the experience at Hippo Co will bring you back.
Hippo Co
Address: 1/17 Garema Pl, Canberra
Phone: (02) 6247 7555
Hours: Monday to Saturday 5pm – Late, Closed on Sunday
Website: www.hippoco.com.au
Photo by Cocktails & Bars – © Copyright: All rights reserved.
