Three Brisbane Bars to Try on Hemingway's Birthday

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There are a few things that everyone knows about Ernest Hemingway. He was a Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning author. He was fond of hanging out in Havana. And he loved his liquor, particularly the special concoction created for him in Cuba. You know it as the Hemingway daiquiri.

Removing the sugar from, adding grapefruit juice and maraschino to, and doubling the rum in the classic cocktail, his eponymous drink is the extra-strong swill to end all extra-strong swills. It's also the perfect beverage to enjoy during Bacardi Rum Month — and on July 21, which happens to be Hemingway's birthday. Check out these three Brisbane bars and their special tipples, all doing their best to live up to the writer's memory.

THE KITTY

If there's one bar in the Treasury Casino that's all about knocking back cocktails, it's the Kitty. And if there's one bar in Brisbane's premier inner-city entertainment district that Hemingway might frequent if he was around today, it's this one. If he did rise from the grave to do so, they've definitely got the drink for him. With plenty of Bacardi, lime and grapefruit — plus black cherry and pepper shrub — their zombie twist on a Hemingway daiquiri might be just what he needs. Be warned: they're not holding the sugar on this one.

130 William Street, Brisbane

BLACK BIRD BAR & GRILL

Old meets new at Black Bird Bar & Grill — in their decor, their atmosphere and their approach to drinks. With their speakeasy vibe, they certainly have a head start at conjuring up Hemingway's golden days, and they're channeling the same mood in recreating his favourite cocktail. Remembering that the author was known to have an iron tongue and liked his drinks quite sour, they have altered the recipe ever so slightly to suit the modern-day pallet. Given that their tweak involves rock candy syrup, we're certain that no one will be complaining — not even Hemingway.

123 Eagle Street, Brisbane

BYBLOS BAR AND RESTAURANT

Overlooking the Brisbane river isn't quite the same as gazing out over Havana, but with a Hemingway daiquiri in your hand, you can certainly pretend. At Portside's Byblos Bar and Restaurant, you can add Lebanese cuisine to your globetrotting imaginings too, matching hearty, spicy meals with tart, tangy cocktails. For the latter, their take on the writer's preferred beverage is as fragrant as ever, while giving the drink a modern day twist. Called Clearer With Age, it keeps things simple with clarified grapefruit juice and maraschino sugar rum. Enjoying Hemingway's namesake doesn't get any purer than this.

Portside Wharf, 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton

Top image: Cocktailmarler - Wikimedia Commons.